Breeders' Cup Clocker: Sovereignty has easy breeze under snug hold
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Del Mar
Monday, Oct. 27
Weather: Cloudy
Temp.: 60°
Track: Fast
Turf: Firm
DEL MAR, Calif. – Anyone who came out expecting to see Sovereignty lay down a bullet work in final preparation for the Classic may have been sorely disappointed, but his connections certainly were not after the number one attraction for this year’s Breeders’ Cup breezed an easy, maintenance-like half-mile shortly after dawn Monday at Del Mar.
With assistant trainer and regular work rider Neil Poznansky aboard, Sovereignty left the half-mile pole at a leisurely clip, picked up the pace a bit on the turn, and then finished off the even-paced breeze under a snug hold to the wire. He completed the distance in 49.83 seconds off a 25.06 opening quarter split and eased up after five furlongs in 1:03.08.
The exercise was little more than a leg-stretcher for the grand-looking 3-year-old, who completed all his major preparations back at his home base of Saratoga prior to shipping to the West Coast. Sovereignty, who has always shown to be a better work horse when put in company rather than going solo as he did this morning, has been eye-catching since arriving here last week and gives every indication he’s ready for another stellar effort in the Classic.
Those looking for a Bill Mott Breeders’ Cup contender to record a bullet workout on Monday weren’t disappointed after Scylla zipped four furlongs in 46.94 in preparation for the Distaff. With Poznansky aboard, Scylla posted a 23.96 opening quarter split, was well within herself to the wire, and then sustained good momentum into the turn, easing up after five furlongs in 59.69.
Scylla remains winless on the year but is multiple Grade 1-placed in 2025. She figures to go into the Distaff flying a little bit under the radar. She was one of two horses to breeze Monday over a fresh and quick main track after the renovation break, along with another Distaff contender, the Argentine-bred Sarawak Rim, who went a half-mile in a more leisurely 49.46. Sarawak Rim did finish up and gallop out with good energy, completing her final quarter in 24.15 without any real encouragement before galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.78 for trainer Ignacio Correas.
Speaking of the Distaff, it was noteworthy to see Dorth Vader back on the track and full of energy following a very impressive work of her own the previous morning. The race favorite, Seismic Beauty, also was out on the track Monday as part of a large Bob Baffert-trained Breeders’ Cup contingent that arrived here Sunday.
New York-based trainers Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown had their horses on the track for the first time here as well. Pletcher sent his three Classic contenders – Fierceness, Antiquarian and Mindframe – out well before dawn, with the trio galloping single file, in that order, once around the one-mile oval.
Brown’s two Classic runners, Sierra Leone and Contrary Thinking, had an easier morning, jogging once around clockwise on the outer rail.
It was another long but routine morning for Forever Young, who is expected to have his lone local work for the Classic on Tuesday.
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