Breeders' Cup Clocker: Wet track can't stop Asmussen or Catalano
KEENELAND
Monday, Oct. 31
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 62
Track: Muddy/good
LEXINGTON, KY. – The weather and the racetrack were a major part of the story Monday at Keeneland with Sunday rain leaving the main track muddy and sealed when opening for business at 6 a.m. before being back-raked and upgraded to good following the one and only renovation break.
The turf course, unsurprisingly, was not open for training here Monday, as originally scheduled, due to the wet conditions.
The condition of the racetrack early this morning caused a change in plans for trainer Steve Asmussen, who pushed back scheduled breezes for four of his Breeders’ Cup contenders approximately two hours, until after the break.
The fact the track was opened up rather than sealed after 8 a.m. brought a sigh of relief from trainer Wayne Catalano, who was able to get in a much-needed drill for reigning Sprint champ Aloha West, a work he was prepared to put off until Tuesday, if need be, had the track condition not improved.
As was the case on Sunday, the four Asmussen workers were in total maintenance mode, starting with JACKIE’S WARRIOR, who will go postward a heavy favorite in the Sprint. Jackie’s Warrior did not backtrack to the finish line, as is most often the case with Asmussen breezers. Instead he went right off upon entering the track to cruise three-eighths in 37.65, appearing to barely get out of an open gallop while just stretching his legs coming off a very impressive five-furlong drill in 58.83 seconds six days earlier.
CLAIRIERE was next up, coasting four furlongs in 50.11 while wanting to do more through the wire. She galloped out five panels, well held, in 1:04.28 while continuing to impress leading up to yet another showdown with Malathaat in the loaded Distaff lineup.
GUNITE and WICKED HALO will both compete on Breeders’ Cup day off victories here just two weeks earlier and as a result were understandably in full maintenance mode, posting half-mile times of 51.78 and 52.81, respectively. The latter didn’t look quite as smooth as the others completing her drill before also easing up quickly, as expected, on the gallop-out.
In contrast to the Asmussen workers, ALOHA WEST was out this morning for one last piece of serious business as Catalano continues to play catch-up to have the 2021 Sprint winner ready to defend his title on Saturday off a four-month layoff. Working for only the fifth time since his last start on July 2, Aloha West zipped along over the wet footing in 23.53, 47.26 for a half, being asked some to finish before being eased up purposefully into the clubhouse turn.
Catalano said afterward the work was exactly what he was looking for, and one which, if not having his speedster 100 percent fit for the Sprint, should have him close enough for a big effort from a horse he says will only really have to run the final quarter-mile in the race.
FLIGHTLINE and LIFE IS GOOD went back to the track for the first time this morning following their excellent works here Saturday, both training early over the sealed surface. Flightline merely jogged one mile once around the strip on the outside fence, Life Is Good, looking very good out of his work, galloped in draw reins while well held throughout while wanting to do more.
OLYMPIAD and TAIBA both made their first local appearances, also just jogging as did all their Breeders’ Cup stablemates from the barns of trainers Bill Mott and Bob Baffert, respectively.
The star galloper here during the course of the morning was the Shug McGaughey trained 2-year-old filly PLEASANT PASSAGE ,who was full of run over the sealed strip showing tons of energy in preparation for the Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday.
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