Breeders' Cup: Cody's Wish, Elite Power lead Mott group of five in final works
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ARCADIA, Calif. - Led by defending Breeders’ Cup race winners Cody’s Wish and Elite Power, trainer Bill Mott put five of his seven Breeders’ Cup runners through their final workouts Sunday at Santa Anita.
Cody’s Wish, working for a repeat bid in the $1 million Dirt Mile, put in his final tuneup, breezing a half-mile in 47.31 seconds after the 9 a.m. renovation break.
Cody’s Wish punctuated the work by galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.13 and six furlongs in 1:13.78.
“Smooth as glass, on the bridle,” Mott said. “I was just happy that he didn’t go faster.”
Earlier in the morning, Mott watched Elite Power, the defending BC Sprint winner, work a half-mile in 46.74 seconds, per Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch, making up a length on Casa Creed, Mott’s contender for the BC Mile, who went in 46.94 seconds.
“Elite Power does what his company does and Casa Creed worked a little too good this morning,” Mott said. “Both my riders said they were both in hand. The track is fast, they skip over it a lot better than the Saratoga training track where they have to work a little harder.”
Cody’s Wish and Elite Power are looking for back-to-back wins in the Dirt Mile and Sprint, respectively, in what will be the final career race for both horses.
Cody’s Wish is coming off a victory in the Vosburgh at Aqueduct while Elite Power hasn’t run since he finished second to Gunite in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga on Aug. 26.
Casa Creed will come into the Breeders’ Cup off a win the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap on Aug. 12 while War Like Goddess, who will run in the BC Turf, is coming off a huge win in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.
War Like Goddess worked a half-mile on the dirt in 50.12 in preparation for her second consecutive start in the $4 million BC Turf.
“They get a lot out of working on the dirt conditioning-wise, she’s fit enough,” Mott said.
Mott agreed with the notion that this year’s Turf appears to be tougher than last year’s race, but added the 1 1/2-mile distance is the reason she’s running there instead of the Filly and Mare Turf.
“We’ve been beaten at a mile and three-sixteenths and a mile and a quarter before,” Mott said. “I’d just as soon as go a mile and a half.”
Just F Y I, who was scheduled to work Monday, won the Grade 1 Frizette in her last start. She is aiming towards the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
“I feel pretty good about my horses, they’re all coming off of good races,” Mott said. “I just hope they can repeat and fire their best shots.”
The only one of Mott’s sextet that isn’t coming off a good race is Gala Brand, who finished fourth in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes and is aiming toward Friday’s Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“I think she’ll appreciate if there’s a little more pace than there was the last time,” Mott said.
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