Breeders' Cup Juvenile: Mexikoma stepping up off big win

ARCADIA, Calif. – Barry Irwin didn’t buy Mexikoma with the expressed intent of running him in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. But there Irwin was Wednesday morning at Santa Anita, where he watched his 2-year-old colt work four furlongs in 49.72 seconds over the dirt in preparation for Saturday’s $2 million Juvenile.

“He’s immature. He’s going to be so much better next year,” said Irwin, president of Team Valor International.

Irwin said Mexikoma reminded him of Tiger Hunt, a horse who ran fourth for Team Valor in the 2003 Juvenile, also at Santa Anita.
Irwin bought Mexikoma following a 14 3/4-length maiden win at Delaware Park for owner and trainer Michael Dilger. The horse was transferred to Rick Mettee, who liked what he saw in a seven-furlong workout last week at Fair Hill.[bc_video_id:308863:]

“We think he has the right style,” said Mettee, who has two other horses here for Breeders’ Cup races. “He’s a genuine two-turn horse, so we thought, ‘Why not take a shot?’ Obviously, coming out of a maiden at Delaware, he’s going to have to step it up, but not many horses can win by 14 lengths.”

“A mile and a sixteenth might be short for him,” Irwin said. “Mentally, the horse is a good fit. Nothing fazes him. I hope there’s a lot of pace.”

[BREEDERS’ CUP 2013: Fields with DRF odds and comments]

On Wednesday, Mexikoma went an easy four furlongs under Xavier Aizpuru, going his first quarter in 25.16 seconds and his second quarter in 24.56. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:04.22. He did not wear blinkers in his work, but Mexikoma will wear them in the race. He was equipped with them for his last race as well.

“I thought he went fine over it,” Mettee said. “[Aizpuru] was under explicit instructions not to do too much.”