Breeders' Cup Turf: Indy Point breezes half-mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – The California-based runners for Saturday’s $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita are likely to be overshadowed by shippers from New York and Europe. Indy Point, the winner of the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship here Sept. 29, could keep the prize on the West Coast.

On Sunday, Indy Point worked a half-mile on turf in 48.20 seconds, an effort that trainer Richard Mandella described as “easy.” Exercise rider David Neusch did not urge Indy Point through the stretch.

The workout left Mandella hopeful that Indy Point can translate a home-course advantage into a win in the richest turf race in the United States. At the same time, Mandella said he is respectful of the competition, notably Little Mike, Big Blue Kitten, and Real Solution – the first three finishers of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park on Sept. 28 – and The Fugue, a 4-year-old filly who beat males in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Sept. 7.

“The horses that ran back East all ran closer together,” he said. “It looks like they’re pretty consistent.”

Another top Eastern-based runner is Point of Entry, the winner of the Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont Park in June who was second to Little Mike in the 2012 BC Turf here.

The BC Turf is run over 1 1/2 miles, a distance that Indy Point has yet to try in the United States. In Argentina, Indy Point won the Argentine Derby over 1 9/16 miles on dirt last November. He later was second in the Carlos Pellegrini Stakes over 1 1/2 miles on turf, the top race for older horses in South America.

Mandella expects Indy Point to be near the front throughout the BC Turf.

“If there is a good pace, he’ll settle,” Mandella said. “If not, he’ll be close to [the front] going a mile and a half.”

Indy Point is part of a California team that includes Vagabond Shoes, the winner of the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap in August, and Tale of a Champion, who won the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park in June. Vagabond Shoes and Tale of a Champion were second and 10th in the John Henry.

On Saturday, Vagabond Shoes worked a mile on turf in 1:40. The BC Turf will be Vagabond Shoes’s second start in a Grade 1. He was last of eight in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile here in March. When trainer John Sadler began running Vagabond Shoes in longer races, the 6-year-old gelding showed improvement, highlighted by the Del Mar Handicap win over 1 3/8 miles on turf.

“I think he’ll run well,” Sadler said Sunday. “I like that he’s trained with no problems. I haven’t had any glitches, and we’re on our home course. Turf racing requires some degree of a good trip. I hope we’re good enough.”

Tale of a Champion fought an abscess in a foot during the summer. Trainer Kristin Mulhall said the 5-year-old needed the start in the John Henry, his first race since the Whittingham Handicap. On Sunday, Tale of a Champion worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:01, a time that was quicker than Mulhall expected.

“He was a little more on the bridle than I thought he would be,” she said.

A field of 12 is expected. The other probable starters are Magician, Skyring, Teaks North, and Twilight Eclipse.