Breeders' Cup Turf: Tale of a Champion takes shot

ARCADIA, Calif. – Tale of a Champion was a surprise pre-entrant this week for the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 2. A five-furlong workout in the fog at Santa Anita on Monday was the deciding factor, trainer Kristin Mulhall said.

“He went five-eighths, and he came home the last quarter in 23 and change,” Mulhall said. “He wouldn’t pull up.”

Mulhall was aboard Tale of a Champion for the workout. She said it was not the first time this year that Tale of a Champion had a strong workout in advance of a stakes.

“It was a lot like his last work before the Whittingham,” she said, referring to Tale of a Champion’s win in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park on June 8. A week before that race, Tale of a Champion worked five furlongs in 1:01.80.

Following that race, Tale of a Champion was diagnosed with an abscess in a foot. A start in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar in late July was abandoned. Tale of a Champion did not start again until the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship here Sept. 29, finishing last of 10, nine lengths behind BC Turf hopeful Indy Point.

“When he had that foot abscess during the summer, I lost a month, a month and a half,” Mulhall said. “He was not fit going into his last race.”

Following Monday’s workout, owners Rustin and Juliana Kretz pre-entered the 5-year-old Tale of a Champion, who has won 6 of 15 starts and earned $269,958.

“Rustin decided that he wanted to do it,” Mulhall said.

Tale of a Champion will race over 1 1/2 miles for the first time in the BC Turf. Among the domestic contenders, Tale of a Champion must beat Indy Point and the first three finishers of the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park on Sept. 28 – Little Mike, Big Blue Kitten, and Real Solution.

“I’d be really happy if he hit the board,” Mulhall said. “I don’t think the distance will be a problem.”