Breeders' Cup workouts: Royal Delta, Goldencents, Worldly impress

The following are the final thoughts on selected horses racing on Friday’s Breeders’ Cup card from impressions formed over the past two weeks at Belmont Park and Santa Anita, with additional input from the rest of the Daily Racing Form clocker team, Mike Vesce in Kentucky and David Grening in New York.

Marathon
Old Time Hockey – Turf specialist turned in a high-spirited gallop over the main track Wednesday and appeared to handle the surface well.

Ever Rider – Has not had an official workout at Santa Anita since Oct. 14, but did stretch his legs with a strong half-mile open gallop Wednesday. He trains in a similar manner, but not nearly as impressively, as last year’s Marathon winner, Calidoscopio, and is one of many speed types in this field.

[bc_video_id:308991:]Suns Out Guns Out – Did not finish particularly well (final quarter in 26.47 seconds) or gallop out much following conclusion of very average-looking five-furlong breeze here last weekend.
Indian Jones – Made a nice impression galloping Tuesday and Wednesday. Should have the right running style in a field loaded with speed.

London Bridge – Looked a little uncomfortable galloping over the main track Wednesday and will try dirt for the first time in the Marathon.

Blueskiesnrainbows – Turned in somewhat of an odd final prep for a horse getting ready to go 1 3/4 miles, zipping a half-mile in 47 with his final three-eighths in 35.30, just five days out from the race while bearing well out off the final turn. All geared up and likely a major pace factor in a field full of speed.

Worldly – Made a great impression galloping in draw reins over the main track Wednesday. Wish I had seen this before the deadline for selections on Tuesday. Would surely have had him at top of the list.

Juvenile Turf
Outstrip – A little peanut of a colt who has kept a busy schedule since his arrival over the weekend, he looked outstanding open galloping once around the seven-furlong turf course before breezing five-eighths in 1:03 and change Wednesday.

Bobby’s Kitten – According to Grening, trainer Chad Brown has positioned the promising 2-year-old turf specialist off his workmates in hopes of getting him to relax. He’s learned his lesson well, waiting for the rider’s cues before making his move, finishing strongly, and galloping out very impressively during a very professional half-mile work over the Belmont turf on Oct. 20 while in company with recent stakes winner Storming Inti. He came back the following week to go an easier half-mile in 50.17 while finishing on even terms with stakes winner Pianist while under less pressure.

Ontology – Turned in just an average-looking final maintenance breeze on the grass last Saturday, walking away from the five-furlong pole to complete his opening eighth in 14 before going an easy half-mile in 48.85.
Poker Player – Worked over the Keeneland turf course with Channing Hill aboard Oct. 24 and bore out a bit throughout the drill in splits of 38.81 and 1:02.76. He was under light encouragement to finish and galloped out six furlongs in 1:17.75 to complete an okay move.

Bashart – Completed the final three-eighths of a 47-and-change half-mile over the firm turf in 35.07. Could not quite match strides with Grade 1-placed workmate Charming Kitten to the wire and galloping out around the turn, but a solid-enough move for a 2-year old against an older rival. He is very poorly drawn in post 13.

Dirt Mile
Taptowne – Relaxed early in splits of 12.22, 24.32, and 36.81 to the top of the lane in his Oct. 23 work at Churchill Downs, then flew home on his own power to the wire in 59.91 and galloped out just as big in 1:12.04 and 1:25.21 for seven furlongs, according to Vesce. He did not make as favorable an impression in a 1 1/2-mile gallop here Wednesday and was not striding out real smoothly.

Golden Ticket – Worked solo at Churchill Downs on Oct. 21, covering the opening three-eighths in 36.92. He was asked to finish five furlongs in 1:01.44 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.01.

Hymn Book – Has had a couple of maintenance-type works over Belmont main track coming into the race, the first on Oct. 21 in which he went out in 26 and change in company with maiden Mischieviously, finishing well and galloping out nicely without being asked. He went another easy half in company with 2-year-old Jetaway, finishing a head behind his mate but while going easier of the pair. Seems to be maintaining his good form. Raced wide against the inside bias in the Kelso.

Brujo de Olleros – He turned in a career-best effort racing against the grain of the bias in the Kelso Handicap and has made a very favorable impression galloping here both Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Has the look of a live longshot.

Fed Biz – Has been idle since Del Mar, but put an exclamation point on a series of local drills with a beauty here Sunday. He shaded 47 for the final half-mile to the wire in company with the Grade 1-placed Den’s Legacy before putting his partner away with another 12-second eighth into the turn, then continued on strongly galloping out around the bend. He appears to be coming into the race in top form.

Holy Lute – Bobbled badly approaching the wire at the end of an average five-furlong work, recovered quickly, completed the drill, and galloped out another eighth into the turn in 13.15 here Sunday. This was a much slower move than the bullets he posted going into and coming out of his third-place finish in the Indiana Derby.

Verrazano – Nothing flashy in either of the two final preps for a horse who freaked two starts back in the Haskell but has not run since a disappointing outing 10 weeks ago in the Travers, and he’ll retire after this race. Worked in company with Capo Bastone over Belmont training track on Oct. 19, and they completed the final half-mile as a team in 47.75 and galloped out well enough into the turn. He came back the following week with an easier move alongside 2-year-old All Tied Up, going a half in 49.70 while not asked for as strong a gallop-out as in previous works.

Goldencents – Wound up catching some unexpected company and handled it like a pro in his final Breeders’ Cup prep last Friday, running in behind a pair of workers and taking some dirt before exploding away from the team to complete a half-mile in 46.95 without urging with Rafael Bejarano up. Has looked solid coming out of the work, but must overcome a tough post in a full field with a short run to the first turn in mile races at Santa Anita.

Juvenile Fillies Turf
Nesso – Former claimer wasn’t asked to do much over the turf Saturday, completing the final half of a five-furlong breeze in 50.34 without encouragement. Improving filly, but facing a tough task.

Kitten Kaboodle – Loved the way she looked finishing and especially galloping out well away from workmate La Reine Bourbon following her Oct. 20 turf breeze at Belmont. Came back the following week to breeze an easier half-mile in company with Ready to Act.

Granny Mc’s Kitten – Had Joel Rosario up while going easily with Grade 3 winner Testa Rossi on Oct. 20, with the pair completing the final quarter of their maintenance-like half-mile breeze over Belmont turf in 23.27. Came back the following week with a similar maintenance-type half-mile, although a little quicker, also with Testa Rossi. Interesting to note she had missed a work prior to the Miss Grillo and perhaps came up a bit short after pressing a fast pace in that race.

Vorda – Once-beaten Group 2 winner went nicely and had a good energy level galloping over the main track Wednesday.

Chriselliam – Don’t know much about this filly other than she’s a Group 1 winner at a mile and she couldn’t have looked sharper galloping down the stretch under a big hold over the turf course Tuesday.

Clenor – Finished well under a hold during the final stages of a maintenance half-mile on the grass last Friday after posting a bullet over the course one week earlier.

Ready to Act – Was beaten a head and had to be asked to finish at the conclusion of her Oct. 20 drill over the Belmont grass with 2012 Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-up Watsdachances, with the pair completing five-eighths in 1:01.93. Came back the following week over same course and breezed an easy half as a team with Kitten Kaboodle.

Testa Rossi – As noted above, she breezed as a team on even terms with Granny Mc’s Kitten, finishing well under a hold going four furlongs in 49.54 on Oct. 20. She returned the following week with a quicker 48.91 half-mile with the same workmate.

My Conquestadory – Had her lone work since the Alcibiades over the main track Oct. 21 at Churchill Downs. Broke two lengths behind Phenomenalmoon with Eurico Rosa Da Silva aboard and cut that lead in half to the top of the lane after three-eighths in 36.88. The pair came home fairly easily together, completing five-eighths in 1:01.53 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.92 to complete a solid move. She is burdened with an impossible post in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Distaff
Street Girl – She zipped a half-mile in 46.74 at Gulfstream Park on Oct. 12, but was under pressure to finish and had nothing left during the gallop-out, pulling up five-eighths in 1:01.39. It was her fourth work since Oct. 2.

Authenticity – A good work horse who has held her own and gotten the better of Princess of Sylmar when the two were paired up in the morning earlier this year, she looked every bit as sharp breezing in company with 2-year-old Juvenile hopeful We Miss Artie. Broke off 1 1/2 lengths behind her partner and finished a half-length in front while in hand throughout, completing a half-mile in a solid 46.90 before edging clear galloping out five-eighths in 59.25 on Saturday. Honest mare sitting on another big effort.

Close Hatches – Improving filly put in a couple of very strong moves prior to leaving New York, completing the final quarter of an impressive five-furlong drill on Oct. 19 at Belmont in 23.63 before galloping out a strong six furlongs in 1:13.58 while never extended at any point. Returned to sizzle an impressive half-mile in 46.63, galloping out five-eighths in 58.92 while not being asked one week later, although she did switch back to her left lead late in the work, according to Grening. Very sharp now, but will need her best in this killer field.

Royal Delta – Has bounced out of her setback at the hands of Princess of Sylmar in the Beldame with a series of big works, including five-eighths in 59.88, with a 23.61 final quarter under her own courage Oct. 19. Shaded 1:13 galloping out six furlongs. Grening said she may have looked even better completing preparations for defense of the Distaff title with a very sharp half-mile in 46.52 one week later, with her final quarter in an eye-catching 22.50. Her three breezes since the Beldame have been purposeful. Two-time champion turned in her usual strong gallop here Wednesday, looking like she’s going into this race as good as ever.

Beholder – Missed what from all accounts was a sensational seven-furlong drill here Oct. 22. She returned with little more than a maintenance half-mile in 49.57 on Monday, when she appeared to be doing little more than open galloping the whole way. Owns a major home-court advantage and gives every indication she’s at the top of her game.

Princess of Sylmar – She doesn’t need to do much more than maintain the form she’s held since winning the Kentucky Oaks six months ago. Was asked to do little more than breeze a couple of easy half-miles over the Belmont training track prior to leaving New York, the first in 48.46 with a 1:01.62 gallop-out while in hand throughout on Oct. 19. The second came one week later in a nearly identical 48.44, with her final quarter in 24.36, per Grening, while finishing a head in front of Grade 1 winner Capo Bastone.