Cajun Beat going from Margolis to Frankel

MIAMI - Cajun Beat, the reigning Breeders' Cup Sprint champion, will be sent from owner Satish Sanan's farm in Ocala, Fla., to trainer Bobby Frankel at Belmont Park to prepare for a defense of his BC Sprint title this fall at Lone Star Park.

Cajun Beat had been trained by Steve Margolis, for whom he won the BC Sprint last year. Margolis shipped the horse to Sanan's farm immediately following his fourth-place finish in the Dubai Golden Shaheen March 27.

Sanan's Padua Stable owns Cajun Beat in partnership with John and Joseph Iracane.

Nadia Sanan, speaking on behalf of her father, said Cajun Beat would be shipped to Frankel within the next two weeks.

"We're ironing out the arrangements now and a lot of the timing depends on whether he is vanned or flown to New York," Sanan said Friday.

"He's doing great and has been working steadily on the farm and is pretty close to being ready to run, although we'll let Bobby evaluate him before making any decisions on when he might make his next start."

Sanan said the tentative plan is for Cajun Beat to have two races prior to the Breeders' Cup Sprint. She would not comment on why the horse is being sent to Frankel rather than returning with Margolis. "It's a decision made by the owners," she said.

This will mark the second trainer change for Cajun Beat, who was transferred from Cam Gambolati to Margolis in the spring of 2003.

A 4-year-old son of Grand Slam, Cajun Beat won the 2003 Breeders' Cup Sprint by 2 1/4 lengths over Bluesthestandard at odds of 22-1.

Said Margolis: "Naturally I'm disappointed and a little surprised I won't be getting him back, considering nobody had really heard of this horse when I got him this time last year and the success I had with him."

Margolis still trains several horses for the Iracanes.

"I've never been given an explanation why the change was made but that's part of the business, I guess," he said. "I consider myself fortunate to have had a horse like him. I got to win a Breeders' Cup and go to Dubai, and no matter what happens they can never take those memories away."