Cambodia drills for Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf

ARCADIA, Calif. – Cambodia, the winner of two Grade 2 stakes for fillies and mares on turf at Del Mar this summer, was the most prominent of nine Breeders’ Cup candidates to work on turf at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Trained by Tom Proctor for Don Robinson, Cambodia worked five furlongs in 1:00 with temporary rails set midway out on the turf course. Cambodia has not raced since winning the John C. Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf Sept. 2. Earlier at the Del Mar summer meeting, Cambodia won the Yellow Ribbon Stakes.

She is a candidate for the BC Filly and Mare Turf, also at 1 1/8 miles. Birdie Gold, who will be a longshot in that race, worked a mile in 1:41.20 on turf Sunday. Trained by Gary Mandella, Birdie Gold is a South American import who was a Group 1 winner in Argentina in June.

Goldy Espony, another longshot probable for the BC Filly and Mare Turf, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20.

In other turf works, Hunt worked six furlongs in 1:13.40 for the BC Turf. He won the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on turf in August.

Among BC Mile candidates, Mr. Roary, the upset winner of the Grade 3 Eddie D. Stakes on the hillside turf course on Sept. 29, worked five furlongs in 1:00. Om, second in the 2016 BC Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, worked five furlongs in 1:02 for the BC Mile.

Three candidates for the BC Juvenile Turf exercised five furlongs on the turf course – Snapper Sinclair went in 1:00, Count Alexander in 1:01.60, and Pubilius Syrus in 1:01.80.

Vladimir Cerin trains Count Alexander and Pubilius Syrus and said on Sunday that he is hopeful they can draw into what should be an oversubscribed race. The BC Juvenile Turf will have a maximum of 14 runners.

Santa Anita has not conducted turf works on a regular basis in recent years but did so on Sunday. Turf works are scheduled at Del Mar on Oct. 30 through Nov. 3.

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