Clocker: Little bit of misbehaving going on

ARCADIA, Calif. - Just about everybody had joined the Breeders' Cup party at Santa Anita by training hours on Wednesday. Everybody, that is, except leading lady Zenyatta, who was due in from her Hollywood Park base later in the morning.

The racetrack was packed with Breeders' Cup hopefuls throughout the morning, including an Aidan O'Brien contingent led by Rip Van Winkle. Also on the track were defending Mile champion Goldikova; late-arriving New Yorkers D' Funnybone, Gio Ponti, and Diamondrella; and defending Filly and Mare Sprint champ Ventura, who looked simply awesome galloping with her neck bowed shortly after 9 a.m.

California Flag created the morning's biggest scare when he lost his rider during a routine schooling session at the starting gate. The morning-line favorite for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, he blew out about three furlongs the wrong way down the stretch near the outside rail before ducking out the gap at the quarter-pole chute where he was corralled by jockey Aaron Gryder. He was reportedly none the worse for wear.

Other incidents included Junia Tepzia briefly tossing jockey Kieren Fallon at the finish line, eventually completing his scheduled gallop accompanied by an outrider. Delegator also caused a near disaster when rank and bearing out badly coming out of the quarter-pole turn and again near midstretch.

Chocolate Candy, Rainbow View, and Free Flying Soul were the only Breeders' Cup candidates to work. Chocolate Candy (Dirt Mile) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.41, coming home his final quarter in 23:55 seconds under mild pressure. He wings his right leg out pretty good but gets over the ground well enough. Rainbow View (Ladies' Classic), with jockey Frankie Dettori aboard, blew out a half-mile in 50.42, the last three-eighths in 36.97 while a little rough and late making his lead change in early stretch. Free Flying Soul went three furlongs in 38.20 before dawn, according to track clockers.

Rip Van Winkle, who led the O'Brien team for a one-mile jog and one-mile gallop, got extremely hot and washed out despite the cool temperatures and relatively easy work schedule.

Conduit, the defending Turf winner, looked a lot smoother galloping over the turf course than he had the previous morning, although he traveled nearly a full mile on his left lead before finally switching over at midstretch.

Pure Clan seemed reluctant to gallop at all over the turf. She needed a few taps from the rider just to get her past the finish line the first time around and then appeared stiff while never really stretching out at any point coming through the stretch.

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