Covfefe, Come Dancing working from home for Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint

The two favorites for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, Covfefe and Come Dancing, both have resumed steady work patterns at their respective home bases and will be among the late arrivals to Santa Anita.

Covfefe has worked twice at Churchill Downs for trainer Brad Cox since winning her most recent start Sept. 21. The 3-year-old filly will breeze at least once more before being flown to California on Oct. 29.

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Come Dancing has worked twice at Belmont Park for trainer Carlos Martin since winning her last start Sept. 22. The 5-year-old mare will breeze at least once more before being flown to California on Oct. 28.

Whereas Covfefe and Come Dancing have raced primarily in shorter events this year, there is a definite turn-back element in play with this 13th running of the seven-furlong Filly and Mare Sprint. Three-year-olds Guarana and Bellafina both are exiting the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion, while Secret Spice and Serengeti Empress – both of whom will have the Distaff as their first preference – also last raced at 1 1/16 miles.

Meanwhile, Chalon, beaten just a head by Shamrock Rose when second in the 2018 Filly and Mare Sprint, will not be sent to California from her Maryland base for another try, trainer Arnaud Delacour said. The 5-year-old mare is not yet retired.

“We may try her on the turf,” Delacour said.

Also, trainer Kathleen O’Connell has withdrawn Stormy Embrace from consideration, citing travel difficulties from her South Florida base. Stormy Embrace, a two-time winner of the Princess Rooney at Gulfstream Park, was 11th at 44-1 in this race last year.