Daddy D T going for the green

Daddy D T earned his best Beyer Speed Figure on dirt in the FrontRunner but won his maiden on the grass in the Oak Tree Juvenile Turf, giving him the option of running in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile or the Juvenile Turf. Trainer John Sadler said Monday that the Santa Anita-based Daddy D T would be pre-entered in the Grade 1, $1 million Juvenile Turf, to be run on Oct. 31.

“For the Breeders’ Cup we’re going on the grass because he’s already a proven commodity on the turf,” Sadler said.

Corey Nakatani will have the mount on Daddy D T, according to Sadler. Nakatani guided Daddy D T to a half-length win in the Oak Tree Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Sept. 3. Nakatani was also aboard for a weekend work over the Santa Anita turf, with Daddy D T going six furlongs around the dogs in 1:12.

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“He’ll work one more time the weekend before the Breeders’ Cup,” Sadler said, adding he hadn't decided the surface or distance of the work. “He’s had plenty of training. He’s well ahead of the curve.”

Daddy D T has made three starts. He sprinted on the main track in a maiden special weight at Del Mar in his debut Aug. 9, and finished sixth behind a highly rated winner in Om. Daddy D T was entered in another maiden race for his second start but did not draw in, and Sadler and owner Kosta Hronis decided to target the Oak Tree Juvenile Turf. Daddy D T won by a half-length and earned a Beyer Figure of 78.

Sadler and Hronis had success on grass with Lady of Shamrock, who like Daddy D T is by Scat Daddy. Lady of Shamrock developed into a multiple Grade 1 winner on the grass.

Sadler was impressed with how Daddy D T stepped up to win his maiden in the stakes.

“That’s not easy to do in California, especially second start,” he said. “It was pretty special.”

From there, Daddy D T finished fifth in the Grade 1 FrontRunner on dirt, earning a Beyer Figure of 82.

* About 20 horses are expected to be pre-entered in the Juvenile Turf. Between 18 and 20 horses have been pre-entered in the race the last four years, said Josh Christian, director of racing and nominations for the BC.