Dettori gets mount on Hootenanny for BC Juvenile Turf

Trainer Wesley Ward calls European-based jockey Frankie Dettori a real card.

“He’s one of the funniest guys you’ll ever have dinner with,” Ward said this week. “He will make you laugh.”

Ward added that on the track, the rider is world class, and he plans to play the Dettori card in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, as the jockey has been engaged to ride Hootenanny. Ward has chosen to train the horse up to the Oct. 31 race at Santa Anita off his second-place finish in the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville on Aug. 24.

“I just thought he’s going to fire a big one, and I didn’t want it to be the race before the Breeders’ Cup,” Ward said. “I think he’s going to run a corker.”

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Ward trains Hootenanny for Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Michael Tabor. The horse won his debut at Keeneland in April and by June had become a stakes winner in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot in his first start on turf. Hootenanny was then favored in the about-six-furlong Morny and was beaten just a half-length by The Wow Signal.

Ward could have as many as three starters in the Juvenile Turf. He said Luck of the Kitten is on target for the one-mile race following his win in the $101,250 Zuma Beach at Santa Anita on Oct. 5. Ward also hopes to start Crown the Kitten, who, like Luck of the Kitten, races for Ken and Sarah Ramsey. The horse was a 5 3/4-length winner of the $100,000 El Joven at a mile on turf at Retama Park last Saturday.

“I’m going to ask Mr. Ramsey to run him as well,” Ward said of Crown the Kitten. “I was really impressed with him.”

Ward noted that Crown the Kitten, who rallied from next to last in the El Joven, has a running style that does not conflict with Luck of the Kitten, who wired the field in the one-mile Zuma Beach.

Luck of the Kitten has since remained in Southern California, while Hootenanny will travel to Santa Anita around Oct. 24, along with Ward’s other Breeders’ Cup prospects. The trainer said Dettori also has the mount on No Nay Never in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, while Ward said he also plans to start Undrafted in the race and possibly the filly Richies Party Girl, a stakes winner over males on the downhill course last November at Santa Anita.Ward’s other Breeders’ Cup prospects include Judy the Beauty, with Mike Smith to ride in the Filly and Mare Sprint, and Sunset Glow, with Victor Espinoza signed on for the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

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Large field anticipated

Pre-entries for the BC Juvenile Turf will be taken Monday, and Josh Christian, director of racing and nominations for the Breeders’ Cup, said he anticipates drawing about 20 horses. Those pre-entered will be announced Oct. 22. Final entries are to be taken Oct. 27. The maximum number of starters for the BC Juvenile Turf is 14.

Christian recently returned from Europe after spending about six months overseas building relationships with horsemen. The field for the BC Juvenile Turf is a difficult one to nail down, he said, but among the European-based horses under consideration for the race are Aktabantay, Battle of Marathon, Burnt Sugar, Cappella Sansevero, Citron Spirit, Commemorative, Faithful Creek, War Envoy, and Wet Sail. Others possible include Toocoolforschool and Maftool.

◗ International Star, the winner of the Grade 3 Grey at Woodbine in his final prep for the Juvenile Turf, will be ridden by John Velazquez, said trainer Mike Maker. International Star races for the Ramseys, who could have as many as three starters in the Juvenile Turf.