Donna Veloce wows in work for BC Juvenile Fillies

ARCADIA, Calif. – A number of horses with designs on the Breeders’ Cup worked Friday morning at Santa Anita, including the exciting 2-year-old filly Donna Veloce, who effortlessly bested a workmate while traveling five furlongs in 1:00, the best time of 44 at the distance over a dull, fast track.

With Flavien Prat aboard, Donna Veloce broke off about three lengths behind her company, cruised past in upper stretch, and was 2 1/2 lengths to the good crossing the finish.

“Really happy,” trainer Simon Callaghan said after the work. “She relaxed good, rated well, moved up the way you’d want, finished up well. I thought she looked great. Flavien said she wasn’t blowing at all.”

Donna Veloce was a runaway winner sprinting at Santa Anita of her debut, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 91. The Juvenile Fillies will be only her second start, first around two turns, and first against winners.

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Three of her Juvenile Fillies rivals also worked. K P Dreamin went five furlongs in 1:02.40 for trainer Jeff Mullins, while both Lazy Daisy (four furlongs, 48.60 seconds) and Comical (five furlongs, 1:03.80) worked for Doug O’Neill.

American Theorem, runner-up in the American Pharoah, worked six furlongs in 1:14.60 under Tiago Pereira while looking as though he was trying to lug in a bit through the lane. He is headed to the Juvenile, as is Storm the Court, who went five furlongs in 1:00.40 under Prat.

Classic contender Seeking the Soul worked five furlongs in 1:00.60, and Sprint prospect Landeskog worked five furlongs in 1:02.

The 2-year-old Encoder went a half-mile in 50 seconds. His trainer, John Sadler, said he would be pre-entered in the Juvenile Turf and the Turf Sprint, but that the Turf Sprint is now preferred.

“I’m going to shorten him up,” Sadler said.