Wednesday, Oct. 26
Sunny, main track/training track muddy; 39¦
ELMONT, N.Y. - Wednesday was the coldest day during Breeders' Cup week, both the main and training tracks remained muddy after another night of rain and the turf course continues to be a bog. But at least the sun finally came out for the first time in recent memory and the Europeans were out en masse after clearing quarantine.
The only Breeders' Cup horse to record an official workout was Distaff contender Happy Ticket who went over to the training track to drill a half mile after the 9:00 a.m. renovation break. But the star of the brisk morning was Sprint favorite Lost in the Fog who put on quite an exhibition for anybody fortunate enough to have gotten up early and out to the racetrack shortly after dawn.
Happy Ticket Distaff four furlongs in :46.88 seconds on the training track- With apprentice Channing Hill aboard, Happy Ticket jogged more than a mile the wrong way with a pony, reversed direction and went another half mile before breaking off to begin her work at the half mile pole. She eased into the breeze with an opening eighth in :12.12 before picking up the pace without need of urging around the turn, getting her next two eighths in :11.55 and :11.25 before finishing a half in a sizzling :46.88 while well within herself throughout. Her gallop out was a bit lackluster, five-eighths in 1:01.32 although she was angled very wide around the turn before pulling at the pole. All in all an impressive move from a very good looking and fit filly with the only caveat that perhaps the work might have been a little too fast only 72 hours out from the race.
Lost in the Fog looked more like a horse training for the one mile and one quarter Classic then the six furlong Sprint. Was full of himself and on his toes immediately after entering the racetrack at 7:00 a.m. and while jogging approximately three eighths of a mile the wrong way to the top of the stretch under regular exercise rider Suzy Milne. Once reversing direction it didn't take long for the undefeated 3-year-old to grab hold of the bit and two minute lick down the stretch before coming nicely to hand around the clubhouse turn. He then galloped along strongly for another mile before again reaching out and ripping off a couple of :13 and change eighths the second time through the stretch. Finished the awesome two mile gallop as strong as he began and gives every indication he's not only fast but as fit as a fiddle coming up to Breeders' Cup day.
Juvenile favorite First Samurai also continues to train forwardly. Put in another good morning that ended with a strong open gallop complete with a couple of :13 and change Lost in the Fog-like splits through the stretch.
Classic longshot A Bit O'Gold spent quite a while on the racetrack, jogging nearly a mile the wrong way before reversing direction and galloping almost two full revolutions around the 1.5 mile main track. Remained on his left lead through the stretch the first time around but switched over to the right lead and went a lot smoother the second time around.
Choctaw Nation and Taste of Paradise made their his first appearance since arriving from California. Choctaw Nation jogged the wrong way with the pony then turned around and put in an easy gallop. Taste of Paradise looked great but did little more than jog once around the wrong way.
All times clocked by Daily Racing Form unless otherwise noted.
