Europeans arrive for Breeders’ Cup

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Europeans have entered the building.

After three Godolphin-owned or associated horses arrived Saturday afternoon following a cush private charter flight, the other 19 Euros intended for Breeders’ Cup races next weekend came on five different Sallee horse vans, getting to the Churchill backstretch later Saturday night. Among the travelers, some of whom spent almost an entire day in transit, were two-time BC Mile winner Goldikova and Workforce, the Arc-winning favorite for the Turf.

All the foreign horses must undergo a U.S. Department of Agriculture-enforced period of quarantine – 42 hours in this particular case – before they can leave the sequestered confines of the two quarantine barns being employed on the Churchill backstretch. If all goes smoothly for the three early arrivals – 2-year-old colt Biondetti (Juvenile), Delegator (Mile), and Debussy (Turf) – they will clear quarantine about 9:45 a.m. Monday and will be able to squeeze in a training session before the racetrack closes for the day. The other 19 horses are stuck in the barn until training hours Tuesday, by which time they will be free to go about their business.

All of the overseas shippers will have done their major workouts before leaving home, but expect most of the horses to be given at least a quarter-mile of quick work at the end of a slower gallop at some point during the week.