Geaux Rocket Ride works half-mile for BC Classic; Tamara likely to start in Chandelier
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The summertime Grade 1 winners Geaux Rocket Ride and Tamara will have different preparations in early autumn in advance of expected starts in Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita on Nov. 3-4.
Geaux Rocket Ride, winner of the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational against 3-year-olds at Monmouth Park on July 22 and second to Arabian Knight in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Sept. 2, will have his next start in the BC Classic on Nov. 4.
Tamara, winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on Sept. 9, is likely to start in the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Oct. 7 as an intended prep for the BC Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 3.
Both are trained by Richard Mandella.
Geaux Rocket Ride worked a half-mile in 49.20 seconds at Santa Anita on Sunday, his first work since the Pacific Classic.
Mandella said a nine-week break between the Pacific Classic and BC Classic is preferred for Geaux Rocket Ride over a start in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 30.
“I’ll probably go straight into the Breeders’ Cup,” Mandella said. “He’s had a pretty strong diet (of races) and I don’t want to go to the well one too many times.”
Owned by Pin Oak Stud, Geaux Rocket Ride has won 3 of 5 starts since his career began in January. Geaux Rocket Ride earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Classic with the win in the Haskell.
Mandella said that Geaux Rocket Ride “was just going easy” in Sunday’s workout.
Tamara, unbeaten in two starts, is out of the four-time champion and Hall of Fame mare Beholder. By Bolt d’Oro, Tamara won her stakes debut in the Del Mar Debutante, pulling clear by 6 3/4 lengths to stake a position as the leading 2-year-old filly in the nation.
“I’ll make my mind up next week, but it looks like the Chandelier is the right way to go,” Mandella said.
Tamara races for Spendthrift Farm.
The field for the $300,000 Awesome Again, run at 1 1/8 miles, is expected to include Slow Down Andy, who was third in the Pacific Classic. On Sunday at Santa Anita, Slow Down Andy worked a half-mile in 47.80 seconds.
Slow Down Andy was third in the BC Dirt Mile at Keeneland last November. That race or the BC Classic are options this year for Slow Down Andy, who races for Paul and Zillah Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill.
“The Awesome Again is strong on the list,” O’Neill said. “With the energy he has shown, he’s acting like the Awesome Again has good timing.”
Trainer Bob Baffert said in a text message on Sunday that he has “no plans” whether Arabian Knight will start in the Awesome Again or wait for the BC Classic.
Practical Move nears return
Practical Move, winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in April in his last start, is nearing a return to racing, and is under consideration for the Awesome Again Stakes.
On Sunday at Santa Anita, Practical Move worked six furlongs in 1:12.40, his seventh work since returning to full training in the summer.
“I got him a little bit quicker,” trainer Tim Yakteen said. “It was a good work.
“We’re definitely moving in the direction we want. We’ll see how we go next week and start narrowing our choices.
“The logical choice is the Awesome Again. The main thing is he’s doing good. We’re happy with the progress we’re making.”
Owned by Pierre and Leslie Amestoy and Roger Beasley, Practical Move was withdrawn from the Kentucky Derby on May 6 two days before the race because of illness.
A winner of 4 of 7 starts who has earned $884,200, Practical Move was considered the leading 3-year-old in California earlier this year.
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