Hollywood Park: Shirreffs making plans for Rookie Sensation, Eblouissante for 2014

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Rookie Sensation, the winner of the Grade 2 Twilight Derby on Nov. 1, and Eblouissante, a half-sister to Zenyatta who sold for $2.1 million at Keeneland on Tuesday, will be among trainer John Shirreffs’s high-profile runners at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting next year.

Rookie Sensation won his stakes debut in the $152,000 Twilight Derby over 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita, closing from ninth in a field of 13 to win by a length over Gabriel Charles. Owned by Stronach Stables, Rookie Sensation has won 3 of 5 starts in Southern California since his career began in May.

Shirreffs said Rookie Sensation is unlikely to start in the $250,000 Hollywood Derby over 1 1/4 miles on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park on Dec. 1, and will be pointed for early 2014 races.

“We’ll take a look [at the Hollywood Derby], but I’m thinking more of running as a 4-year-old, so we’ll see,” Shirreffs said.

Eblouissante, previously trained by Shirreffs, was purchased for $2.1 million by Ian Banwell’s St. George Farm. Banwell has had horses with Shirreffs in recent years, notably the multiple stakes winner Mr. Commons.

Eblouissante was in training at Belmont Park for most of October before she was sent to Keeneland for the sale on Oct. 27. Shirreffs said Eblouissante will resume training in coming days.

“I’ll give her a couple of days off because of the travel and then get her jogging and get back in a routine,” he said.

Eblouissante, 4, was bred by the late Eric Kronfeld. By Bernardini, Eblouissante has won 2 of 3 starts and $65,800, with the loss a sixth in the Grade 3 Shuvee Handicap at Saratoga on July 20, her most recent start.

Shirreffs had the bulk of his stable in New York from April until earlier this week when some runners were sent back to his base at Betfair Hollywood Park. He said more will arrive in California in mid-November. Shirreffs said he plans to keep a small number of horses in New York over the winter before sending a sizable group back there in the spring.

In 2014, Shirreffs will have a stable at Santa Anita after Hollywood Park’s barn area is permanently closed for training in late January. He said on Thursday it was unclear if he may stable at another Southern California venue, such as Barretts Sales and Racing in Pomona, Los Alamitos in Orange County, or San Luis Rey Downs in San Diego County.

Motion sending horses west

Trainer Graham Motion will have a stable at Santa Anita this winter, he said on Wednesday.

Motion, who is best known for winning the 2011 Kentucky Derby and 2013 Dubai World Cup with Animal Kingdom, said he has yet to determine how many horses will be sent from his Maryland base, but said that Lemon de Oro, who starts in Saturday’s $100,000 Moccasin Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, is likely to stay in Southern California.

“It’s something I think about every year,” Motion said of having a winter base at Santa Anita. “It’s a good opportunity, especially with the turf horses.”

Qushchi, last of 10 in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 2, will be part of the California stable. A 5-year-old British-bred mare, Qushchi won the Waya Stakes at Saratoga in August and was fourth in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Handicap at Belmont Park on Sept. 28.

Prevue cast will be small

The first graded stakes of the Hollywood Park autumn meeting is Sunday’s $100,000 Hollywood Prevue Stakes for 2-year-olds over seven furlongs.

The Grade 3 Prevue is projected to have a small field, led by Kobe’s Back, unraced since winning the Willard Proctor Memorial Stakes; and Shared Belief, a sharp maiden race winner at Golden Gate Fields in his debut last month.

Trainer Jim Kasparoff will start Papa Turf, who beat maidens in his second start at Santa Anita on Sept. 28.

Mr. Commons gets vacation

Shirreffs said that Mr. Commons has been turned out at Ian Banwell’s St. George Farm in Kentucky for a month. A winner of 5 of 22 starts, Mr. Commons was winless in five starts this year.

“I’ve got to attribute it to him getting sour,” Shirreffs said.

Mr. Commons, 5, was seventh in the Grade 3 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 12. Earlier in his career, he won three stakes, notably the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes at Santa Anita in February 2012.