Improbable leads deep Baffert team for Breeders' Cup Classic
ARCADIA, Calif. - Improbable is a predictable colt in morning workouts. Chances are he is going to produce a quick time.
Improbable worked six furlongs in 1:11.40 on Sunday at Santa Anita in his final major exercise before the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Saturday. The winner of three consecutive Grade 1 races since early June, Improbable is scheduled to be flown to Kentucky early Tuesday.
On Sunday, Improbable worked alone shortly after dawn. Ridden by exercise rider Juan Ochoa, Improbable went the first furlong in 12.20 seconds, according to trainer Bob Baffert. Improbable completed three furlongs in 35 seconds, and five furlongs in 59.20.
Baffert timed Improbable finishing six furlongs in 1:11.80 and galloping out seven furlongs in 1:24.40, and a mile in 1:38.60. The official time was the fastest of eight works at the distance.
“That will set him up,” Baffert said as Improbable was pulled up.
“That’s the key, to have him relaxed and matured,” Baffert said a few minutes later. “He did that without any effort at all. The good ones will do that. Coming into the race, I can see that he’s going beautifully. I don’t have any excuses for him.”
Improbable has had four workouts since a win in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 26, drawing clear through the stretch to finish 4 1/2 lengths in front of stablemate Maximum Security, the champion 3-year-old male of 2019 and another leading candidate for the BC Classic at 1 1/4 miles.
Baffert has a deep team for the BC Classic that includes Authentic, the winner of the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5.
Collusion Illusion, bound for Saturday’s BC Sprint, and Sharp Samurai, an intended starter in Saturday’s BC Dirt Mile, worked for trainer Mark Glatt at Santa Anita on Sunday.
Collusion Illusion, the winner of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 1, zipped three furlongs in 34.60 seconds, the fastest of eight works at the distance.
Collusion Illusion was third in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Sept. 27, breaking from the rail in a field of five. He was beaten 1 1/4 lengths by C Z Rocket, another probable starter in the BC Sprint.
“I’d rather have won, but I’m not overly concerned about it,” Glatt said of the recent loss. “He drew the rail, which was not an ideal spot.
“The key for him is to get an outside draw and a fast pace in front of him.”
Sharp Samurai worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 with minimal urging through the final sixteenth.
“He looked as solid as can be,” Glatt said. “It never looks like he is going as fast as he is.”
Sharp Samurai was second by three lengths to Maximum Security in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on dirt at Del Mar on Aug. 22 and second by 1 3/4 lengths to Mo Forza in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 3. Mo Forza is currently sidelined and will miss the Breeders’ Cup.