Noble's Promise targets title in CashCall

By the time the field reached the top of the stretch in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 7, Jordan Blair, the assistant trainer for Kenneth McPeek, was convinced he was standing in the right spot.

Blair watched the race near the winner's circle and loved that Noble's Promise was near the front when the field turned for home. Things were still going well at the eighth pole, with Noble's Promise leading by a length, but he could not sustain the rally and faded to finish third, beaten a half-length by Vale of York.

"I thought we had it," Blair said Wednesday at Santa Anita, reflecting on the race. "I couldn't believe [Vale of York] won."

Redemption could come in Saturday's $750,000 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park. Noble's Promise will be after his second Grade 1 win of the year in the CashCall Futurity over 1 1/16 miles. Blair hopes that a win will give the colt a boost in the Eclipse Award voting for champion 2-year-old colt.

"I think with an impressive win, we can be the champion," Blair said.

For the CashCall Futurity, McPeek is switching riders, replacing Willie Martinez with Robby Albarado, who will have the mount for the first time.

"Kenny thought that Robby could do a better job," Blair said.

Noble's Promise races for the Chasing Dreams Racing partnership. By Cuvee, Noble's Promise has won 3 of 5 starts and $583,500. He has two stakes wins - the Fitz Dixon Memorial Stakes at Presque Isle Downs in late September and a 12-1 upset in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland on Oct. 10.

In the Breeders' Cup, Noble's Promise was third or fourth for the first six furlongs before taking the lead in early stretch. Blair was left wondering whether a missed workout in late October could have hampered Noble's Promise's preparation.

"I wondered if it affected him," he said.

There has been no disruption in recent weeks. Noble's Promise is ready, Blair said.

"We're very confident," he said. "I'm not worried about Lookin at Lucky."

The CashCall Futurity is led by Lookin at Lucky, who won two Grade 1 stakes earlier this year - the Del Mar Futurity and Norfolk - before finishing second by a head in the BC Juvenile. He, too, is a leading contender for the Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old male.

Get My Fix sidelined with bone chip

The CashCall Futurity field will not include Get My Fix, who was second in the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue in his stakes debut at Hollywood Park on Nov. 21.

Trainer Brian Koriner said Wednesday that Get My Fix has been diagnosed with a bone chip in an ankle and will undergo surgery to have the chip removed Friday. Noted veterinarian Wayne McIlwraith will handle the surgery.

"So far, the prognosis is good," Koriner said. "Once they get the chip out, we should be okay."