Santa Anita notes: Unbridled's Note ready for BC Turf Sprint off Eddie D win

ARCADIA, Calif. – Unbridled’s Note joined the list of contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 3 with a sharp win in his turf debut in Friday’s $100,000 Eddie D Stakes.

Unbridled’s Note had no difficulty handling the surface or the unique layout of the hillside turf course at Santa Anita, winning the about 6 1/2-furlong race by 1 1/4 lengths over Chosen Miracle. The importance of the win was not lost on Scott Blasi, trainer Steve Asmussen’s assistant.

“This gives us a chance to run back in the Turf Sprint,” he said. “I like what I saw. It was a dominating performance. Usually when you run them back the second time, hopefully they run better because they have a little more direction.”

Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Unbridled’s Note ($8) was always near the front, and took the lead in the final furlong. Mensa Heat, a 16-1 shot, finished third in the field of 12.

Unbridled’s Note was a slight favorite. He was timed in 1:12.45.

Owned by Mike McCarty, Unbridled’s Note was a troubled third in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters at Saratoga on Aug. 25. “I thought he should have won the King’s Bishop,” Blasi said. “He’s a really talented colt.”

The Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes, which honors the retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, was Unbridled’s Note’s first stakes win. Delahoussaye and his family were in the winner’s circle on Friday.

Unbridled’s Note has won 3 of 7 starts and $195,741.

Regally Ready getting a rest

Asmussen won the 2011 BC Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs with Regally Ready. Two of his five stakes wins have come on Santa Anita’s hillside turf course, in the winter and spring of 2011.

Regally Ready was not part of the small team of Asmussen-trained runners that were sent to Santa Anita this fall. Blasi said that Regally Ready has been turned out on a Kentucky farm for an autumn break and is expected to return to training later this year. Regally Ready is winless in five starts since last year’s Breeders’ Cup, including two races in Dubai.

Bejarano unseated in spill

Jockey Rafael Bejarano missed his final three rides on Friday after being unseated in a spill in the fifth race.

Bejarano was aboard Just a Mirage in a maiden race over six furlongs. At the end of the backstretch, Just a Mirage broke down badly while racing near the lead, unseating Bejarano. The jockey was taken from the track on an ambulance but was not hospitalized.

Just a Mirage, who was making his second start, was euthanized, according to track officials.

Amazombie in Sprint Championship work

Amazombie, the champion sprinter of 2011, is on course for the $250,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship next Saturday.

Saturday, Amazombie worked six furlongs at Santa Anita in an official time of 1:13.60, although trainer Bill Spawr timed him slightly faster in 1:13.20.

Amazombie worked the opening quarter-mile in 25.20 seconds and the final quarter-mile in 24 seconds.

Amazombie will be favored to win the six-furlong Santa Anita Sprint Championship, which is part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offering a fees-paid berth to the BC Sprint on Nov. 3.