Santa Anita: Regally Ready, Caracortado drill for Daytona Stakes

Regally Ready and Caracortado, first and fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5, worked Sunday in advance of the $100,000 Daytona Stakes on the hillside turf course on Jan. 8.

Regally Ready, trained by Steve Asmussen, worked five furlongs in 1:02.20. Caracortado, trained by Mike Machowsky, worked the same distance in 57.80 seconds, the fastest of 37 recorded works at the distance.

“He worked a little faster than I wanted,” Machowsky said.

Caracortado, who won the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on turf last August, was beaten three lengths by Regally Ready in the BC Turf Sprint. Neither of the 5-year-old geldings has started since that race. Caracortado has won four stakes in his career, but none in turf sprints. Regally Ready has won five stakes, all turf sprints in the last year.

The Grade 3 Daytona Stakes, run over about 6 1/2 furlongs, also will include Mr. Gruff, an 8-year-old gelding who has won 6 of 11 starts and $298,110. Mr Gruff has won three stakes, all in turf sprints, including the Night Mover Stakes over six furlongs at Hollywood Park on Nov. 18.

The Night Moverr was Mr. Gruff’s first start since a last-place finish in the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai in March. The loss still has trainer Ron Ellis puzzled nine months later.

“The only thing I can think of is he likes a little firmer turf course,” Ellis said.