Wow Cat targets Breeders' Cup Distaff
ELMONT, N.Y. – Wow Cat, the 3 1/4-length winner of Saturday’s Grade 1 Beldame, likely will run in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3, trainer Chad Brown said Sunday.
In the Beldame, Wow Cat sat a perfect outside trip under Jose Ortiz, cruised to the leaders three to four wide, took over leaving the three-eighths pole, and gradually pulled away, beating Divine Miss Grey handily. Wow Cat, a Chilean-bred daughter of Lookin At Lucky, covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.75 and earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I’d be inclined to go to the Breeders’ Cup. I was very impressed with her,” Brown said. “I think this filly’s improving, just needed a little extra time to acclimate. I just don’t think she liked Saratoga. She never gave me a strong feeling over that track.”
Disco Partner, Pure Sensation eye BC Turf Sprint
Trainer Christophe Clement will be hoping for firm turf at this year’s Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs, where he plans to run Disco Partner and Pure Sensation in the $1 million Turf Sprint on Nov. 3.
Disco Partner and Pure Sensation ran first and third in Saturday’s $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational. Disco Partner won the race by 4 1/2 lengths, while Pure Sensation was beaten a half-length for second by Blind Ambition.
“The only thing against my two horses would be softer turf for the Breeders’ Cup,” Clement said.
This year’s Turf Sprint will be run at 5 1/2 furlongs. Clement said that might be a better distance for Pure Sensation “because he’s got so much natural speed.”
As for Disco Partner, Clement was quite impressed with his performance Saturday, for which he earned a 105 Beyer.
“He always looked like a winner to me,” Clement said. “Visually, it looked easy.”
Clement also won Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Hill Prince Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf with Have At It. Clement said there are several options for Have At It, ranging in difficulty from the $150,000 Gio Ponti at Aqueduct on Nov. 23 to the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby on Dec. 1 at Del Mar.
