LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bob Baffert already has enjoyed a huge year at Churchill Downs. The Hall of Fame trainer won the Kentucky Derby for the fifth time, and Justify went on to sweep the Triple Crown while using Churchill as a primary training base.
But wait, there could be more.
ARCADIA, Calif. - West Coast, last year's champion 3-year-old male who has not raced since finishing second in the Dubai World Cup in March, is likely to return to action on Saturday in the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita in a prep for his main goal, the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Brill, fourth as the favorite in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 1, will start in Saturday’s Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita after a succession of fast workouts in recent days.
On Sunday, Brill worked five furlongs in 1:00.20, the third-fastest of 100 recorded works at the distance. On Sept. 15, Brill worked five furlongs in 58.60 seconds, the fastest of 78 recorded works. On Sunday, Brill worked in company with stablemates who served as targets for the filly, who races for Larry Best.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Catholic Boy, the Travers winner, worked three furlongs in 39 seconds Sunday morning at Belmont Park as he begins to ratchet up preparations for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.
Exercise rider Tracey Morgan kept Catholic Boy several paths off the rail and had the colt under a snug old as he cruised around the main track shortly after it opened following a midmorning renovation break. Catholic Boy galloped out a half-mile in 51.76 seconds.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Six weeks out from the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs, and the makeup of the races feels like the framework of a new home under construction. It can be visualized to completion, though much can still change in the month and a half to come.
With final preps still to be run mostly within the next couple of weeks, this handicapper is not lacking in opinions. In fact, four of them are the basis of this column.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Instagrand, the precocious California-based 2-year-old colt ranked among the early favorites for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, will be turned out and aim for a 3-year-old campaign.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Tuesday that owner Larry Best decided to suspend the colt’s 2-year-old campaign following two runaway wins – a 10-length debut victory June 29 at Los Alamitos, and a 10 ¼-length romp in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes on Aug. 11 at Del Mar.
CYPRESS, Calif. – Om, a four-time stakes winner and millionaire, was recently transferred from longtime trainer Dan Hendricks to Peter Miller with the intent of preparing the 6-year-old for a start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.
A winner of 6 of 27 starts, Om was last of 13 in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 19 in his final start for Hendricks. Owned by K.B. Sareen, Om was sent to Miller in the weeks following that race and has had two workouts at Miller’s base at San Luis Rey Downs, including five furlongs in 1:01.80 last Friday.
As if any proof was needed that the Breeders’ Cup is now the undisputed near-term focus of the sport, consider that the sharp folks at the Wynn Las Vegas Race and Sports Book released not one but two sets of updated odds last week for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Before taking a peek at Wynn’s latest, remember that its odds are a blend of action already taken and exposure it is willing to accept and are not entirely comparable to a conventional morning line.
CYPRESS, Calif. – Pavel, winner of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap in June at Churchill Downs, has resumed training with Doug O’Neill at Santa Anita and is on schedule for the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November.
O’Neill said Thursday that Pavel rejoined his stable earlier this month following a weeklong break at a local farm in late August. Pavel was second to Accelerate in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 18 at Del Mar.
Owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, Pavel will not start before the BC Classic on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs, O’Neill said.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The good-looking debut winner Nashtrick will jump up to stakes company Sunday at Woodbine in the Grade 1, $250,000 Summer, a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In qualifier for the Juvenile Turf.
After acting up at the gate in his debut over about seven furlongs on good turf Aug. 24, Nashtrick battled three wide for the lead on the turn before drawing off to prevail by 3 1/2 lengths.
“I was very impressed with his first race,” trainer Josie Carroll said.
