ARCADIA, Calif. - Princess Karen was second in the Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 8, beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Unique Bella.
The race was a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 4, and a chance to gauge Princess Karen against the filly expected to dominate the seven-furlong race.
DEL MAR, Calif. – A pair of 3-year-olds who will try to upset a strong group of older horses in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic worked on opposite ends of the country on Friday morning in their final drills for the sternest test of their careers eight days hence.
Champagne Room worked five furlongs early Friday at Santa Anita, as the filly bids for her second Breeders’ Cup upset. Champagne Room paid $69.20 winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last year, and her odds are likely to be higher than 10-1 next Friday in the Distaff.
Champagne Room was sidelined early this year with an ankle chip. She won her comeback by 3 3/4 lengths in the Remington Park Oaks on Sept. 24.
:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2017: Pre-entries, odds, comments, and more
It’s 850 miles from Columbus, Ind., where Greg and Deann Baer’s Full Throttle Racing is based, to Ocala, Fla., where their Indiana-bred daughter of Overanalyze stepped into the sale ring in March. The Baers were elated when noted bloodstock agent Dennis O’Neill went to $80,000 to purchase the filly on behalf of brother Doug O’Neill, who now trains her for owners Nice Guys Stables, Jack Bick, and Jay Oringer.
“I was so excited,” Deann Baer said. “For a little-bitty breeder, we always hope they go to the right home.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – In his first year as a racehorse owner, Bob Edwards won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita with New Money Honey in 2016.
This season, Edwards and trainer Chad Brown are back in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar on Friday with leading contender Rushing Fall.
In a way, Edwards sort of expected to be there. Earlier this week, Edwards recalled that Brown took a liking to Rushing Fall last winter, while inspecting the owner’s 2-year-old prospects on a Florida farm.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Keen Ice, best known for upsetting Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the 2015 Travers Stakes, has a minor injury that will prevent him from running in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4 here at Del Mar. Because the Classic was scheduled to be the final career start for Keen Ice before he goes to stud next year at Calumet Farm, he has been retired.
Keen Ice was scheduled to have his final work for the Classic on Friday at Belmont Park.
Del Mar
Track: Fast
Weather: Clear
Temp: 58
DEL MAR, Calif. – Breeders’ Cup contenders continue to trickle into Del Mar, with a handful of new faces making their first appearances over the track during training hours here Thursday.
Nezwaah, the winner of the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland in July, is likely to start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 4, and not the BC Turf against males the same day, trainer Roger Varian said in a text message on Thursday.
Varian described the Filly and Mare Turf as “plan A” for Nezwaah, who has won 5 of 11 starts and earned $299,387.
:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2017: Pre-entries, odds, comments, and more
ARCADIA, Calif. – Sol Kumin’s Head of Plains Partners has purchased a 25 percent interest in Fatale Bere, who has been pre-entered for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 3.
Kumin and trainer Leonard Powell said the transaction was finalized earlier this week. Ownership of the filly includes Mark Mathiesen, Gerald Benowitz, and Mathilde Powell, the trainer’s wife.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Imperative will be making his first start in more than six months when he starts in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile here at Del Mar on Nov. 3.
The layoff was necessitated by a minor leg fracture, according to trainer Bob Hess Jr., and the race has plenty of depth, but Hess was satisfied enough with the way Imperative worked here Thursday morning to believe he’ll run well off the layoff.
“He can fire his best shot fresh,” Hess said after watching the workout. “It’s a brutally tough race, but it’s a good setup.”
