Sat, 10/19/2013 - 12:54

Santa Anita: Mucho Macho Man finishes well in Breeders' Cup Classic drill

Shig Kikkawa
Mucho Macho Man works five furlongs in 1:02.20 under Nick Petro at Santa Anita on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Mucho Macho Man continued his strong training for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 2 with a five-furlong move on a gorgeous Saturday morning at Santa Anita. It was his penultimate work for the Classic, and trainer Kathy Ritvo said he would have his final drill next weekend.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 15:37

Santa Anita: Trinniberg flies in Breeders' Cup Sprint work

Tom Keyser
Trinniberg will look to regain his good form after two sub-par performances to launch his 2013 campaign.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Trinniberg, winner of the 2012 BC Sprint, worked a half-mile in a quick 46.60 seconds on Friday, the fastest of 21 works at the distance.

The workout was the first for Trinniberg since he finished last of seven in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 5. Trained by Bisnath Parboo, Trinniberg was ridden in the workout by Kevin Krigger, though it was unclear as of Friday morning who would ride Trinniberg in the $1.5 million BC Sprint on Nov. 2.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 15:06

Santa Anita: Goldencents ready to go long in Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

Shig Kikkawa
Goldencents works five furlongs in 59 seconds Friday at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents worked five furlongs in 59 seconds Friday for a scheduled start in the $1 million BC Dirt Mile on Nov. 1. The Grade 1 BC Dirt Mile will be Goldencents’s first start around two turns since a fifth-place finish in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 18.

Since the Preakness, Goldencents has been second three times, all in sprints, including a runner-up finish to Points Offthebench in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 5.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 14:51

Breeders' Cup: Henry Dominguez, Pish eye big time

Dustin Orona Photography
Wine Police is under consideration for several upcoming races, including the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Trainers Henry Dominguez and Danny Pish operate two of the winningest stables at their respective bases of New Mexico and Texas. Next month, both will chart new territory with starters in the Breeders’ Cup.

Dominguez, 55, is pointing Wine Police for the $1.5 million Sprint on Nov. 2, and has secured Rafael Bejarano to ride. Pish, 47, will send out Got Shades in the $1 million Juvenile Turf on Nov. 1, and has given the mount to Gary Stevens.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 14:47

Santa Anita: Mizdirection gets green light for Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

Shigeki Kikkawa
Mizdirection, winning the Las Cienegas, flopped when stretched out in the Just a Game and is being given some time off by trainer Mike Puype.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Mizdirection, winner of the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, was described by trainer Mike Puype as “100 percent” ready for this year’s $1 million BC Turf Sprint after working seven furlongs in 1:24 on turf Friday at Santa Anita.

Ridden in the workout by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, Mizdirection worked the opening quarter-mile in 23.80 seconds, five furlongs in 59, and six furlongs in 1:11.20, according to track clockers. Puype said that Mizdirection will have one more workout next weekend before the BC Turf Sprint here Nov. 2.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 14:17

Belmont: Artemis Agrotera preps for Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies with bullet work

Tom Keyser
Mike Hushion plans to give Artemis Agrotera two maintenance works prior to the Breeders' Cup.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though Artemis Agrotera won the Grade 1 Frizette here at Belmont Park on Oct. 5, most of the talk immediately following the race was about the trouble favored Sweet Reason overcame to be second.

While Mike Hushion, the trainer of Artemis Agrotera didn’t want to speculate about the outcome of the Frizette, “it would have been very interesting if she came to our neck what my filly would have done,” Hushion said.

Perhaps that circumstance will play out in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

Fri, 10/18/2013 - 13:22

Keeneland: Wise Dan tunes up on Polytrack

Michael Burns
Wise Dan, shown winning the Woodbine MIle, breezed an easy half-mile on Keeneland's Polytrack on Friday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Wise Dan had his first workout since his lengthy win streak was halted when he breezed a half-mile in 47.40 seconds before dawn Friday on the Polytrack course at Keeneland.

Trainer Charlie LoPresti had wanted to breeze Wise Dan, the 2012 Horse of the Year, on the turf, but recent rain led him to settle on the Polytrack.

“I thought the grass might be a little soft, so we went ahead with this,” he said. “It was really no big deal either way.”

Thu, 10/17/2013 - 15:30

Breeders' Cup Sprint: The Lumber Guy confirmed starter

Barbara D. Livingston
The Lumber Guy will seek a repeat win in the Grade 1 Vosburgh on Saturday.

The Lumber Guy, runner-up in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint, was confirmed as a starter for this year’s Sprint, trainer Mike Hushion said Thursday.

[BREEDERS’ CUP 2013: See DRF’s top contenders]

On Thursday, The Lumber Guy worked four furlongs in 48.63 over the Belmont main track. He went his first quarter in 24.09 and his second quarter in 23.54. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.03 under Mike Luzzi, who will ride him in the Sprint.

Thu, 10/17/2013 - 15:23

Breeders' Cup Classic contender Flat Out sharp in workout

Barbara D. Livingston
Last year, Flat Out became just the 10th horse in history to win back-to-back runnings of the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

Flat Out, third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, worked five furlongs in 1:01.38 over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for a return trip to the Classic.

Saratoga clockers timed Flat Out in 12.66 for the first eighth, 24.76 for the quarter, 48.06 for a half-mile, and had him galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.49.

[BREEDERS’ CUP 2013: See DRF’s top contenders]

Thu, 10/17/2013 - 15:21

Santa Anita: Diamond Bachelor works for Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Benoit & Associates
Diamond Bachelor wins the $100,000 Oak Tree Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Diamond Bachelor worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds at Santa Anita on Thursday, preparing for his first start on dirt in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 2.

Trained by Patrick Biancone, Diamond Bachelor has won 2 of 3 starts. He won the Oak Tree Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Sept. 4 and was second in the Zuma Beach Stakes on turf here Sept. 6.

Co-owner Kin Hui, who attended Thursday’s workout, said that the $1 million BC Juvenile Turf on Nov. 1 was considered but that the BC Juvenile is the goal.