Bob and Janice McNair will make a Breeders’ Cup appearance next month with the lone horse they have racing, Elusive Kate. She will be shipping in from England for the Grade 2, $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4.
The undefeated Nahrain is expected to make her first start outside of Europe in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4, trainer Roger Varian said from England on Wednesday.
“At the time, we’re training her like she will go,” he said. “It’s on the agenda, without being concrete.”
Varian said that 3-year-old Nahrain will have a “fast work” in coming days, which could solidify her status for the Filly and Mare Turf, which is run over 1 3/8 miles.
Trainer Ian Black said he plans to pre-enter Grade 3 Summer Stakes runner-up Excaper in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, and the son of hot sire Exchange Rate could be the pacemaker in the one-mile event.
After setting moderate fractions in the one-mile Summer at Woodbine on Sept. 17, Excaper gave way grudgingly to finish three-quarters of a length behind the heavily favored Finale. He went on to finish a fading fourth as the favorite in the Grade 3 Grey Stakes, over 1 1/16 miles on the Polytrack.
Awesome Gem will not make a fifth straight appearance in the Breeders' Cup.
Awesome Gem, an 8-year-old gelded son of Awesome Again, has been taken out of training because of a hind end issue that will force him to be given 60 days off, according to Terry Finley, president of West Point Thoroughbreds, the owners of Awesome Gem. That means Awesome Gem will be forced to miss next month's Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs. Awesome Gem was being considered for either the Classic or the Dirt Mile.
Pure Gossip, emphatic winner of the Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 2, will be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf for a fee of $100,000, trainer Phil Serpe confirmed Tuesday morning.
Pure Gossip, a New York-bred daughter of Pure Prize, is owned by Flying Zee Stables, whose founder, Carl Lizza, died in July. Serpe said he believes that Viane Lizza, Carl’s widow, is doing what she feels Carl would have done.
Creative Cause, the winner of the Grade 1 Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, continued his progress toward a start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5, with a six-furlong workout at Hollywood Park on Tuesday.
Creative Cause worked alone and was timed in 1:14, the fastest of six recorded works at the distance.
“It’s just a maintenance work,” trainer Mike Harrington said. “He didn’t need a lot. I think he’s doing quite well.”
Game On Dude, the expected Breeders’ Cup Classic pacesetter, posted a solid five-furlong workout Tuesday at 9 a.m. at Santa Anita while in company with an unidentified workmate also trained by Bob Baffert.
Game On Dude broke off four lengths behind his workmate at the 4 1/2-furlong pole; they finished on even terms. Baffert timed Game on Dude in 58.80 seconds; clockers credited the 4-year-old with a half-mile work in 46.80, breezing.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Most barns are empty and whatever leaves remaining on the trees are multi-colored. However, activity at the Oklahoma training track on this crisp October Tuesday morning was almost as brisk as if the calendar had read August.
After several days of wet tracks prompted trainers to postpone workouts, a total of 90 horses breezed Tuesday morning at Saratoga, including about two dozen from trainer Nick Zito’s barn.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A racing official will be assigned to monitor television broadcasts and all internal radio communications among racing and regulatory personnel at this year’s Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 4-5 at Churchill Downs as part of a plan to avoid incidents like the one last year involving Life At Ten, the last-place finisher in the Ladies Classic.
STICKNEY, Ill. – Chicago-based trainer Chris Block could have two starters in Breeders’ Cup races next month at Churchill Downs, or he could have none. Giant Oak is probable for the BC Marathon, while Never Retreat is a possible runner in the BC Mile, Block said Monday.
Giant Oak appeared to have exited his somewhat disappointing fifth-place finish Oct. 8 in the Hawthorne Gold Cup without any physical issues or undue fatigue, though Block said Giant Oak is not the easiest horse to read.
