Lately, some of the more prominent Turf Sprint contenders have been reprising their schedules from last year, notably in last week's Morvich at Santa Anita and Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp.
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DRF Past Performances
The favorites for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile are safely tucked away, even while three prep races over the coming weekend could produce challengers for Lookin at Lucky and D' Funnybone. They are done for now. Next start, Nov. 7.
With a Grade 1 win over his home track, Lookin at Lucky has the comfort of training the next month from the Santa Anita barn of Bob Baffert. Meanwhile, D' Funnybone, romping winner of back-to-back Grade 2's in New York, will train in relative isolation.
Patrick Biancone said the 8-year-old Ball Four is a Dirt Mile candidate.P
This much is clear - Dar Re Mi is an intended starter in the Breeders' Cup program at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting on Nov. 6-7. Now trainer John Gosden has to decide between the $2 million Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 6, a race where Dar Re Mi would be strongly favored, or the $3 million Turf on Nov. 7, where she would be a leading contender.
Richard's Kid, Einstein, Rail Trip, Parading, and Colonel John were the first five across the wire in last month's Pacific Classic at Del Mar, and all are still in the running for the Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 7 at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting. But their final preparation will differ greatly, with two of the horses - Einstein and Rail Trip - being brought to the Classic without a race in between.
The aura of invincibility fell away from Goldikova last weekend in Paris, but do not count out the 2008 Breeders' Cup Mile champion just yet.
Heavily favored Goldikova finished third in Saturday's Prix de la Foret, a seven-furlong race at Longchamp. Trainer Freddie Head seemed shocked by her defeat but said Tuesday that Goldikova remained on course to ship to Santa Anita for the 2009 Mile.
Cocoa Beach has been a victim of her own versatility. She can run on turf, synthetic, or dirt, so whenever a conflict has arisen this year with another older filly or mare owned by Godolphin Racing, she often has had to go to a less-desirable spot to accommodate a stablemate who is more of a specialist.
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The East Coast's top-rated sprinter will not compete in this year's Breeders' Cup, and chances are neither might the horse who has handed him two of his three losses this year.
Trainer Todd Beattie has officially ruled out the Breeders' Cup Sprint as an option for Fabulous Strike, who dropped a half-length decision to Kodiak Kowboy in last Saturday's Grade 1 Vosburgh. The connections of Kodiak Kowboy have left the door open, albeit slightly, that they could run in the Sprint, although their main goal remains Aqueduct's Cigar Mile on Nov. 28.
Trainer and former star jockey Freddy Head got a surprise gift when owners Alain and Gerard Wertheimer announced Goldikova would return for another year of racing in 2009 after her brilliant win in the 2008 Breeders' Cup Mile.
Goldikova got a nice winter rest, trained along to Head's total satisfaction in the spring - and then went out and laid an egg in her 2009 debut.
The admirable Gio Ponti has proved himself the most versatile American turf performer in a number of years, winning four Grade 1's this year between a mile and 1 3/8 miles in New York, Illinois, and California on yielding, good, and firm ground. Freshened since his victory in the Arlington Million on Aug. 9, he is being aimed at the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic for his first try at 1 1/2 miles at Belmont Park on Oct. 3 as a prelude to the Breeders' Cup Turf.