ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Bob Baffert glanced down at the entries for Saturday's $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, and spotted the name Storm Flag Flying in post 4.
"Damn, she showed up," said Baffert, who entered three of the 10 fillies against Storm Flag Flying in the race. "I was hoping she wouldn't show up."
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - With only about a 150-yard run to the first turn, and a full field entered for Saturday's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, post position figures to play a significant role in the outcome of the race.
"Outside horses are going to be at a disadvantage, and the 1-hole is going to be a terrible place to be," trainer John Ward said early Thursday morning. "It's going to be difficult on maybe half the field."
When asked how far outside he felt would be treacherous, Ward said, "anything outside the 9-hole, it starts to get dicey."
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf has come of age quickly, and the field assembled for the race's fourth edition is one of the strongest of this year's Breeders' Cup.
Twelve horses were entered Wednesday in the Filly and Mare Turf, run at 1 1/4 miles over Arlington's broad sweep of turf. With a long run down the stretch and into the first turn, post positions are much less crucial here than in other Cup races. Voodoo Dancer was not entered in the race. Trainer Christophe Clement said Voodoo Dancer had coughed the last two mornings.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - For a day that started out on a worrisome note, Wednesday quickly turned positive for trainer Jonathan Sheppard.
When he arrived at Saratoga's turf training track to work With Anticipation for Saturday's Breeders' Cup Turf at Arlington Park, he was greeted with a blanket of snow.
"It was mixed with rain and quite cold," he said.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Kona Gold, the veteran sprinter, is a throwback to a bygone era in racing.
At a time when some stars have careers that barely last a year, the 8-year-old Kona Gold will be making a record fifth appearance in the Breeders' Cup, Saturday at Arlington Park.
For Kona Gold, Breeders' Cup Day has been all about the $1 million Sprint. He finished third in 1998 at Churchill Downs, second in 1999 at Gulfstream Park, won the race in 2000 at Churchill Downs, and finished seventh last year at Belmont Park.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Think you're anxious to see the Breeders' Cup? You've got nothing on Paco Gonzalez.
The trainer of Came Home usually gets to his barn at Santa Anita around 3:30 or 3:45 every morning and arises without need of an alarm clock. On Tuesday, Came Home was scheduled to work for Saturday's $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Arlington Park. It was to be the last work for the last race of his career.
"I couldn't sleep," Gonzalez said from his barn. "I got here at five minutes after 3."
ELMONT, N.Y. - Edgar Prado wishes he could clone himself for the estimated 110 seconds it will take to run Saturday's Breeders' Cup Juvenile. But, since he can't, he had a decision to make. Sky Mesa or Whywhywhy? Whywhywhy or Sky Mesa?
In choosing to ride Sky Mesa, Prado said it came down to breeding. Prado simply believes Sky Mesa may be better equipped to get nine furlongs than Whywhywhy. Sky Mesa is a son of Pulpit, a Fountain of Youth and Blue Grass winner. Whywhywhy is a son of Mr. Greeley, known primarily as a sprinter.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Trainer John Salzman didn't want to do too much with his champion filly Xtra Heat coming into Saturday's Breeders' Cup Sprint following her victory over males in Keeneland's Phoenix Breeders' Cup Stakes earlier this month. True to Salzman's word, Xtra Heat has done little but gallop over the local strip since arriving in Chicago two weeks ago.
But Salzman did give Xtra Heat an opportunity to let off a little steam when he sent her at a two-minute-lick pace from the half-mile pole to the wire during training hours here on Tuesday.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Godolphin Racing's quest to win the Kentucky Derby, chronicled in great detail the last four springs, has been single-minded, and, thus far, unsuccessful. The perception might be that Godolphin has spent less effort aiming for the Breeders' Cup, but, in fact, Godolphin has had great success in this championship event.
