Led by Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit and champion Gamine, there were several notable workouts at Santa Anita on Friday in advance of Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar on Nov. 5-6.
Medina Spirit worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds, his first major exercise since a win in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes against older horses on Oct. 2. Medina Spirit is one of the leading 3-year-old hopefuls for the BC Classic on Nov. 6.
The undefeated gelding One Timer is working quickly in advance of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 5.
Wednesday at Santa Anita, One Timer worked a half-mile in 47.80 seconds at Santa Anita, the fastest of 15 works at the distance.
“It wasn’t supposed to be that fast,” trainer Larry Rivelli said. “The plan was to go a half in 50. Our rider thought he was going slower than he actually was.”
On Oct. 1, One Timer earned a fees-paid berth to the Juvenile Turf Sprint with a win in the Speakeasy Stakes at five furlongs on turf at Santa Anita.
Richard Baltas hopes the combination of a filly on the improve and a home-course advantage can help Going to Vegas be a player in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at 1 3/8 miles on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
Going to Vegas, a 4-year-old daughter of Goldencents, has established herself as the top older female on turf in Southern California with triumphs in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 4 and the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive at Santa Anita on Oct. 2.
Including an allowance race on July 16, Going to Vegas has won her last two starts at Del Mar.
Hello You will race as far as a mile for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 5 at Del Mar, and trainer Dave Loughnane thinks the distance will suit her.
Hello You earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf with her win in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes on Sept. 24 at Newmarket. The victory was Hello You’s first in a stakes.
Loughnane said the seven-furlong Rockfel should have Hello You well prepared to stretch out a furlong in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.
That trainer Bob Baffert is likely to have multiple starters in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is no shock. That trainer Chris Davis could also have two starters in the race, well, that would be considered a bit surprising.
But the 32-year-old Davis, who maintains about a 32-horse stable, is pointing both American Sanctuary and Tough to Tame to the $2 million Juvenile, to be run Nov. 5 at Del Mar. Both horses were relatively inexpensive purchases at 2-year-old in-training auctions and both have competed well enough in stakes to warrant this chance.
The Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in England on Saturday has proved to be a meaningful prep for the Breeders’ Cup Turf in recent years, despite only a three-week gap between the races.
This year, one owner and trainer may have added incentive to go from the Champion Stakes winner’s circle to the BC Turf on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
As of Friday, 10 days remain until the pre-entry deadline for the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar. With all of the major preps for the Juvenile Turf Sprint in the books, the picture is still continuing to solidify.
One thing appears virtually certain – that Wesley Ward, who has won two of the three editions of the Juvenile Turf Sprint, will train this year’s favorite. Averly Jane took over at the top choice at 3-1 on David Aragona’s early line for Daily Racing Form, dethroning stablemate Twilight Gleaming, at 4-1.
Silver State, headed for the Dirt Mile on Nov. 6 at Del Mar, is part of a large, powerful contingent of horses trainer Steve Asmussen already has sent west for starts in upcoming Breeders’ Cup races, joining the likes of Clairiere, Echo Zulu, Jackie’s Warrior, and Max Player, among others.
Asmussen doesn’t have a regular presence in Southern California, but when the Breeders’ Cup is on the West Coast, Asmussen doesn’t wait around after the final round of preps.
Aloha West did not make his first start until February of his 4-year-old season. Eight months later, he’s heading to the Breeders’ Cup, where he could prove to be one of the more intriguing members of this year’s lineup in the $2 million Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
