Wed, 10/25/2023 - 12:55

Breeders' Cup Distaff: Idiomatic, Adare Manor bring long win streaks

Barbara D. Livingston

Idiomatic is on a four-race winning streak, including the Grade 1 Personal Ensign, coming into the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Idiomatic and Adare Manor will enter the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff with the field’s longest U.S. win streaks and likely shortest odds when the 1 1/8-mile race is run Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

Thirteen fillies and mares pre-entered the Distaff, including nine Grade 1/Group 1 winners. While a case could be made for more than half the field, none are in better form than Kentucky-based Idiomatic and California-based Adare Manor, one-two favorites on the Distaff early odds line by Daily Racing Form.

Wed, 10/25/2023 - 12:40

Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile: Preakness winner National Treasure worked way into field

By Mary Rampellini

Debra A. Roma

National Treasure (right) beat Blazing Sevens by a head in the Preakness. He has since failed to hit the board in the Belmont, Travers, and Awesome Again stakes.

Cody’s Wish will have to contend with at least one 3-year-old classic winner when he defends his title in next month’s Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, which drew 15 pre-entries on Monday.

Preakness winner National Treasure is being pointed for the Nov. 4 race at Santa Anita, according to trainer Bob Baffert.

Kentucky Derby winner Mage also was pre-entered in the Dirt Mile, but his connections made the race their non-binding second preference behind the Classic, which he will be able to get into when final Breeders’ Cup entries are taken Monday.

Mon, 10/23/2023 - 15:20

2023 Breeders' Cup Clocker Report: Arabian Knight impresses, White Abarrio work postponed

By Mike Welsch

Barbara D. Livingston

Arabian Knight breezed six furlongs in 1:11.54 on Monday at Santa Anita, then galloped out a mile in 1:37.57.

Santa Anita
Monday, Oct. 23
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 62 degrees
Track: Fast

ARCADIA, Calif. – Breeders’ Cup Classic contenders Arabian Knight and White Abarrio were the big news at Santa Anita on Monday morning, the former turning in a terrific work immediately after the second renovation break, the latter after having a scheduled work for the race, with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, postponed, tentatively, until Wednesday.

Mon, 10/23/2023 - 10:14

Champion winner King of Steel will be pre-entered for BC Turf, Classic

By Steve Andersen

Megan Rose Photography

Frankie Dettori, show after his win aboard King of Steel in the Champion Stakes, will ride the horse in the BC Turf should he run.

King of Steel earned a fees-paid berth to the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 4 with a win in Saturday’s Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in Great Britain, but the Kentucky-bred colt’s participation in the richest turf race in the United States will not be determined until later this week, trainer Roger Varian said Monday.

Varian said King of Steel was pre-entered on Monday in the Turf and BC Classic at 1 1/4 miles on dirt as a second option. King of Steel has never raced on dirt in his seven-race career.

Sun, 10/22/2023 - 19:01

Tamara bringing solid form to BC Juvenile Fillies, Smith says

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Tamara, with Mike Smith aboard, works six furlongs for the BC Juvenile Fillies on Sunday at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The regally bred filly Tamara will race at 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 3. The closer the race gets, the more jockey Mike Smith and trainer Richard Mandella think the filly can handle a longer distance in a race in which she is projected to be a solid favorite.

On Sunday at Santa Anita, Hall of Famer Smith, 58, spoke confidently of Tamara’s chances after she worked six furlongs in 1:12.60, and galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25.

Sun, 10/22/2023 - 18:53

Echo Zulu recovering from surgery at vet clinic

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Echo Zulu, shown with trainer Steve Asmussen, was unbeaten in three starts this year.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The champion filly Echo Zulu is recovering at a Southern California vet clinic slightly more than a week after sustaining a serious injury in a workout at Santa Anita, according to Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen.

Blasi said on Sunday that Echo Zulu was recently transferred from the Santa Anita stables to the Chino Valley Equine Clinic.

“These things go in phases,” Blasi said. “We’re through the first week and every day she’s as well as she is, is a day closer to a successful outcome.”

Sun, 10/22/2023 - 18:37

Soldier Rising likely for Red Smith

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Soldier Rising was runner-up in four marathon turf stakes on the New York circuit this year.

Soldier Rising, who finished second in all four Grade 1 marathon turf stakes for males on the New York Racing Association circuit in 2023, will be aimed at the Grade 2, $300,000 Red Smith at Aqueduct on Nov. 11, trainer Christophe Clement said Sunday.

Clement said there was some discussion between he and his owners about the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf, but the decision was made to stay home.

Sun, 10/22/2023 - 18:26

Xigera will skip BC Distaff, point to Mother Goose instead

By David Grening

Coady photo

Xigera won the Seneca Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 23.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After flirting with the idea of going to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, the connections of Xigera ultimately decided against and will instead run their 3-year-old filly in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes at Aqueduct, trainer Phil Bauer said Sunday.

Sat, 10/21/2023 - 10:35

Nest will skip Breeders' Cup, to be offered at F-T November sale

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Trainer Todd Pletcher announced that 2022 3-year-old filly champion Nest will skip the Breeders' Cup Distaff and will be offered at the Fasg-Tipton November sale.

In a decision that was expected, Nest, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2022, will not be pre-entered Monday for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita, but it is not certain that she will be retired, trainer Todd Pletcher said Saturday.

Nest, owned by a partnership that includes Mike Repole, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Michael House, will be offered at auction at Fasig-Tipton November, known as the “Night of the Stars” sale on Nov. 7.

Fri, 10/20/2023 - 18:04

Dettori back in Classic, booked to ride Zandon

By David Grening

Barbara D. Livingston

Frankie Dettori celebrates after riding Raven's Pass to victory in the 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic.

Frankie Dettori, who recently announced that he will be riding in the U.S. in 2024, will ride Zandon in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 4, trainer Chad Brown said Friday afternoon.

Dettori is 1 for 7 in the Classic having won it in 2008 with Raven’s Pass. Interestingly, Dettori has not ridden the Classic since he finished ninth aboard Imperative, a 66-1 shot, in 2014.

Overall, Dettori is the sixth leading rider in Breeders’ Cup wins with 14 and he ranks fourth in purse-money won with $25.8 million.

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