ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita specialist Paradise Woods, among the main challengers to favorite Midnight Bisou in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, continues to send positive vibes.
Paradise Woods and jockey Abel Cedillo cruised through a six-furlong workout Sunday at Santa Anita, a comfortable solo drill in which she rationed her speed. That was a main objective for a mare with a history of stress. Although Paradise Woods sometimes gets keen, her work went smoothly.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Graded stakes winner Pee Wee Reese sustained a fetlock injury at the conclusion of a Saturday workout at San Luis Rey Downs that will prevent him from running in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 2 and likely will end his racing career.
A multiple stakes winner who scored a sharp comeback victory last month in the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita, Pee Wee Reese would have been among the favorites in the BC Turf Sprint. Owner-breeder Nick Alexander was prepared to pay a $100,000 supplemental fee to make him eligible.
ARCADIA, Calif. – With the Breeders’ Cup just a fortnight away, major works were the order of the day Saturday morning at Santa Anita, including one that was concurrent with a major decision.
Shortly after Catalina Cruiser worked five furlongs in 1:00.60, his trainer, John Sadler, said that Catalina Cruiser would likely head to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at six furlongs after considering both that race and the Dirt Mile, both on Nov. 2.
CHURCHILL DOWNS
TRACK: Fast
WEATHER: HAZY
TEMPERATURE: 45
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A dozen potential Breeders’ Cup starters worked at Churchill Downs over the last two mornings. Five of the 12 came from the potent stable of trainer Brad Cox, two of whom, OWENDALE (Classic) and ARKLOW (Turf), put in their penultimate works for the event on another crisp and at times hazy morning Saturday at Churchill Downs.
ELMONT, N.Y. – It was a chilly 42 degrees early Saturday morning on Long Island, but Come Dancing warmed things up in a hurry with sizzling six-furlong workout in 1:10.19 over Belmont Park’s training track in preparation for a start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.
Trainer Carlos Martin wanted one last serious move in his Grade 1-winning mare, so he put a lead horse, the 4-year-old New York-bred mare Stonefactor, out eight or so lengths ahead of Come Dancing who broke running at the five-eighths pole under Javier Castellano.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Catalina Cruiser looks like he's headed to the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
That was the word early Saturday morning at Santa Anita from trainer John Sadler shortly after Catalina Cruiser, in his penultimate work for the Breeders' Cup, worked a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.60 as dawn broke.
"We're leaning toward the Sprint," Sadler said, though he said he "might cross-enter" at pre-entry time on Monday in the Dirt Mile, too. But everything he said indicated the Sprint is where Catalina Cruiser is headed.
A licensed groom and hotwalker working at Remington Park has been arrested and charged with five counts of animal cruelty, according to an incident report from the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Dakota Wilbourn, 25, allegedly cut five horses in the neck or snout area Tuesday night at Remington. The horses all needed stitches, according to the police report. Wilbourn on Wednesday was summarily suspended by the Remington board of stewards and has a show cause hearing Oct. 22, according to a ruling dated Thursday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – If you like your weather cold and your horses fast, Churchill Downs was the place to be for tracking contenders on the Breeders’ Cup trail on Friday morning.
ARCADIA, Calif. – A number of horses with designs on the Breeders’ Cup worked Friday morning at Santa Anita, including the exciting 2-year-old filly Donna Veloce, who effortlessly bested a workmate while traveling five furlongs in 1:00, the best time of 44 at the distance over a dull, fast track.
With Flavien Prat aboard, Donna Veloce broke off about three lengths behind her company, cruised past in upper stretch, and was 2 1/2 lengths to the good crossing the finish.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Richard Mandella said the decision to run Omaha Beach in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile came after a conference call among he, owner Rick Porter, and representatives of Spendthrift Farm.
“It was a group effort,” Mandella said Friday morning. “The Mile looks like a nice way to develop him. It’s the next step.”
Omaha Beach is scheduled to go to stud at Spendthrift next year, but there is still time following the Breeders’ Cup for more races, culminating with the Pegasus World Cup in January.
