ARCADIA, Calif. – When Ectot won the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on yielding turf at Belmont Park on Oct. 1, the condition of the rain-soaked course was widely credited as a leading factor in his five-length win.
There was more to the victory than favorable conditions, insists Harry Herbert, racing adviser for co-owner Al Shaqab Racing. A 5-year-old trained by Todd Pletcher, Ectot has shown signs of physical development in recent months, Herbert said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Probably the most important prerace variable toward the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint concerns the status of Curalina, who most likely would be favored in the Nov. 5 race if her connections take a pass on the Nov. 4 BC Distaff.
About the only thing missing from the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at this stage is a partridge in the pear tree.
Grade 1-winning fillies Celestine and Catch a Glimpse, both of whom would be cutting back in distance, were recent intriguing additions to an overflow cast of pre-entries for the Turf Sprint, a mixed bag that also includes defending winner Mongolian Saturday, stalwart Lady Shipman, several California-based downhill turf specialists, and a handful of European invaders.
A group of 11 Grade 1 or Group 1 winners, led by Flower Bowl winner Lady Eli and Irish raider Seventh Heaven, were among 16 pre-entries announced Wednesday for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.
Twelve horses have been pre-entered in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, led by probable favorite Dortmund and champion Runhappy, but the race could wind up with a field of just seven when it’s run Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.
Bradester has been withdrawn from consideration and will run in the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs, according to trainer Eddie Kenneally. Gun Runner, Midnight Storm, Vyjack, and War Story have listed other races as their first preference, according to a rundown of pre-entered Breeders’ Cup fields announced Wednesday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – California, here they come.
Led by California Chrome, acknowledged as the best dirt horse in the world, as well as nine Breeders’ Cup race winners from last year and two from prior years, a total of 185 horses were announced on Wednesday as having been pre-entered in the 13 Breeders’ Cup races that will be run Nov. 4-5 here at Santa Anita. Among the popular stars pre-entered were Beholder, Found, Frosted, Lady Eli, Runhappy, Songbird, and Tepin.
You could still hear the disappointment in King Leatherbury’s voice two days after Ben’s Cat finished last in the Maryland Million Sprint at Laurel Park last Saturday. It’s never easy to accept that a horse who has been so good for such an extended period of time is slowing down, but it seemed there was even more to it than that.
Leatherbury had been pleased with how Ben’s Cat was training coming into the race, and the lackluster performance was frustrating and somewhat surprising to the Hall of Fame trainer.
Everyone who wants to start in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 5 will get their chance, as 13 were pre-entered in the 1 1/16-mile race, one fewer than the limit of 14 starters.
Eleven probably will start because With Honors, trained by Keith Desormeaux, and New Money Honey, who races for Chad Brown, have the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf as their first preference. The Juvenile Fillies Turf is oversubscribed with 21 pre-entries, but both With Honors and New Money Honey qualified on points and are in the body of the race.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Art Sherman is armed with the acknowledged favorite for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic in California Chrome, but when Sherman contemplated the prospective field the other morning at Los Alamitos, he figured it would come up tougher than expected.
“You’ll have to run every inch,” he said. “There’ll be no gimmes in this race.”
ARCADIA, Calif. - With rain in the forecast in upcoming days, trainer Art Sherman has called an audible with California Chrome. Rather than have him work as originally scheduled Saturday at Los Alamitos, he will work Thursday morning at Los Alamitos, van to Santa Anita over the weekend, and breeze over the track here next week just days before the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 5, Sherman said Wednesday morning.
