Trainer David Fawkes continues to pace like an expectant father while awaiting news as to whether his Bahamian Squall might ultimately draw into the starting lineup for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Bahamian Squall, who finished sixth while beaten less than three lengths by Secret Circle in the 2013 Sprint, was ranked 17th of the 21 horses pre-entered for the event by the Breeders’ Cup selection committee. Only 14 horses can start in the Sprint.
Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens will make his comeback from a summertime knee operation in time for the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita next weekend.
Stevens has been booked to ride Sivoliere in the $1 million BC Juvenile Fillies Turf over a mile on Oct. 31 for owner Martin Schwartz and trainer Chad Brown.
Stevens, 51, has not ridden since July 6 at Monmouth Park. He underwent knee replacement surgery that month. There was concern that the injury could lead to the end of his career, but Stevens resumed working horses earlier this month at Santa Anita.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Blue Dancer, who won the $75,000 Ascot Graduation by a nose over Lord Rosberg on Oct. 13 at Hastings, will be taking an extreme jump up in class when he makes his next start in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.
Blue Dancer is last on the preference list of the 17 horses who were pre-entered in the 1 1/16-mile race, but according to Josh Christian, director of racing for the Breeders’ Cup, he is going to get into the 14-horse field.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Going into the final two days of the 2014 meet, Mike Anderson is sitting in second place in the trainers’ standings behind Craig MacPherson. Anderson, with 26 wins, won’t catch MacPherson, who, with 39 wins, will take his second straight title. Nonetheless, Anderson is pleased with how the meet went.
“It has been a good year,” said Anderson. “Horses ran well, and of course you have to have lots of luck in this business, and we seemed to.”
There are pictures of clowns decorating Martin Garcia’s new home in the foothills not far from Santa Anita Park – Emmett Kelly hobo-style clowns sharing wall space with equine portraits and handsome silver hammerings of traditional Mexican art. Garcia was asked, as politely as possible, “Hey, jock, what’s with the clowns?”
His eyes narrowed.
“I love clowns,” he said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Big Blue Kitten may not start in the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.
On Wednesday, trainer Chad Brown said he was evaluating Big Blue Kitten’s condition following a runner-up finish to Hillstar in the Grade 1 Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine last Sunday.
The 13-day turnaround may prevent the 6-year-old Big Blue Kitten from making the trip to California. Brown said the horse’s “overall health and condition” will be assessed this weekend.
ARCADIA, Calif. – There is expected to be a berth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 1 for Free as a Bird, the winner of five consecutive sprint stakes for fillies and mares in Kentucky and New York this year.
Trainer Mark Casse said on Wednesday that Kaigun, the winner of the Play the King Stakes at Woodbine in August, will be pointed for the BC Mile and not the Turf Sprint, which is run over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.
Brad Cox has known Breeders’ Cup elation before, but this would be different. The 34-year-old Louisville, Ky., native will be running his first BC starter as a trainer when Carve runs Oct. 31 in the BC Dirt Mile at Santa Anita.
Carve figures as one of the longer shots in the $1 million race when ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.
“The horse is doing great, the race might set up for his style, and we’ve got Mike to ride,” Cox said Thursday from his Churchill Downs base. “I’m pretty pumped.”
SANTA ANITA
Track: Fast
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 58
ARCADIA, Calif. – Wednesday proved to be another slow day on the Breeders’ Cup workout front, with the monotony of the long morning finally broken when Private Prospect came out after the second renovation break to work six furlongs for the Juvenile.
