There is only one horse pointed to a 2014 Breeders’ Cup race who is going for a BC three-peat, and that, of course, is Wise Dan.
Wise Dan won the Mile in 2012 by 1 1/2 lengths over Animal Kingdom, and he won it last year – overcoming early trouble and the loss of regular rider John Velazquez to injury earlier in the day – by three-quarters of a length over Za Approval.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Beholder is back, finally, but it was not easy for the two-time champion filly. After an injury derailed her campaign in June, her summer recovery was far from seamless.
Beholder’s campaign ended after a chunk of flesh was torn from her left hind pastern while she finished fourth in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park. Trainer Richard Mandella suspects it occurred when Beholder and eventual winner Close Hatches got tangled up.
Five weeks out, the prospective field for the eighth running of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile remains very much in flux, as the connections of several top contenders, including defending champ Goldencents, are noncommittal.
The Dirt Mile is limited to 12 starters at Santa Anita due to a short run to the first turn and is one of four Breeders’ Cup races to be run Friday, Oct. 31, along with the Juvenile Turf, Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Distaff.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Until his five-furlong workout over the Keeneland turf Tuesday, Wise Dan almost exclusively had been training over dirt. His five prior works came on dirt.
“I sure don’t want anybody jumping to conclusions because of that,” trainer Charlie LoPresti said shortly after Wise Dan, Morton Fink’s reigning two-time Horse of the Year, breezed Tuesday at the Lexington, Ky., track.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Seeking the Sherif, the former $12,500 claimer who won his first stakes in the $75,000 Katella Stakes at Los Alamitos last Saturday, will be pointed for the $100,000 Damascus Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 31.
The Damascus Stakes is run over seven furlongs and is part of the undercard of the first day of the Breeders’ Cup races. Trainer Ron Ellis said the six weeks between the Katella and Damascus will suit Seeking the Sherif, who has never run farther than 6 1/2 furlongs.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The Santa Anita autumn meeting begins on Friday with a program highlighted by the $100,000 Eddie D Stakes over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.
Saturday’s program has six stakes, including five Grade 1 Breeders' Cup prep races, plus the $75,000 Unzip Me Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside course. Sunday’s program is highlighted by the $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship over 1 1/4 miles on turf.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Atreides moved another step closer to making his graded stakes debut when he worked four furlongs in 48.84 around the dogs over a sloppy track Tuesday morning at Gulfstream Park. Atreides, undefeated and untested in three outings, is scheduled to make his next start in the Grade 2 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand a week from Saturday.
Wildcat Red leads a large group of candidates for the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby that will be run on Sunday at Remington Park. He is one of 13 horses track officials are expecting for the 1 1/8-mile race that can have a maximum of 14 starters.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Iotapa appears to be the opponent most capable of beating two-time champion Beholder in Saturday’s $300,000 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita.
Owned by Hronis Racing, Iotapa has not started since winning the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 2. That race carried a fees-paid berth for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 1 through the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program.
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