Teaching J P’s Gusto to be a more patient 2-year-old has been a focus for trainer David Hofmans since the colt’s four-race winning streak ended with a second-place finish in the Norfolk Stakes on Oct. 2.
In a seven-furlong workout on Monday in preparation for the BC Juvenile, J P’s Gusto started four lengths behind a workout partner and finished four lengths in front.
“I liked that he relaxed off the other horse,” Hofmans said. “It looked like he galloped out very nicely.”
Doing Great is undefeated in two starts, including a 10-1 upset in the $100,000 Maryland Million Lassie earlier this month. But based on her Beyer Speed Figures, Doing Great may have a difficult time keeping her perfect record intact when she makes her Delaware Park debut in Wednesday’s $50,000 White Clay Creek Stakes for 2-year-old fillies going six furlongs.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher said he pre-entered 11 horses on Monday for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, to be held Nov. 5-6 at Churchill Downs. However, Bribon was not among them.
Owner Derrick Smith elected against paying the $180,000 supplemental fee to make Bribon eligible for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Instead, Bribon will run in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park as a prep for the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 27.
STICKNEY, Ill. – Hawthorne will have a representative at the Breeders’ Cup this year, with Giant Oak pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, trainer Chris Block confirmed Monday.
“We did pre-enter him, and the intention, barring any problems between now and then, is to run,” said Block, who trains Giant Oak for the Virginia Tarra Trust.
Delta Downs has given its biggest program of racing a makeover by returning the purse of its Grade 3 Jackpot to $1 million and moving up the date of North America’s second richest main-track stakes for 2-year-olds, to Nov. 20.
The race, which trails only the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in value on dirt, will also have a special day post this meet and be supported by seven other stakes, including the Grade 3, $500,000 Delta Princess. Purses for the program will top $2.3 million, making the card the richest run in Louisiana in 2010.
STICKNEY, Ill. – Hawthorne already has made good on a promise to boost purses at the 2010 fall meeting if handle figures allow, announcing a purse increase for certain types of races that will kick in Nov. 3. All claiming races will be worth $500 more, while allowance and maiden special weight purses will be raised by $1,000.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Astrology and Blue Laser, originally considered possible contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, both worked at Churchill Downs on Monday morning, after which the connections of the two juveniles confirmed neither’s name was in the box when pre-entries closed for the race later that afternoon.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic might have one of its strongest fields ever, with the likes of Zenyatta, Blame, Quality Road, and Lookin At Lucky all pointing toward it, but it doesn’t appear as though the presence of that Fearsome Foursome is going to keep the field size down. Pre-entries to the Breeders’ Cup were due Monday and were to be announced Wednesday, and the potential field for the Classic, like an Energizer bunny on steroids, kept growing, and growing, and growing.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – There usually isn’t much drama remaining in the Keeneland fall meet at this late stage, but the trainers’ race might be worth keeping tabs on. Ken McPeek and Wayne Catalano enter the final four-day stretch tied with eight wins apiece, and although both say winning the title isn’t a top priority, they will be running quite a few horses and certainly wouldn’t mind earning the badge of honor that goes with being a Keeneland meet leader.