With Flavien Prat in the irons, GI Pacific Classic victor Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro) drilled a bullet six furlongs in 1:12.60 (1/5) at Santa Anita Saturday morning in preparation for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.
“I had him in 1:12 and two, which is a good work for six furlongs on this track,” said trainer John Sadler, who won last year's Classic with Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) “I had him out [seven furlongs] in 1:26. He looked good.”
Sadler also breezed GI Breeders' Cup Distaff contender Ollie's Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}), who went a half-mile in :47 flat (3/69); and GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint runner Selcourt (Tiz Wonderful), who fired a best-of-39 five-furlong bullet in :59.60
MGISW Bellafina (Quality Road) prepped for the F/M Sprint with a half-mile move in :48.20 (11/69) at Santa Anita under exercise rider Ivan de Silva. “It was what we expected,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “She's fit and ready.”
Other Breeders' Cup workers on the Santa Anita worktab Saturday include: Eddie Haskell (Square Eddie) (Turf Sprint, four furlongs in :47 flat); Shancelot (Shanghai Bobby) (Sprint, four furlongs in a best-of-69 bullet :46.40; Stubbins (Morning Line) (Turf Sprint, four furlongs in :49.20); Acclimate (Acclamation) (Turf, five furlongs in 1:01.20); Bolo (Temple City) (Mile, five furlongs in 1:02.40); Draft Pick (Candy Ride {Arg}) (Classic, five furlongs in 1:00.80), Giant Expectations (Frost Giant) (Dirt Mile, five furlongs in 1:01); Secret Spice (Discreet Cat) (Distaff, five furlongs in 1:01); Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}) (Classic, five furlongs in 1:01.40; Bowies Hero (Artie Schiller) (Mile, four furlongs in :49.60); and Hit the Road (More Than Ready) (Juvenile Turf, four furlongs in :49.80).
GI American Pharoah S. runner-up American Theorem (American Pharoah) has been ruled out of an intended start in the Juvenile, trainer George Papaprodromou announced Saturday morning.
“I just feel he's not 100% ready,” said Papaprodromou. “If he's not 100% for a race like this against the best horses in the world, we have to do what's right by the horse. There's no sense pushing something we shouldn't. We'll wait and put him on the trail to the GI Kentucky Derby.”
GI Pennsylvania Derby upsetter Math Wizard (Algorithms) put in his final breeze ahead of the Classic at Gulfstream Saturday, covering five panels in 1:02.32 (20/35) (video) in company.
“This was more of a stamina-building breeze. He had a good breeze last week,” trainer Saffie Joseph said. “He went got seven-eighths in 1:28 and a mile in 1:41, so it was solid all the way around. He came back well. So far so good.”
GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hopeful Miss J McKay (Hangover Kid) breezed over the Laurel Park turf Saturday morning under Trevor McCarthy, going a half-mile in :49.20 (video). The bay was the only horse to work Saturday as all racing and training was cancelled at Laurel from Thursday to Sunday due to a broken water pipe on the apron.
“The work was very good,” trainer Cal Lynch said. “I was delighted. She galloped out in 1:01 and 1:12 and change. Trevor said the track was a little soft, so it was a perfect work over that. She looks good cooling out, so, so far, so good.”
Miss J McKay, who would be a perfect three-for-three is not for a disqualification in the Colleen S., is the first Breeders' Cup runner for both Lynch and McCarthy.
Classic-bound Owendale (Into Mischief) was among the Breeders' Cup contenders braving the rain at Churchill Downs Saturday morning, breezing five furlongs in :59.40 (1/10). Sporting blinkers and working in company, the Rupp Racing runner registered splits of :11.80, :23.40, :35 flat and :46.40 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13 over a sealed surface.
“I thought it was an awesome work,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I looked down at my watch when they were going and saw :35 and couldn't believe they were going that fast because how easy they were going. I thought getting their works in early today was going to be best because the rain looks like it will continue the rest of the day.”
Owendale's stablemate and recent GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. victor Arklow (Arch) was up next, going five panels in 1:00.40 (3/10) ahead of the BC Turf. Also working in company, the bay was clocked in splits of :12 flat, :23.40 and :47.60 with a six-furlong gallop-out in 1:13.80.
Dirt Mile-bound Mr. Money, a son of two-time Dirt Mile victor Goldencents, also breezed beneath the Twin Spires Saturday, covering a half-mile in :49.60 (26/34). The MGSW and Pennsylvania Derby runner-up went in splits of :12.60 and :24.60 before galloping out in 1:02.80 beneath jockey Gabriel Saez.
There were several Breeders' Cup workers on the Belmont Park worktab Saturday, ahead of an expected rain storm on Sunday. Some of the headliners include: Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway) (Turf), who went a half-mile in :49.11 (video) on the grass in company with Without Parole (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who hopes to draw into the Mile; Come Dancing (Malibu Moon) (F/M Sprint), three panels in :37.55 (video); Firenze Fire (Friesian Fire) (Dirt Mile), five furlongs in 1:00.80 (video); Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) and Thais (Fr) (Rio de la Plata) (both F/M Turf), five panels in 1:00.85 (video); and Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) (Mile), half-mile on turf in company in :49.08 (video).
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