Saturday morning proved to be a busy day from one coast to the other with a bevy of horses targeting next the Nov. 3 and 4 Breeders' Cup at Del Mar completing their final major works ahead of the championship event. The works have been sorted by region:
DEL MAR:
Trainer Jorge Navarro sent out graded stakes winners Sharp Azteca (Freud), pointing toward the GI Dirt Mile and GI Classic hopeful War Story (Northern Afleet) in five furlong works Saturday. The former, under jockey Paco Lopez, covered the distance in :58.60, the fastest of 13 at the distance, while War Story completed the task in :59 flat. Del Mar clocker John Malone got Sharp Azteca in splits of :11.80, :23.40 and :35.60 en route to the :58.60. War Story's splits were :12 flat, :23.60, :35.60 for a final quarter of :23.40 and a gallop-out to six furlongs in :1:11.80.
“I fell in love with it,” Navarro said. “I had heard some complaints about it being speed favoring in the summer, but I'm coming from a speed favoring track [Monmouth) and this was fine to me. Both horses worked well, it took enough out of them, but they recovered quickly.”
➣ Trainer Richard Mandella sent out Avenge (War Front) (GI Filly & Mare Turf) and Paradise Woods (Union Rags) (GI Distaff) for five-furlong works as final major moves ahead of their Breeders' Cup engagements. Jockey Flavien Prat, who has the call on both, was aboard. Del Mar clockers caught Avenge going :59.60 with splits of :11.60, :23.40 and :35.60 with a gallop-out to six furlongs in 1:12.20. Paradise Woods completed her assignment in 1:00.20.
➣ Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile pre-entrants, GSP Hollywood Star (Malibu Moon) and Free Drop Billy (Union Rags), with Tammy Fox in the irons. Del Mar clockers timed Hollywood Star in 1:02.00 for five furlongs and Free Drop Billy six furlongs in 1:14.40.
“The work was only for five furlongs and I had him in 1:01,” said trainer Dale Romans of GI Breeders' Futurity winner Free Drop Billy. “I think he's fit and ready.”
➣ Trainer Bob Hess, Jr. worked Juvenile Fillies hopeful Tell Your Mama (Blame) six furlongs in 1:13.60, the fastest of three at the distance Saturday.
“She worked very nicely, galloped out well and we're excited,” offered Hess.
➣ Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), likely favorite in the Classic, galloped a mile over the Del Mar track Saturday morning. Gun Runner has had a series of four works at Santa Anita this month. Assistant trainer Scott Blasi said a final half-mile work at at 6:30 a.m. at Del Mar Monday is possible pending the approval of trainer Steve Asmussen.
BELMONT:
In a prelude of what's to come at Del Mar next weekend, trainer Chad Brown sent out a battalion of stakes winners out for their final major preparatory moves ahead of their respective Breeders' Cup dates. Heading the dirt contingent was multiple Grade I winner Lady Eli (Divine Park), who was is set to contest the Filly/Mare Turf. Also pre-entered for the $2- million event are GISW Dacita (Chi) (Scat Daddy) and GSW Grand Jete (GB) (Dansili {GB}). In company with Roca Rojo (Ire) (Strategic Prince {Ire}), Lady Eli breezed five furlongs in 1:01.19 over the inner turf. Dacita, accompanied by Uni (GB) (More Than Ready), visited the main track earlier in the morning, breezing four furlongs :49.34, with the first quarter-mile going in :24 4/5, according to NYRA clockers. Grand Jete, breezing in company with 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly Turf winner New Money Honey (Medaglia d'Oro), went five furlongs in 1:01.79 on the inner turf.
In addition to the turf mavens, Brown also sent out yesterday:
➣ GISW Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid) and GISP Fanciful Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) (Turf) – duo worked in company going five furlongs in 1:02.54 on the inner turf track.
➣ GISW Practical Joke (Into Mischief) (Dirt Mile) – went four furlongs :49.44-first quarter in :24 4/5–in company with Favorable Outcome (Flatter) on the main track.
➣ GSW Significant Form (Juvenile Fillies Turf) – worked with Rymska (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) four furlongs in :50:02 on the inner turf course.
➣ Carina Mia (Malibu Moon) (Filly & Mare Sprint) – worked solo in preparing, going four furlongs in :49.44 on the main track. The GI Acorn winner completed a first quarter in :25 2/5, galloping out five furlongs in 1:01 3/5.
➣ Paulassilverlining (Filly & Mare Sprint) – four furlongs :49 3/5 on the main track in company with GSP Jamyson 'n Ginger (Bernardini). The duo went first quarter-mile in 24 2/5 seconds before galloping out in 1:02.
➣ GISP Good Magic (Curlin) (Juvenile) – completed five furlongs in 1:01 3.5 on the main track with an opening quarter-mile in 25 3/5 seconds.
➣ GSP Voting Control (Kitten's Joy) (Juvenile Turf) – was sent four furlongs in :49.76 main track in company with Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway).
➣ GI Frizette heroine Separationofpowers (Candy Ride {Arg} (Juvenile Fillies) – in tandem with maiden South of the Shore (Union Rags), went five furlongs in 1:02.31 on the main track.
Also at Belmont Saturday:
➣ GISW Diversify (Bellamy Road) (Classic) – half mile in :46.88, the fastest of 60 at the distance.
“It was very, very similar to the breeze before the Gold Cup,” said trainer Rick Violette Jr. “They went off a little quick, they went off in :22 and change and that wasn't by design, so I actually throttled them down a little galloping out [over the walkie talkie]. He went terrific. They got him in :46 and four and I got him [galloping] out in :59 and change. He didn't do anything this morning to discourage us from getting on a plane.”
Violette said Diversify has a spot reserved on a San Diego-bound flight on Tuesday should they decide to make the trip. Entries for the Breeders' Cup World Championships will be taken Monday.
“If there are defections somewhere along the way, that would encourage me to go,” Violette said. “It's a deep, deep race. It's not a two-horse race, with maybe a shot with a third horse. It's four, five, six deep.
➣ GI Champagne winner Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) (Juvenile) – five furlongs in 1:00.10 over the training track, the second-fastest of 45 at the distance.
“It was just a maintenance breeze today,” said trainer Jason Servis via telephone. “Coming out of the Champagne, we just have to keep him tight and on his toes. He's doing been doing well since that race.”
Firenze Fire is set to depart to California on Tuesday.
➣ MGSW Disco Partner (Disco Rico) (Turf Sprint) breezed four furlongs in :50.72 over Belmont's main track.
“It was a slow work by design,” said trainer Christophe Clement. “I thought he looked well. He was moving very well and sound. He came back in great shape from the work and rolled around in the pen afterwards. He just ran in October so he's very fit. He doesn't need to do much, only stretch his legs and to keep him happy. I'm pretty excited to see him run in California,” said Clement…We've been taking him back when he goes six or seven [furlongs] and we won't have to do that here. We can just let him roll. I don't think we'll be on the pace either, but that's perfectly okay.”
SANTA ANITA:
GI Pacific Classic winner Collected (City Zip) and champion Stellar Wind (Curlin) had their final major works Saturday morning at Santa Anita. Collected, one of four probable Breeders' Cup Classic starters for Bob Baffert, went six furlongs under Martin Garcia in 1:13.40, while Stellar Wind worked six furlongs in company with Kristo (Distorted Humor) for the Distaff.
“He went nice,” Baffert said of the speedy Collected. “He just cruised around there like he always does.”
Under exercise rider Jose Contreras, Stellar Wind went five furlongs in a bullet :59.80 after the 7:45 a.m. renovation break. Kristo was clocked in 1:00.40.
“I had her in a minute flat and out in (one) 14,” Sadler said. “I'd give the work a B-plus. She's not a super-fast worker…If you look at her works the last three years they're kind of like 1:01, [one] 14 and change, so this was a nice work for her. The track's been slow this fall meet, so it was a very good work for her, I thought.”
Sadler also sent Dirt Mile contender Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) five furlongs from the gate under Victor Espinoza in 1:00.80.
“I like him sharp from the gate,” Sadler said in explaining the gate drill. “It's going to be a big field, and going a mile at Del Mar, the post position and how you get to that first turn is key, so I just wanted to sharpen him up from the gate a bit.”
Additional works at Santa Anita Saturday:
➣ MGISW Abel Tasman (Quality Road) (Distaff) covered six furlongs for Bob Baffert in a bullet 1:12.80. “She went great,” Baffert said. “I'm very happy with her.”
➣ Champion FinestCity (City Zip) (Filly & Mare Sprint) went four furlongs for Ian Kruljac in a bullet :47 flat, fastest of 67 drills at the distance.
➣ Blackjackcat (Tale of the Cat) (Mile) went five furlongs for Mark Glatt in 1:00.40.
➣ Itsinthepost (Fr) (American Post) (Turf) worked five furlongs on the training track for Jeff Mullins in 1:03.
➣ My Boy Jack (Creative Cause) (Juvenile Turf) was sent five furlongs on the main track in 1:02.40 for Keith Desormeaux. Hall of Fame brother Kent was aboard for the breeze.
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