Saturday, October 20, 2012

Breeders' Cup Workout Report: October 20th, 2012

With the Breeders' Cup now just two weeks away, the work tabs at racetracks across the country are being filled with the names of prominent Breeders' Cup contenders putting the finishing touches on their preparation. Thus, here is the first in a series of daily posts chronicling the workouts turned in by Breeders' Cup contenders, in hopes that we can get a feel for how well each horse is training in the final weeks before the Cup.

At Belmont Park . . .

Suburban Handicap (gr. II) winner Mucho Macho Man turned in his fourth consecutive bullet work since finishing second in the Woodward Stakes (gr. I), breezing five furlongs in :59.42 over a track labeled good. The time was 1.73 seconds faster than the second fastest work of the day.

At Betfair Hollywood Park . . .

On a super busy Saturday morning, Rodeo Drive Stakes (gr. I) winner and Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf contender Marketing Mix was the star, breezing five furlongs in a bullet :59.20, the best of the day by four-fifths of a second. Also quite sharp was two-time grade II stakes winner Obviously, who went the distance in 1:00.20 while preparing for a start in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

Other prominent names on the work tab included Triple Bend Handicap (gr. I) winner Camp Victory (Turf Sprint, 5f in 1:00.40), Surfer Girl Stakes winner Flashy Ways (Juvenile Fillies Turf, 4f in :48.40), John C. Mabee Stakes (gr. II) winner City to City (Filly and Mare Turf, 5f in 1:00.80), Rodeo Drive Stakes runner-up Nereid (Filly and Mare Turf, 5f in 1:01.80), Ralph M. Hinds Handicap winner Worth Repeating (Marathon, 7f in 1:28.80), and General Belgrano (Arg-II) winner Calidoscopio (Marathon, 8f in 1:43.40).

At Churchill Downs . . .

Trainer Mark Casse had a very busy morning, sending out -- by my count -- five Breeders' Cup contenders. Perhaps the most prominent was Natalma Stakes (gr. II) winner Spring Venture, one of the favorites for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. I). In what was nothing more than a maintenance work, the filly breezed five furlongs in an easy 1:02.80 seconds.

Spring in the Air, winner of the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I), also breezed five furlongs, getting the distance in 1:01.80 seconds. She is scheduled to contest the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. I) winner Pool Play, pointing toward a start in the Breeders' Cup Classic, recorded an identical time.

Indiano Jones (Juvenile Turf), third in the Summer Stakes (gr. II) and Grey Stakes (gr. III) at Woodbine, went five furlongs in 1:02.60. Dynamic Sky (Juvenile) went the distance in 1:01.20.

Trainer Kenny McPeek also sent out a potential Breeders' Cup candidate in Noble's Promise, who breezed a half-mile in :49.40 in his first work since a runner-up effort in the Phoenix Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland. He is being considered for a start in  the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

At Churchill Training . . .

Only one major Breeders' Cup contender recorded a breeze, that being Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) winner Joha. The two-year-old colt -- a candidate for either the Breeders' Cup Juvenile or the Juvenile Turf -- breezed a half-mile in :49.60 for trainer Mike Maker.

At Keeneland . . .

Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. I) favorite Wise Dan turned in his final pre-Breeders' Cup workout, breezing five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.40 seconds. Coming off of blowout wins in the Woodbine Mile (gr. I) and Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. I), he is expected to be one of the heaviest favorites in the fifteen Breeders' Cup races.

Willcox Inn, runner-up to Wise Dan in the Shadwell Turf Mile, was also on the work tab, going a half-mile in :48.60. Dominus, who finished sixth in that race, went the distance in :48.80.

Trainer Kenny McPeek sent out a pair of three-year-olds, led by Travers Stakes (gr. I) winner Golden Ticket. The son of Speightstown breezed five furlongs in 1:02.40 in preparation for a start in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Atigun, third in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) and fourth in the Travers (gr. I) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I), worked five eighths in 1:01.60. He is pointing toward the Breeders' Cup Marathon (gr. III).

Also on the work tab was Bourbon Stakes (gr. III) runner-up Brown Almighty, who is prepping for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. I). He went a half-mile in :49.40.

At Santa Anita . . .

The Santa Anita work tab was absolutely loaded with Breeders' Cup contenders of all kinds, breezing over both the main track and the turf course. In alphabetical order . . .

MAIN TRACK

Amazombie (Sprint, 4f in :48.00)
Capo Bastone (Juvenile, 6f in 1:13.40)
Love and Pride (Ladies' Classic, 5f in 1:00.40)
Renee's Queen (Juvenile Fillies Turf, 6f in 1:14.00)
Shackleford (Dirt Mile, 5f in :59.60)
Smiling Tiger (Sprint, 6f in 1:11.80)
Switch (Filly and Mare Sprint, 5f in :58.80)
Trinniberg (Sprint, 4f in :47.00 from the gate)
Turbo Compressor (Turf, 1:00.40)

TURF COURSE

Bourbon Bay (Turf, 6f in 1:14.40)
Bridgetown (Turf Sprint, 4f in :48.00)
California Flag (Turf Sprint, 5f in :59.60)
Chosen Miracle (Turf Sprint, 6f in 1:12.40)
Doubles Partner (Mile, 4f in :48.00)
Dry Summer (Juvenile Turf, 6f in 1:14.80)
Dullahan (Classic, Turf, or Mile, 4f in :47.80)
Gabriel Charles (Juvenile Turf, 6f in 1:14.60)
Gervinho (Juvenile Turf, 5f in 1:01.00)
In Lingerie (Ladies' Classic or Filly and Mare Turf, 4f in :48.00)
Lady of Shamrock (Filly and Mare Turf, 7f in 1:26.20)
Little Mike (Mile, 4f in :47.60)
Moonwalk (Juvenile Fillies Turf, 4f in :47.80)
Reneesgotzip (Turf Sprint or Filly and Mare Sprint, 4f in :49.60)
Sustained (Juvenile Fillies Turf, 4f in :48.20)
Tara From the Cape (Juvenile Fillies Turf, 4f in :48.60)

A very informative article covering many of these workouts can be found on Bloodhorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/73728/breeders-cup-workers-out-in-force-at-santa-anita

-Keelerman

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