Breeders' Cup Workout Report -- October 30th/31st, 2012

At Betfair Hollywood Park . . .

As is to be expected, the activity during morning hours at Hollywood Park has calmed down a bit, with the Breeders' Cup just a couple of days away and the majority of the horses having already arrived at Santa Anita. But there were a pair of workers during this two day period, the most impressive being Trailblazer. The Japanese-bred Breeders' Cup Turf candidate flew through five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.40 on October 30th, signaling his readiness to take on Point of Entry, St Nicholas Abbey, and Shareta in one of the deepest races on the card.

The other morning worker was Rail Trip, pointing toward a start in the Dirt Mile. The Ron Ellis-trainee went an easy half-mile in :48.40 on October 31st, a simple maintenance work that should set him up well for his impending battle with Emcee, Shackleford, and Jersey Town.

At Santa Anita Park . . .

Over the last couple of days, a quartet of Breeders' Cup contenders wrapped up their final serious training, by far the most impressive being Classic candidate Nonios. The twice grade I-placed three-year-old colt traversed a half-mile in a bullet :46.40 on October 30th, the bullet of the morning by three-fifths of a second. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, the powerful son of 2003 Classic winner Pleasantly Perfect looms as an intriguing longshot on Saturday, where he will likely be more than 20-1 against a very strong field.

Blowing out three-eighths of a mile on October 30th were the two-year-old fillies Beholder and Moulin de Mougin. The first-mentioned filly, who drew the rail in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, got the distance in :39.60, while the latter -- an also-eligible in the Juvenile Fillies Turf Sprint -- stopped the timer in :39.20. Both are trained by Richard Mandella.

The last worker of note was Sprint contender Jimmy Creed, most recently third in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (gr. I). Another Mandella-trainee, the son of Distorted Humor clocked three-eighths in a brilliant :35 flat on October 31st, stamping himself as a very serious win contender in the Sprint.

-Keelerman