Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner and Breeders' Cup hopeful Practical Move returned to the Santa Anita work tab Saturday following a sharp comeback victory going a flat mile against against allowance foes Oct. 6 at the Arcadia, Calif. track.
At about 6:45 a.m. (PT), Practical Move hit the main track and went four furlongs in company in :48.80. He is targeting the $1-million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) on Nov. 4, trainer Tim Yakteen confirmed.
“He got some outside company and it all went well,” Yakteen said. “I was just looking to see that his energy level was good, make sure all systems are a go. That's what we saw.”
Yakteen added he is “planning on the (Dirt) Mile” for Practical Move.
In his comeback effort, which followed a nearly six-month layoff, Practical Move and jockey Ramon Vazquez settled just off the early pace before surging past rivals at the top of the stretch and cruising to an easy four-length victory. The effort earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.
By Practical Joke, Practical Move has won five of eight starts and never missed the board. Following his win in the Santa Anita Derby April 8, he was shipped to Churchill Downs to contest the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 6. He never got the chance. The week of the Derby, Practical Move developed an elevated temperature and had to be scratched.
Practical Move was among several Breeders' Cup contenders to work Saturday.
Also returning to the tab for Bob Baffert were Muth and Wine Me Up, the one-two finishers in the American Pharoah (G1) Oct. 7. Muth went five furlongs in :59.40 and Wine Me Up was timed in :59.20 for the same distance. Both are pointed to the $2-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 3.
Working towards expected starts in the $2-million Breeders' Cup Sprint Nov. 4 were Anarchist (5f, 59.40) on the main track and The Chosen Vron (5f, 1:01.60) on the training track. Also working on the main track for trainer Steve Asmussen was Gunite (5f, 1:00.20), who is possible for either the Sprint or the Dirt Mile.
Anarchist worked with Vazquez in the irons. The 4-year-old Distorted Humor colt trained by Doug O'Neill most recently won the Pat O'Brien (G2) going seven furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 26.
“He went really good. This is a happy horse,” Vazquez said.
Added Leandro Mora, O'Neill's assistant: “He's stepping things up. He looks more focused and fresher, which was the idea giving him more time between races.”
Working towards the $1-million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint going seven furlongs were both Kirstenbosch for trainer John Sadler and Society for Asmussen. Kirstenbosch, winner of the Chillingworth (G3) Sept. 29 at Santa Anita, went five furlongs in 1:00.40. Society went the same distance in :59.80.
Clearly Unhinged, second in the Chillingworth for trainer Michael McCarthy, also worked towards a potential start in the Filly & Mare Sprint with a four-furlong move in :48.20.
Drilling a half mile on the training track for the $2-million Breeders' Cup Mile were Du Jour and Exaulted, the one-two finishers in the Del Mar Mile (G2) most recently on Sept. 2. Du Jour worked in :48.60 while Exaulted, winner of the Shoemaker Mile (G1) in the spring, went in :47.40.
Astronomer, also a candidate for the Mile following a second-place finish in the City of Hope Mile (G2) Sept. 30 worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:01.00 for trainer Simon Callaghan.
Working towards the $1-million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Nov. 4 was Motorious for trainer Phil D'Amato. Winner of the Green Flash (G3) at Del Mar on Sept. 2, Motorious worked four furlongs on the training track in :46.80.
D'Amato also worked Desert Dawn six furlongs in 1:13.40. The Arizona-bred daughter of Cupid is possible for either the $2-million Breeders' Cup Distaff at 1 1/8 miles or the Filly & Mare Sprint.
Pre-entries for the 40th Breeders' Cup will be announced Friday at 9 a.m.
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