What Was Your Favorite Moment Of 2023: Headley Bell

As 2023 draws to a close, the TDN is asking industry members to name their favorite moment of the year. Send yours to suefinley@thetdn.com

My favorite '23 moment was watching Jena Antonucci and her team, 'vigorously' rooting home Arcangelo in the Belmont and then becoming the 'spokesperson extraordinaire' on behalf of our industry!
–Headley Bell, Mill Ridge Farm

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Arabian Knight Favored at 3-1 from Post 12 for Breeders’ Cup Classic

After firing a five-furlong warning shot at Santa Anita Monday morning, Zedan Racing's 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) was installed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite while drawing post 12 at the Rood & Riddle Post-Position Draw for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

The Bob Baffert-trained GI Pacific Classic hero and $2.3-million OBS April breezer will face 12 rivals in the $6-million centerpiece, including fellow sophomore and the rail-drawn GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. hero Arcangelo (Arrogate), GI Whitney S. winner White Abarrio (Race Day) and G1 Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}).

All four of Baffert's Classic winners–Bayern (2014), American Pharaoh (2015), Arrogate (2016) and Authentic (2020)–accomplished the feat during their 3-year-old seasons.

“I know this is going to be a tough race, but if he brings his 'A' game, I don't really care who's running against us,” Baffert said.

Despite missing the last two days of training with a foot issue, trainer Jena Antonucci remains confident that Arcangelo is in good form for the Classic.

“He's rather annoyed with us right now, so yes,” she said at the draw.

“He had a warm hind foot and we pulled his shoe off. We'll be patient, always put the horse first and make sure he's 100 percent.”

From the rail out, the complete field for the Classic: Arcangelo (Arrogate), Zandon (Upstart), White Abarrio (Race Day), Missed the Cut (Quality Road), Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), Clapton (Brethren), Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), Senor Buscador (Mineshaft), Dreamlike (Gun Runner), Bright Future (Curlin), Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) and Proxy (Tapit).

Breeders' Cup 40, to be held for the 11th time at Santa Anita, will celebrate the return of four winners–Caravel (Mizzen Mast) (Turf Sprint), Cody's Wish (Curlin) (Dirt Mile), Elite Power (Curlin) (Sprint) and Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) (F/M Sprint)–from the 2022 Championships at Keeneland. Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}), winner of the 2021 GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, was entered in the Turf Sprint.

Morning-line favorites for Saturday's nine Breeders' Cup events, in race order, as follows:

Cody's Wish (Curlin) (post three) (9/5) (Dirt Mile); G1 Sun Chariot S. winner Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) (post 6) (5-2) (Filly & Mare Turf); Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) (post 1) (6/5) (Filly & Mare Sprint); Japanese-based G1 Yasuda Kinen winner Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) (post 10) (5-2) (Mile); streaking GI Juddmonte Spinster S. heroine Idiomatic (Curlin) (post four) (5-2) (Distaff); G1 Juddmonte International S. winner Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) (post nine) (5-2) (Turf); 'Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) (post 12) (3-1) (Classic); G1 Nunthorpe S. winner Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) (post five) (9-2) (Turf Sprint); and Elite Power (Curlin) (post eight) (9/5) (Sprint).

Morning-line favorites for the 'Future Stars' Friday card, in race order, as follows:

G2 Flying Childers S. winner Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) (post four) (3-1) (Juvenile Turf Sprint); the legendary Beholder's unbeaten GI Del Mar Debutante S. heroine and 'Rising Star' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) (post seven) (4/5) (Juvenile Fillies); unbeaten GI Natalma S. heroine She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}) (post 11) (4-1) (Juvenile Fillies Turf); GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner and 'Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) (post 6) (7-2) (Juvenile); and the Aidan O'Brien-trained G2 Coventry S. winner and G1 Middle Park S. third-place finisher River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) (post two) (3-1) (Juvenile Turf).

Hosted by Britney Eurton and Nick Luck, the draw was held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California.

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Arcangelo Connections First To Take The New Vocations Breeders’ Cup Pledge

New Vocations, the largest racehorse adoption agency in the country, has received its first pledge which was made by MGISW Arcangelo's (Arrogate) trainer Jena Antonucci and owner Jon Ebbert of Blue Rose Farm, the organization said in a release Wednesday morning.

This is the 14th annual Breeders' Cup Pledge, in which connections of Breeders' Cup contenders are encouraged to earmark a percentage of their championship earnings to support the charity's mission to rehabilitate, retrain and rehome retired racehorses. To date, the initiative has raised over $1,090,000 in support.

“It's no secret how important it is to our team that we continue to properly transition Thoroughbreds to their next careers,” said Antonucci. “The tireless work New Vocations does is and always has been leading this sector of the industry. We are proud to pledge our support for their continued work and commitment to ensuring the best placement through their program.”

“We are thrilled to have Jena and Jon's support in helping us launch this year's Pledge,” said Anna Ford, New Vocations' Thoroughbred Program Director. “The last two years have been very challenging as the costs associated with caring for the horses and running the program continue to increase.  The Pledge offers an easy way for owners and trainers to give back to the horses and support their transition into new careers.”

Last year's pledge raised over $140,000, in which over 60 championship contenders had owners and/or trainers who pledged a percentage of their Breeders' Cup earnings. The total from a year ago was driven by a record nine horses with pledging connections–Caravel (Mizzen Mast), Flightline (Tapit), Forte (Violence), Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper), Malathaat, Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), Tuesday (Galileo {Ire}), Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) and Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) –winning their races on Future Stars Friday and Championship Saturday.

New Vocations will continue to seek pledges from owners and trainers until Nov. 2. Click here for pledge information or by contact anna@horseadoption.com or carey@horseadoption.com.

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Santa Anita Revving Up For Fall Opening, Arcangelo Arrives For Breeders’ Cup

With Santa Anita Park set to begin its fall meet, fans will be greeted by a pair of all-new state-of-the-art paddock video boards beginning on opening day, Friday, Sept. 29, 1/ST Racing said in a press release late Thursday.

Manufactured by US-based Daktronics, the video boards each measure nine feet tall by 16 feet wide. While the previous paddock video boards had a pixel pitch of 15mm, the new boards provide much higher quality viewing, with a finer 6mm one.

To view a time-lapse installation click here.

Breeders' Cup Stars Ship to The Great Race Place

Arcangelo (Arrogate), the top-rated horse in the official Breeders' Cup Classic rankings, arrived at Santa Anita Wednesday evening. The GI Belmont and GI Travers winner was bright and alert Thursday morning.

That same day, Classic contender MGISW White Abarrio (Race Day) jogged over the Santa Anita main track. The GI Whitney H. hero last worked on Sept. 20 at Santa Anita. As for when he'll return to the tab, assistant Chip Dutrow said Thursday morning, “we'll let him tell us.”

In other Breeders' Cup news, four horses on the grounds trained by Steve Asmussen–MGISW Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), MGISW Clairiere (Curlin), MGISW Gunite (Gun Runner) and GISW Society (Gun Runner)–all tack walked, according to assistant Scott Blasi.

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