Tag: Breeders’ Cup

Following is a look at the Sunday morning activity and planned activity for the horses set to compete in the $2-million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita, plus comments from their trainers.

Horse: A Mo Reay
Trainer: Brad Cox

Set: None
Morning Activity: Walked the shedrow at Churchill Downs.
Planned Activity: Will ship Monday to California.

Horse: Adare Manor

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Set: 7:45 a.m. PDT

Morning Activity: Worked 4f in :48 1/5 as final tune-up for Distaff.

Planned Activity: Will walk on Monday, then return to the track Tuesday and gallop up to the race.

Closer Look: Adare Manor is a filly who goes to great lengths. In nine career starts at Santa Anita Park, home of the 40th Breeders' Cup World Championships, the daughter of Uncle Mo has won six —five of them stakes — by an average margin of almost seven lengths, including lopsided triumphs by 12 and 13 lengths, respectively. And as her trainer, Bob Baffert, is quick to note, “She's an Amazon with a huge stride.”

But the 4-year-old will need all of her impressive talent for Saturday's $2-million Breeders' Cup Distaff  (G1) against a stellar field of fillies and mares in the 1 1/8-mile race.

“She'll be running against a different type of filly on Saturday,” Baffert said. “She's a big, fast filly and she has a great mind. But this will be a class test. Her last race was great, but this is a step up. To win this race, you need to have a really good horse and have real good luck. Winning these races,” he concluded, “is not easy.”

Baffert, who has won more money with his trainees at the Breeders' Cup, is but two victories behind the all-time leader D. Wayne Lukas, with 18. Yet, amazingly, the Distaff is one of the rare major events that he never has won.

The Hall of Fame conditioner was keen on Adare Manor when she was plucked from a 2 year-olds-in-training sale in Ocala, Florida, for $375,000. Baffert had trained Indian Charlie, winner of the 1998 Santa Anita Derby (G1), who was the filly's paternal grandsire.

“Indian Charlie was a really nice horse. I also trained his dam, Soviet Sojourn, who was one of my earliest stakes winners. I knew the family well,” Baffert said.

Adare Manor, who is named for the luxury golf hotel in Ireland, was slow to develop, going winless in her first two starts as a juvenile. But once the calendar flipped to her 3-year-old year and the distances of her races increased from sprints to two turns, she blossomed. In back-to-back starts, she won by a combined 25 lengths, including her first stakes victory at Santa Anita. It was no surprise to Baffert that the filly would improve over more ground, given her massive stride. She had two narrow losses in two Grade 2 races before distant sixth at Parx Racing in the Cotillion (G1) sent her to the sidelines for the rest of the year.

Observed Baffert, “I gave her some time off because she didn't act like she was enjoying herself. The freshening was what she needed. She's had a chance to fill out.”

During her 4-year-old campaign, Adare Manor has reeled off five consecutive wins from six starts, the past four of which were stakes capped by a resounding front-running domination in the Zenyatta Stakes (G2) at her home track of Santa Anita. With the triumph, her career earnings stand on the cusp of $1 million. A win in the Distaff would both push her into the seven-figure category and provide her trainer with his initial victory in the race.

Horse: Clairiere
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Morning Activity: Worked 4f in :50 1/5 at Santa Anita
Planned Activity: Will walk Monday

Horse: Desert Dawn

Trainer: Phil D'Amato

Set: None

Morning Activity: Walked at the barn following Saturday's final prep before the Distaff.

Planned Activity: Will return to the track to jog on Monday.

The Quote: “All systems are go.” – Phil D'Amato

Horse: Hoosier Philly

Trainer: Tom Amoss

Set: 7:45 a.m. ET at Churchill Downs

Morning Activity: Stood in starting gate and jogged a mile over sloppy track

Planned Activity: Ships to Santa Anita on Monday

The Quote: “It was her first day back on track after her work (:47 1/5 half-mile on Friday). She had a light day and the track conditions didn't affect us.” – Tom Amoss

Horse: Idiomatic
Trainer: Brad Cox
Set: None
Morning Activity: Walked the shedrow at Churchill Downs
Planned Activity: Will ship Monday to California
The Quote: “She's as good as she's ever been right now.” – Brad Cox

Horse: Le Da Vida (CHI)

Trainer: Ignacio Correas IV

Set: Keeneland

Morning Activity: One day after breezing 4f in :49 flat at Keeneland, the Spinster Stakes (G1) runner-up jogged an easy lap at the Lexington oval.

Planned Activity: Expected to ship from Kentucky to California on Monday.

Horse: Pretty Mischievous

Trainer: Brendan Walsh

Set: Churchill Downs

Morning Activity: Light day of training over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs.
Planned Activity: Scheduled to ship to Santa Anita on Monday.

Horse: Randomized

Trainer: Chad Brown
Set: NA
Morning Activity: En route to Santa Anita following 4f breeze in :49 breeze at Belmont Park on Saturday.

Horse: Search Results
Trainer: Chad Brown
Set: NA
Morning Activity: En route to Santa Anita following 4f breeze in :48 2/5 at Belmont Park on Saturday.

Horse: Wet Paint
Trainer: Brad Cox
Set: None
Morning Activity: Walked the shedrow at Churchill Downs
Planned Activity: Will ship Monday to California
Closer Look: Godolphin LLC's cleverly named Wet Paint was one of the top 3-year-old fillies early in the year, going off as the Kentucky Oaks (G1) favorite, but she is coming into the Distaff in the shadows of several top older fillies and mares, including her own stablemate, Idiomatic, who figures to be the Distaff favorite.

Wet Paint came into the Kentucky Oaks riding a three-race win streak, but had to settle for fourth behind another Godolphin filly, Pretty Mischievous. That was followed by a disappointing second in the Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes before her first career Grade 1 victory in the Coaching Club of America Oaks at Saratoga July 22. She has not started since she finished second to the front-running Randomized in the Alabama Stakes (G1) Aug. 19 at Saratoga and comes into the Distaff fresh by design.

“She's doing excellent right now,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We had never really given her a break and we love what we are seeing from her right now. She's developed over the fall. She's put on weight, she's lengthened a bit. We've loved what we've seen in her last three or four works.”

While Godolphin will be represented by both Wet Paint and the Kentucky Oaks winner in the Distaff, there are several ladies at the farm that are slightly partial to Wet Paint having helped name the filly after a funny incident involving Tammy Masterson, who has worked for Godolphin for 22 years.

Masterson was at Saratoga when Godolphin's Essential Quality won the Travers (G1) and in her excitement to have her picture with the jockey statue painted in the colors of the winning Travers owner, she didn't realize the paint was still wet and got her hand covered in the Godolphin royal blue, which promoted the artist to hang a sign on the statue saying “Wet Paint.” Vicky Van Camp, Godolphin's racing research coordinator was with Masterson that day and remembered the incident when it came time to name a filly by Blame out of the mare Sky Painter and quickly suggested the name Wet Paint.

“I'm really fond of the filly,” Van Camp said. “She's been so honest and consistent. Brad's done a great job with her. I was with Stonerside Farm before coming to Godolphin and I go back five generations with the family. I had actually named her mother as well. It's been wonderful to watch the family continue to develop. And, Tammy is just such a great person, so much fun to be around. I don't think if it had happened to any other person, we would have laughed so hard or had so much fun with it that day.”

Masterson says she gets more and more embarrassed about that day every time she tells the story, but really enjoyed watching Wet Paint develop into a top 3-year-old filly.

“It was my first big race day and I just got super, super excited,” Masterson said. “As we were leaving the track we saw the statue and I just ran right up to it. I remember everyone scream 'wet paint,' 'wet paint,' but I was completely oblivious. When I looked at my hand it was a solid blue and my group caught some funny pictures with the artist's face. She was just in disbelief.

“Vicky did a great job naming the filly. It's been a lot of fun, it's been a blast being associated with her name and having her do so well on the track. When our other filly won the Oaks I had to hide my disappointment because I was rooting for Wet Paint. It will be a lot fun to watch both of them run on Saturday.”

The post Sunday Notes On BC Distaff Contenders; Closer Looks At Adare Manor, Wet Paint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Following is a look at the Sunday morning activity and planned activity for the horses set to compete in the $6-million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita, plus comments from their trainers.

Horse: Arabian Knight

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Set: 6:30 a.m. PDT

Morning Activity: Galloped 1 1/2 miles

Planned Activity: Will have his final preparatory workout on Monday at 9 a.m.

The Quote: “He's doing really well. I feel that he should run a good race.” – Bob Baffert

Horse: Arcangelo
Trainer: Jena Antonucci
Set: None
Morning Activity: Walked Sunday morning after rear shoe was taken off Saturday afternoon.
Planned Activity: TBD
The Quote: “I pulled a left hind shoe off him. Transparency is important. I pulled the left hind shoe off yesterday afternoon and said, 'Let's just walk tomorrow. It's no sense in going to do that (gallop). We've got lots of time.' Whether he kicked the wall or bruised it or hit it, I don't know. So we just pulled the shoe off and gave him a walk day and assess where we are at.

“He walked great this morning. I'm very happy with that.

“We'll assess it as we roll. He may gallop tomorrow. He may walk tomorrow. We'll stay fluid. Lots of time. That's a good thing about a 10-day (breeze) schedule, you get lots of time.” – Jena Antonucci

Horse: Bright Future
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Set: None
Morning Activity: Bright Future was hand-walked early Sunday morning at Santa Anita after shipping from Kentucky Saturday.

Planned Activity: Will gallop approximately 1 1/4 miles Monday morning.
Closer Look: With two impressive performances at Saratoga this summer, Bright Future started living up to the name he was given by co-owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable. Following a head-scratching eighth of 10 in the June 10 Brooklyn Stakes (G2), the son of Curlin trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher found himself at Saratoga and picked up two victories. The second, a gritty win by a nose over Proxy in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), earned Bright Future a guaranteed berth in the $6-million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

“I think that was his coming-out-party, so to speak,” Pletcher said. “He's a horse that we always had high expectations for. He had a few setbacks along the way. We maybe threw him to the wolves a little prematurely in the Brooklyn at a mile and a half. We regrouped after that, went back to an allowance race, which was an impressive win. That kind of got us to thinking about the Jockey Club. He was able to get his nose on the wire and in that race. It's a huge win for him being a Grade 1 and a 'Win and You're In' race and we've been pointing for the Classic since then.”

Mike Repole and St. Elias' Vinnie Viola purchased Bright Future for $350,000 as a yearling and turned him over to Pletcher. At that point, his future was bright. However, physical issues kept him from debuting at Saratoga in 2021 and he did not make his first start until March 19, 2022. He won that day at Gulfstream Park, but disappeared again after running third in a first-level allowance on June 11 at Belmont Park. He returned to competition 10 months later on April 1 with a victory, but was lackluster in the Brooklyn and eased. At Saratoga he emerged as a top-caliber performer.

“Credit to the owners,” Pletcher said. “They've been very patient, partly because he's a Curlin and he's going to improve and partly because he had already always shown a lot of talent in his breezes.”

Starting from the outside in the field of eight in the Gold Cup, Bright Future was able to get into a pace-pressing position through the first half-mile. He moved up to challenge the leader in the second turn and had a 2½-length advantage at the top of the stretch. Proxy followed his move off the turn, came running in the stretch, but Bright Future managed to hold on to win.

“That was a heck of a finish and we were we were on the right side of a head bob but it was a good race,” Pletcher said. “Proxy's a horse that's well-seasoned in a lot of hard battles. For Bright Future, in really his only his second stakes race, to be able to fend off a horse like that says a lot about his quality.”

Two years after his connections figured he would show his stuff at Saratoga, Bright Future arrived.

“There were some frustrating times to get to that level but I think the patience paid off,” Pletcher said. “We always had high hopes for him and were glad to see him finally, fulfill expectations.”

Horse: Charge It

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Set: None

Morning Activity: Charge It was hand-walked early Sunday morning at Santa Anita after shipping from Kentucky Saturday. He is also pre-entered in the Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile (G1).

Planned Activity: Will gallop approximately 1 1/4 miles Monday morning, time TBD

The Quote: “It seems everyone has shipped in well. Everyone is healthy. Temperatures are normal. So far, so good.” – Todd Pletcher.

Horse: Clapton

Trainer: Chad Summers

Set: None

Morning Activity: Walked the shedrow the day after working 4f in 48 ⅗ on Saturday.

Planned Activity: Scheduled to gallop at 7 a.m.

The Quote: “He is not going to win the race on flash. He will win the race by grinding it out and by keeping on coming. He loves to compete and we're hoping he works out the right trip with (jockey) Tyler (Gaffalione).” – Chad Summers

Horse: Derma Sotogake (JPN)
Trainer: Otonashi Hidetaka
Set: 6:30 a.m.
Morning Activity: Walked with Ushba Tesoro (JPN) to the track, proceeded to the chute for circles and figure-eight warmup exercises, did a lap and a half of the main track in a canter and then returned promptly to the barn.

Planned Activity: More of the same tomorrow with a possible breeze expected midweek.

Horse: Mage

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado

Set: NA

Morning Activity: Declared out of the Classic after being diagnosed with a fever before his scheduled Sunday flight from Lexington, Kentucky, to Santa Anita.

Planned Activity: Will be pointed to the Pegasus World Cup (G1) Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

The Quote: “It was a slight temperature. At this level, to run in the Breeders' Cup Classic against horses like these, you have to be at 100 percent, you can't be at 90 percent. This is not something that knocks you out for several months or a year. It's a minor hiccup, but it's disappointing.” – Co-owner Ramiro Restrepo.

Horse: Proxy
Trainer: Mike Stidham
Set: Keeneland
Morning Activity: One day after breezing 4f in :48.40, he walked the shedrow.
Planned Activity: Ships to California on Monday

Closer Look: Veteran conditioner Mike Stidham looks to add another iconic international race to his resume when he saddles Godolphin's Grade 1 winner Proxy in Saturday's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Six days out, all signals from the team surrounding the blue-blooded 5-year-old appear to be positive and Stidham was very pleased with how the son of Tapit and Grade 1 winner Panty Raid exited his Saturday breeze.

“He looked great this morning and is all set to ship tomorrow,” Stidham said. “The breeze went great. Proxy is one of those horses who only does what he's made to do. He's not a real overly willing horse in the mornings and early in his races. Anytime he's shown us enthusiasm, that's always a good sign.”

It was only two seasons ago that the six-time Grade 1-winning trainer and Godolphin teamed up with another homebred, Mystic Guide, to land the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1). Stidham remarked that such an experience with that level of pressure has made going into this year's Classic that much more comfortable and exciting.

“Like I said in the post-race interview in Dubai, I finally had my chance to step up on the big stage and we got it done,” he explained. “You get a similar feel to coming into a race like this because, in your whole career, you dream of being in races like these and then to actually win one is a dream come true. I think we bring a legitimate contender into the race.”

A six-time winner from 19 starts, Proxy's top-level score came in the Clark (G1) last November at Churchill Downs, defeating subsequent Grade 1 winner West Will Power. A disappointing fifth in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) followed, just prior to an attempt over the Classic's course and distance in March's Santa Anita Handicap (G1), losing by a neck after a desperate late rally. He has won twice this season, taking the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and Monmouth Cup (G3), with the former providing some of his career-best speed figures (by all metrics) and enters the Classic off a heart-breaking nose loss in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).

“The biggest thing we worry about is when he gets trapped down on the inside and is getting a lot of kickback, he tends to get disinterested in running into that, so we are conscious of that in a big field and are hoping he doesn't get buried down on the inside and put himself in a position that takes his chances away,” Stidham explained. “That happened in the Pegasus and Stephen Foster, where he took himself out of it too far and had no chance.

“He has in his career shown that he can run the number like a 5 Ragozin that should be good enough to get this done,” he continued. “I feel like he's kind of been teetering a little above those numbers recently from 7-to-9, so I'm hoping that that top number is still sitting out for us to get back to next Saturday. He's shown he can do it, so now it's just a matter of getting it done on the right day and it helps that there's absolutely no doubt in my mind is a mile and a quarter is only a bonus for us — he loves it.”

Horse: Saudi Crown
Trainer: Brad Cox
Set: None
Morning Activity: Walked the shedrow of this Churchill Downs barn.
Planned Activity: Will ship to California Monday.
The Quote: “He's developed into a top 3-year-old. We always thought he had a tremendous amount of talent and he's shown that in his five races. He's a top horse and we have a lot of confidence in him – Brad Cox

Horse: Senor Buscador

Trainer: Todd Fincher

Set: None

Morning Activity: Walked shedrow

Planned Activity: Paddock schooling session this afternoon.

The Quote: “He will gallop tomorrow and he will go to the gate tomorrow or Wednesday.” – Todd Fincher

Horse: Ushba Tesoro
Trainer: Takagi Noboru
Set: 6:30 a.m.
Morning Activity: Breezed 4f; not on work tab, hand-timed in :49 2/5
Planned Activity: Will have an easy day Monday with a possible blowout breeze on Wednesday
Closer Look: Japan's best-ever hope to take home the spoils of the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Takagi Noboru-trained , put in a 4f breeze on Sunday morning at Santa Anita, leaving the quarantine barn at 6:15, walking for 15 minutes to wait for the track to open and proceeding to the main track.

Allowed to ease into his work at the half-mile pole and around the far turn, he did not begin lengthening stride and quickening until turning for home, where he impressed onlookers henceforth and into a considerable gallop-out. While an official time was not published on the work tab he was hand-timed from the quarter-pole to the 6-furlong pole in :49 2/5 for that 4f sector.

“Very good,” an all-smiles exercise rider Masa Fukami said from atop the 10-time winner, while cooling out with eight laps of the parade ring.

Owned by Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings, the son of six-time Grade 1 winner and dual Arc runner-up Orfevre (also the sire of 2021 Distaff winner Marche Lorraine) has been a force since moving to the dirt, winning seven of eight, with his lone blemish coming off a five-month layoff on a sloppy track. The bay 6-year-old enters in the best form of his life, seeking a seventh consecutive victory. Two of his triumphs within said streak came — like the Breeders' Cup Classic — at the highest level and over 10 furlongs.

The first of those came in December's Tokyo Daishoten at Oi, one of only two Grade 1s in Japan beyond 1 mile, while the second was the $12-million Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March. Both efforts showed a locomotive-style rally that provided him with comfortable victories. His average margin of victory from his seven dirt victories is 2¼ lengths.

“Moving to dirt helped him,” said Noboru, through a translator. “The timing worked well and he grew up both physically and mentally from it. He was a difficult horse to control, but with dirt racing, everything matched him, I believe.”

Following a six-month post-Dubai break, he prepped for the Breeders' Cup with a facile victory in the $456,200 Nippon TV Hai over 1 1/8 miles at Funabashi, tight-turned and left-handed track. Left in his wake that day were Tenkaharu, a well-regarded son of Distaff champion Ginger Punch, as well as Saudi Derby runner-up Sekifu, who entered in career-best form and off a Grade 3 victory. Over similarly tight left-handed bends, he won February's $1,045,300 Kawasaki Kinen, seven weeks out from his Dubai World Cup conquering.

“The Breeders' Cup Classic is another big race and we are the challenger in here,” Noboru continued. “He won at Kawasaki, which also (like Funabashi) has tricky tight bends. I don't think Santa Anita's turns will be a problem.”

Japan's reigning champion jockey, Yuga Kawada, who was aboard for his victories at Funabashi and Meydan, has the return assignment next Saturday. Kawada already has made Breeders' Cup history, having piloted Japan's Loves Only You to win the 2021 Filly & Mare Turf.

Horse: White Abarrio
Trainer: Richard Dutrow Jr.
Set: 6:30 a.m.
Morning Activity: First day back on track after Friday breeze. Jogged once around the oval under exercise rider Emily Ellingwood.
Planned Activity: Will go to track between 6:30 and 6:45 to gallop 1 1/2 miles.
The Quote: “(Emily) was very happy with him. It looks like he came out of the workout really good.” – Chip Dutrow, Richard's brother and assistant.

Horse: Zandon
Trainer: Chad Brown
Set: Belmont Park
Morning Activity: Shipped to California from New York
Planned Activity: Arriving in California from New York
The Quote: “They look great, en route,” – Chad Brown, regarding Zandon and Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) hopefuls Randomized and Search Results.

The post Sunday Notes On BC Classic Contenders; Closer Looks At Bright Future, Proxy, Ushba Tesoro appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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