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Elite Power Upsets Jackie’s Warrior In Sprint

LEXINGTON, KY – Now that's an 'Elite' sprinter.

Juddmonte's streaking Elite Power (Curlin) came storming down the center of the course with massive strides to blow past longshot C Z Rocket (City Zip) and heavily favored champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) to capture Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland. The 5-1 winner punched his ticket to the bluegrass with a visually impressive score in Belmont's seven-furlong GII Vosburgh S.

Hall of Famer Bill Mott was also in the winner's circle with another son of Curlin two races earlier on the card with Cody's Wish in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

“The cut back today was always a little concerning when you are running against a horse as good as Jackie's Warrior but hey, he come down in the middle of the racetrack and ran them all down,” Mott said after saddling his 12th winner at the Championships.

Seventh as 41-1 longshot Super Ocho (Chi) (Dubai Sky) led with Jackie's Warrior sitting the trip in second through an opening quarter in :22.12, Elite Power appeared to have his work cut out for him as they approached the quarter pole.

Super Ocho cornered very wide and forced Jackie's Warrior into the six path, but the 3-5 favorite still had dead aim. Elite Power was just getting warmed up though. Irad Ortiz, Jr. tipped the blaze-faced chestnut out into the clear and he came over the top like an absolute freight train down the lane to win going away by 1 1/4 lengths.

Off the board in a pair of attempts at three, Elite Power has been perfect in five attempts since kicking off the 2022 season with a third-place finish behind the promising 'Rising Star' Strobe (Into Mischief) at Churchill on Derby Day. A nine-length maiden winner beneath the Twin Spires June 5, he added two more victories in come-from-behind fashion, capturing a first-level allowance going a mile in Louisville June 30 and an optional claimer going six furlongs at Saratoga Sept. 3. The deep closer showed a new dimension last time in the five-horse field Vosburgh, sitting right on the pace in a race lacking any true early speed.

“I had the perfect trip,” Ortiz, Jr. said of his third Breeders' Cup win of the weekend and 17th overall at the Championships. “He broke real sharp and I let him settle. I let the speed go. I was able to cut the corner around the turn. When I tipped him out, he was there for me. He kept going forward. He gave me a really good kick from the quarter-pole to the wire. He's a nice horse. I rode him with a lot of confidence.”

Just like Juddmonte's brilliant and gone-to-soon Classic winner Arrogate (Unbridled's Song), Elite Power was also acquired at Keeneland's auction house as a yearling for $900,000. Juddmonte has now won eight Breeders' Cup races.

“Going back to when Prince Khalid was with us, he wanted to start buying some horses at the sales,” Juddmonte's Garrett O'Rourke said. “Obviously, we got off to a good start with Arrogate and followed up with horses like this guy, beautiful horse from the very beginning.

He continued, “The satisfaction of racing at the top end and ultimately winning is what we're all–there's a huge crowd here today and every participant is having the same dream, and we're lucky enough to be here.”

The tough-as-nails 8-year-old gelding C Z Rocket was also second in 2020 Sprint over this same course.

“I'm pretty happy,” trainer Peter Miller said. “Other than winning, I couldn't be happier for this guy, at 8 years old, to run like this. It took a really big effort from the winner to beat us, I couldn't be more proud of the team, and of the horse, and Flavien [Prat] gave him a great ride.”

Five-time GISW Jackie's Warrior, also beaten as the favorite in the 2020 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and last year's Sprint, is slated to join the stallion barn at Spendthrift Farm in 2023.

“It's just amazing that a horse as great as he is has never won a Breeders' Cup race,” Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He's a very special horse–physically, mentally and his ability. It's a disappointment. I don't like the outcome, but hail to the victor.”

Pedigree Notes:

Elite Power gave Curlin his second of three Breeders' Cup winners on the card. He later was represented by heart-stopping Distaff heroine Malathaat upping his total to five. The 2007 GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner is also the sire of Classic winner Vino Rosso and Juvenile hero Good Magic. His Stellar Wind was a painful second in the 2015 Distaff at Keeneland. Elite Power is Curlin's 20th Grade I winner.

Broodmare sire Vindication concluded his four-for-four career with a win in the 2002 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Arlington. Elite Power is bred on the same Curlin/Vindication cross as GI Preakness S. winner Exaggerator. Elite Power's dam Broadway's Alibi, a MGSW & GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up and Robsham homebred, brought $2.15 million from Alpha Delta Stables while in foal to Smart Strike at the 2013 KEENOV sale. Broadway's Alibi is also represented by a Curlin colt of 2021. She was bred to City of Light for 2023.

Elite Power's fourth dam is champion 2-year-old filly and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Eliza (Mt. Livermore). This is also the family of GISW and young sire Dialed In (Mineshaft).

Saturday, Keeneland
QATAR RACING BREEDERS' CUP SPRINT-GI, $1,840,000, Keeneland, 11-5, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.11, ft.
1–ELITE POWER, 126, c, 4, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Broadway's Alibi (MGSW & GISP, $521,500), by Vindication
                2nd Dam: Broadway Gold, by Seeking the Gold
                3rd Dam: Miss Doolittle, by Storm Cat
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($900,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Juddmonte;
B-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Irad Ortiz,
Jr. $1,040,000. Lifetime Record: 8-5-0-1, $1,405,711. Werk
Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–C Z Rocket, 126, g, 8, City Zip–Successful Sarah, by
Successful Appeal. ($800,000 2yo '16 OBSOPN). O-Altamira
Racing Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, Gary Barber & Tom
Kagele; B-Farm III Enterprises (FL); T-Peter Miller. $340,000.
3–Jackie's Warrior, 126, c, 4, Maclean's Music–Unicorn Girl, by
A.P. Five Hundred. ($95,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-J. Kirk & Judy
Robison; B-J & J Stables (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$180,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 3/4. Odds: 5.55, 31.45, 0.77.
Also Ran: Manny Wah, O Besos, Super Ocho (Chi), Kimari, American Theorem, Flash of Mischief, Willy Boi, Aloha West.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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C Z Rocket Back On Lasix, Returns To Hot Springs In Saturday Allowance

C Z Rocket was Oaklawn's top older male sprinter during the 2021 meeting that ended in May, but the millionaire multiple Grade 2 winner returns to Hot Springs for the 2021-2022 season trying to snap a five-race losing streak. The first chance comes in a high-end allowance sprint Saturday that his connections are using as a prep for the $150,000 King Cotton Stakes Jan. 29.

Co-owned by Southern California-based Tom Kagele, C Z Rocket was 2 for 2 last season at Oaklawn, toppling reigning male sprint champion Whitmore in the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes and $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3). C Z Rocket is winless since, exiting a seventh in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 6 at Del Mar. But the late runner gets Lasix for the first time since last May's $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes (G3) in the 6-furlong eighth race.

“He needs it,” Kagele said Tuesday afternoon. “I don't think there's any secret he was falling off in races that he hasn't had Lasix, but he still ran pretty well. We tried him in the Breeders' Cup and didn't run that great there. Coming out of that race, his blood was a little off, so he had a little bit of an excuse there. He bounced out of it really well, so this race was like perfect timing and so we decided to run here instead of waiting for the Jan. 29 race.”

C Z Rocket, prior to leaving Southern California, recorded three workouts at San Luis Rey Downs for Saturday's race, which will mark his first for trainer Rene Amescua. On behalf of Kagele, trainer Peter Miller claimed C Z Rocket for $40,000 out of a fifth-place finish April 30, 2020, at Oaklawn. C Z Rocket then ripped off five consecutive victories, including the $150,000 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) at Del Mar and $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) at Santa Anita, before finishing second to Whitmore in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) in November 2020 at Keeneland.

Miller announced last month that he was taking a sabbatical from training to spend more time with his family and focus on his health, but would “continue to act as an advisor/racing manager to my owners and my assistants as well as staying involved as an owner myself.”

Amescua has raced extensively in California and won more than 900 races in his career, according to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization.

“I've known him for years,” Kagele said. “He was a trainer up at Golden Gate for years and just through the covid and other things, he kind of took a turn for the worse and lost some horses and some owners. Then, he recently said he was going to go out there to Oaklawn and I recommended him to Pete. I'm comfortable with it and Pete was, too. Pete owns part of C Z, also.”

After being claimed for $40,000 at Oaklawn, C Z Rocket began his winning streak against $50,000 claimers about a month later at Churchill Downs. The fifth-place finisher in that race, Hollis, was claimed for $50,000 and returned to set a 5 ½-furlong track record (1:02.17) in allowance company Dec. 10 at Oaklawn.

C Z Rocket, after escaping the claim box, won an allowance/optional claimer in June 2020 at Churchill Downs (he was in for a $62,500 tag) and set a 6 ½-furlong track record (1:15.00) three weeks later in a Keeneland allowance race. C Z Rocket has subsequently raced strictly in listed or graded stakes, spanning 10 races and roughly 15 ½ months.

“He'll be out there the whole meet,” Kagele said. “Hopefully, he does as well as he did last year.”

Regular rider Florent Geroux is named to ride C Z Rocket, the 5-2 program favorite, from post 8 for Saturday's eighth race, which has a $120,000 purse. Probable post time is 3:46 p.m. (Central). Also entered are millionaire Grade 2 winner Long Range Toddy and Mucho, a stablemate of Hollis who exits a runner-up finish, beaten a head, in the $300,000 Bet On Sunshine Stakes Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs.

C Z Rocket, a 7-year-old gelded son of City Zip, has an 11-4-4 record from 30 career starts and earnings of $1,511,641.

The King Cotton is Oaklawn's first of three major races for older sprinters. The series continues with the $200,000 Whitmore Stakes (formerly the Hot Springs) March 19 and the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 16.

Moysey Records First Win of Meet

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Art Collector Headlines Full Slate Of BC Contenders Working At Del Mar

Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector, who figures to be one of the leading candidates for Saturday's $6 million Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, worked a half-mile in :48.40 Sunday morning to highlight a work tab that featured 20 pre-entrants to the World Championships slated for Friday and Saturday at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Art Collector was one of three horses to work for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Neil Poznansky was aboard the trio that included Casa Creed (Mile) going 4f in :47.60 and War Like Goddess (Filly & Mare Turf) going a half-mile in :48.20.

“They were all useful works, nothing blazing fast,” said Mott, who has won 10 Breeders' Cup races. “I never have a problem working good grass horses on dirt and this track looks safe and very forgiving.”

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez was aboard Bella Sofia as she covered a half-mile in :48.40 in preparation for the Filly & Mare Sprint.

“She's a happy girl and she loves to just go about her business,” Rodriguez said of Bella Sofia who has won four of five career starts and features daylight victories in the Grade 1 Test and Grade 2 Gallant Bloom in her past two outings. “She handled the track well and was very comfortable on it.”

In all, 14 pre-entrants worked on the fast main track and six more were on the firm Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen worked four of his six pre-entrants headlined by probable Qatar Racing Sprint favorite Jackie's Warrior who covered 3f in :36.80. Also working half-miles for Asmussen were Clairiere (Longines Distaff) in :49.20, Echo Zulu (NetJets Juvenile Fillies) in :50.40 and Silver State (Dirt Mile) in :48.60.

Other dirt workers included C Z Rocket (Qatar Racing Sprint) going 3f in :35.80, Commander (Turf Sprint also-eligible) a half-mile in :48.80, Giant Game (TVG Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance) a half-mile in :48.60, and the Richard Mandella-trained duo of Dogtag (Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf) and Bombard (Turf Sprint also-eligible) working 5f in :58.20 and :58.40, respectively, in company.

Idol worked 5f in company in 1:02.40 but after the work trainer Richard Baltas notified Breeders' Cup officials that he did not feel Idol was 100 percent and withdrew him from the Classic.

Two other horses were withdrawn from Breeders' Cup consideration by their connections Sunday morning: Flagstaff from the Qatar Racing Sprint and Reina de Mollendo (ARG) from the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf.

Highlighting the six pack of grass workers were two California standouts in Mo Forza and Going to Vegas.

Mo Forza, a two-time winner of the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile, worked a half-mile in :49.40 for the FanDuel Mile presented by PDJF for trainer Peter Miller. Shortly after Mo Forza finished his work, Going to Vegas worked a half-mile in :49.20 for Baltas in preparation for the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf.

Also working on the turf were Time to Party (Juvenile Turf Sprint) going 3f in :38.20, Charmaine's Mia (Turf Sprint) going a half-mile in :50.20, Extravagant Kid (Turf Sprint) a half-mile in :49.40 in company with Zofelle (IRE), and Cairo Memories (Juvenile Fillies Turf) going 5f in 1:04.40.

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Miller Prepares C Z Rocket, Mo Forza For BC Starts At Del Mar

The best place to try and find Peter Miller at a race track is the Winner's Circle.

Always a threat to win a training title anywhere he competes on a full-time basis, Miller, who celebrated his 55th birthday on Oct. 2, already ranks among the leaders at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., with five victories after five days.

Miller's aspirations to become a jockey were dashed when Mother Nature failed to cooperate, so he worked as a groom when in high school before serving an apprenticeship with legendary trainer Charlie Whittingham and later Mike Mitchell and Don Warren.

Miller presently is focused on the upcoming Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 5 and 6 at Del Mar, hard by his home in Encinitas, less than six miles from the seaside track as the crow flies. Two of his primary candidates are Mo Forza for the Mile and C Z Rocket for the Sprint or the Dirt Mile.

“Mo Forza came out great from his win in the City of Hope Mile (Oct. 2 at Santa Anita) and we're looking forward to and excited about the Breeders' Cup,” Miller said.

Mo Forza, a full horse at age five and a son of Uncle Mo, gained millionaire status with his City of Hope victory and has eight victories from 14 career starts.

“He's tactical, but if they go real fast, he can sit back. He's quite a horse,” Miller said.

“We're considering the Sprint as well as the Dirt Mile for C Z Rocket,” Miller added of the durable seven-year-old gelded son of City Zip, who has won 12 of 29 starts and earned $1.5 million.

C Z Rocket's forte is stalking rather than being on the lead, a concern for Miller.

“The track profile at Del Mar is for speed,” Miller cautioned, “and it may play against him in the Sprint, so we're considering the Dirt Mile.”

As to Santa Anita, “so far, so good,” Miller said. “Hopefully, we can keep it going.”

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