A lot has happened in the 30 years since.

Desormeaux, 51, has notched victories in three Kentucky Derbies, three Preakness and a Belmont Stakes. He has six Breeders' Cup wins, three Eclipse Awards and has held membership in racing's Hall of Fame since 2004. With two wins Sunday at Santa Anita, Equibase statistics show him with 6,101 career victories from 32,413 mounts in a 35-year career.

Hess, 56, has gone nationwide with strings in Kentucky and Florida. But the native of Chula Vista has remained headquartered in Southern California and unabashedly citing Del Mar as holding a special place in his heart.

“Del Mar is my paradise,” Hess said Sunday. It is, after all, the place that provided him with his first winner (Palapiano, July 31, 1987), first training title in 1991 and first graded stakes winner (River Special, 1992 Del Mar Futurity).

And as they have over the years, Desormeaux and Hess are hoping to make headlines again when they team up with Cairo Memories in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and Chaos Theory in the Turf Sprint during Breeders' Cup weekend.

“I've got gray hair and he's got a couple of wrinkles, but hopefully we're older, wiser and hopefully a little better,” Hess said. “But we have the A-team back together and we're looking forward to it.”

Cairo Memories, a daughter of Cairo Prince, was pre-entered in the Juvenile Fillies and Juvenile Fillies Turf and will go in the $1 million, one mile grass event. She is 2-for-2 in a career begun at Del Mar on Sept. 5 and comes in off a win in the Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 3.

“Cairo is splendid, a wonderful, gifted filly and just a pleasure to be around,” Hess said. “Unless the jock screws it up (with a wink toward Desormeaux), I think we'll get the money.”

Chaos Theory, like Cairo Memories owned by David Bernsen and partners, is a 6-year-old gelded son of Curlin. He has six wins in 18 starts with earnings of $359,454. Chaos Theory is 0-for-5 in 2021 but won both his career starts at Del Mar – the Green Flash in August and an optional claimer in November of 2020. Desormeaux was aboard for the first time in a third-place finish in the Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1.

Chaos Theory is one of 19 pre-entered in the $1 million, five-furlong event.

“Chaos, if he gets in, will run fantastic,” Hess said. “I've tweaked a few things, Kent knows him even better and it will be at his favorite distance on his favorite turf course.”

Desormeaux has one other Breeders' Cup mount lined up, Oviatt Class in the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile for his trainer/brother Keith.

The post ‘Older, Wiser And Hopefully A Little Better’: Desormeaux, Hess Back Together For Breeders’ Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20, and shortly afterward, Hot Rod Charlie worked seven furlongs in company in 1:26.80 for trainer Doug O'Neill.

Letruska was scheduled to work on her own, but she picked up some company on the backstretch.

“I was not planning on company; it was not ideal,” said exercise rider Roger Horgan, who was aboard Letruska who stayed to the inside of her unexpected companion. “She did relax. I was a bit concerned, but she switched off and let her do it on her own. I was very proud of her the way she relaxed.”

Gutierrez said Letruska handled the track well, noting that she has handled every track well in a 2021 campaign that has taken her to six tracks previously.

Shortly after Letruska finished, Hot Rod Charlie appeared on the scene working in company with Khantaro d'Oro, a 2-year-old maiden. Del Mar clockers caught Hot Rod Charlie in :47.80 for the half-mile, 1:00.20 for five furlongs, 1:13 for six furlongs, and 1:26.80 for the seven-eighths.

“I thought the work was visually impressive,” O'Neill said. “Charlie sat off his workmate and when Flavien (Prat) called on him, he responded well. He galloped out good and his energy was very high.”

O'Neill also sent out $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf pre-entrant Mackinnon to work six furlongs on the main track in 1:14.80.

Nine other Breeders' Cup pre-entrants worked: Ain't Easy (NetJets Juvenile Fillies) 5f in 1:01; Desert Dawn (NetJets Juvenile Fillies) 5f in 1:00.60; Helens Well (IRE) (Juvenile Fillies Turf) 5f in 1:00.60; Oviatt Class (TVG Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance) 5f in :59.60 in company; Proud Emma (Filly & Mare Sprint) 5f in :59.80 with Prat aboard; Aloha West (Qatar Racing Sprint) 4f in :47.20; Channel Maker (Longines Turf) 4f in :48.40; Chaos Theory (Turf Sprint) 4f in :48.20; and Horologist (Longines Distaff) 4f in :49.60.

The post Letruska, Hot Rod Charlie Get Final Workouts For Breeders’ Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

They got another reminder about just how good he is in the featured race at the seaside track near San Diego, Calif., on Friday when he put on a masterful performance that included slipping up the rail late to tally by a head with Hronis Racing's Chaos Theory in a grassy allowance sprint that went as the day's second race.

On the next race on the program, veteran trainer Mark Glatt registered a nifty milestone when he rung up the 1,000th victory of his career with the speedy gelding Zestful in a nine-furlong allowance affair.

Chaos Theory, who ran his five furlongs in :56.08, bested Rafter JR Ranch, STD Racing Stable or Miller, et al's Texas Wedge, who in turn had a length on Mike Schott's Mikes Tiznow.

The win got trainer John Sadler off the schneid for the meet as he scored for the first time with his 24th starter. Chaos Theory picked up $39,000 from the $85,000 purse and increased his bankroll to $307,054 with his sixth win in his 13th start.

Chaos Theory, the 6-5 favorite, paid $4.40, $2.40 and $2.10 across the board. Texas Wedge returned $2.60 and $2.20, while Mikes Tiznow paid $3.40 to show.

Zestful, who is owned by the Shanderella Stables, Haramoto or Kawahara and others scored in his dirt test by 2 1/2 lengths under Edwin Maldonado in wire-to-wire fashion and paid $6.40 to win. He covered the nine furlongs in 1:50.94.

Glatt, whose father Ron was a longtime trainer in the Northwest, began training racehorses for a living in 1994 in his native Washington State, then moved south to the Bay Area shortly thereafter. In 2000, a client convinced him to try his luck in Southern California and he's been a regular – and successful — member on that circuit since.

He had his best year ever in 2019 when his horses won 73 races and more than $3.3 million in purses. In total, the 47-year-old horsemen has now won 1,000 races, had 932 seconds and 875 thirds for earnings of $32,458,403.

The last trainer to register his 1,000th victory at Del Mar was Peter Miller in 2018.

The post Del Mar: Glatt Records 1,000th Career Victory; Chaos Theory Gets Sadler Off Schneid appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

“This was his big work before the Breeders' Cup (Classic),” said Juan Levya, who was aboard Higher Power. “I am very satisfied with it. He galloped out strong … I had him in 1:39 for the mile.”

Leyva, who has been overseeing trainer John Sadler's string of horses at Keeneland, also worked Hronis Racing's Chaos Theory five furlongs over a turf course rated as good in 1:02.80. Fourth in the Woodford (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select, Chaos Theory is under consideration for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).

Other grass workers under Breeders' Cup consideration Sunday morning were Red King (Turf) going five furlongs in 1:05 for trainer Phil D'Amato and the Wesley Ward-trained duo of Outadore (:53) and Campanelle (IRE) (:53.40) in company for a half-mile for a 2-year-old turf race.

Pre-entries for the 37th World Championships close Monday at noon ET.

Highlighting other dirt works was the first local breeze from probable TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) favorite Jackie's Warrior, who worked five furlongs in company with Calibrate in 1:00.20.

Owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison and trained by Steve Asmussen, Jackie's Warrior is undefeated in four starts with Grade 1 victories coming in the Hopeful at Saratoga and Champagne at Belmont.

Jackie's Warrior following his Sunday morning workout at Keeneland

Also working for Asmussen were Breeders Cup Sprint hopefuls Yaupon, who worked five furlongs in company with Little Menace in :59.60 (best of 41 works at the distance), and Echo Town, who worked a half-mile in :47.60 with Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) possible runner Cowan.

Trainer Chad Brown opted to work FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) hopefuls Raging Bull (FR) and Flavius together a half-mile on the main track in :49.40. Also going on the dirt for Brown was Front Run the Fed (Turf Sprint-G1), who covered a half-mile in :49.

Sleepy Eyes Todd, under consideration for the Dirt Mile (G1), worked a half-mile in :48.40 under Robby Albarado. The Miguel Silva trainee galloped out 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 and 6 furlongs in 1:14.40.

The post Higher Power Breezes Seven Furlongs In Breeze For Classic; Jackie’s Warrior Preps For Juvenile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Working with Mongolian Hero, Higher Power posted splits of :13, :24.60, :36.80, :48.20 and 1:01.20, galloping out seven furlongs in 1:26.60 under Juan Leyva, assistant to trainer John Sadler.

“He seems happy,” Leyva said. “He's got two works left and that will tell us if he is up to running in the Classic.”

Sunday's work was the third this month at Keeneland for Higher Power, who shipped in from Southern California to have plenty of time to settle in at Keeneland before his expected Breeders' Cup engagement Nov. 7.

A 5-year-old by Medaglia d'Oro, Higher Power hasn't won since his upset victory in the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in 2019.

Sadler has two other Breeders' Cup hopefuls on the grounds: Hronis Racing's Chaos Theory for the Turf Sprint (G1) and Paul and Karen Eggert's Ollie's Candy for the Distaff (G1).

On Sunday morning, Chaos Theory worked a bullet half-mile in :47.80 over firm turf with a final quarter-mile in :22.40. It was his first work since finishing fourth in the Woodford (G2) Presented by TVG on Oct. 3.

Ollie's Candy, runner-up in the Juddmonte Spinster (G1) on Oct. 4, is scheduled to work in the next couple of days, according to Leyva.

The post Classic: Next Two Works Will Determine Higher Power’s Status appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The 5-year-old gelding, who was last seen in action at Churchill Downs in Kentucky on June 14, was handled by Umberto Rispoli, the newcomer to Del Mar this season who has shown a special affinity for its grass course. The Green Flash score was his sixth stakes victory of the meet with five of them coming on the turf. He's now won 23 turf races in 69 tries, a remarkable 33% clip on the green.

“It was beautiful.,” said Rispoli. “He surprised me because he broke so sharply.  I figured we'd be a little farther back, but it put us in a great spot just behind the speed.  At this distance you can't get too far back.  I had a lot of horse turning for home. I thought we'd get there.”

Chaos Theory, by Curlin, paid $5.60, $3.40 and $2.80 across the board as the race favorite. He picked up $60,000 for the score bringing his bankroll to $260,554.

Finishing second was Maryanski and Schneider's Baja Sur and running third was W. C. Racing's Torosay.

Chaos Theory covered the five furlong distance in :56.22.

“We've got a great grass sprint program in California and Santa Anita is actually adding a turf chute,” said Sadler. “So we have a variety of distances on the grass and this horse is kind of a specialist — 5, 5 ½ furlongs so I thought he would be a great fit in California, that's why we brought him out. He's a good horse. We were pleased with his race today.”

The stakes win was the second of the meet and second in the Green Flash (2008, Get Funky) for trainer Sadler. He now has 78 stakes wins at Del Mar, moving him ahead of Ron McAnally and into second place on Del Mar's all-time trainers' list.

The post Chaos Theory Proves Sharp Claim For Sadler, Winning Green Flash Handicap appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post