John Sadler hopes Tripoli returns to his winning ways when the four-old Kitten's Joy colt runs in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 6, but he realizes it's a daunting task.
Tripoli disappointed finishing fourth of eight by 6 ¼ lengths behind runaway front-running five-length winner Medina Spirit in the Grade I Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 2.
“He had his first work Monday in preparation for the $6 million Breeders' Cup in 47 and four (47.40) and he's going to work five furlongs on Sunday,” the trainer said of Tripoli.
“He just didn't get the trip he needed (in the Awesome Again),” continued Sadler, who won the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2018 with Accelerate. “He got hung out wide all the way, so it's more about the trip for him, but he appears to have come out of it good, so it's on to the Breeders' Cup.
“The Classic is a great race, and it should be. That's the big race and you've got a top 3-year-old (Medina Spirit) and Knicks Go; it's a really good race.”
Medina Spirit worked five furlongs Friday morning in 59.60 seconds for Bob Baffert, who also breezed champion filly Gamine six furlongs in 1:12 flat.
Meanwhile, Sadler has multiple graded stakes winner Flagstaff set for the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
“He just worked (four furlongs) this morning in 47 and three (:47.60),” Sadler said of the 7-year-old Speightstown gelding, a gem of consistency with a 7-6-4 record from 21 starts with earnings of $1,035,585.
The post Sadler: Tripoli Needs The Right ‘Trip’ For A Shot In Breeders’ Cup Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
