Wednesday, October 08, 2008
STABLE NOTES, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 2008
GOMEZ TO RIDE GO BETWEEN IN BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC
Garrett Gomez, well on his way to winning his third consecutive national money-winning title with more than $17.4 million in the till to date, will ride Go Between in the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Oct. 25, trainer Bill Mott said Wednesday morning.
The 36-year-old jockey had ridden Classic contender Colonel John in his last two races, including a dramatic nose victory in the Travers Stakes on Aug. 23, and also has ridden Go Between in nine of the horse’s 26 career starts, the last five in a row, including a neck victory in the Pacific Classic on Aug. 24.
Go Between, a 5-year-old Point Given horse owned by Peter Vegso, has an 8-7-6 record from 26 starts, with earnings of $2,783,880. Colonel John, a 3-year-old son of Tiznow owned by the WinStar Farm, won the Grade I Santa Anita Derby last April 5. He has a 5-2-1 record from nine starts with earnings of $1,468,830.
Mott said Go Between would ship for the Classic on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin galloped a mile at Santa Anita Wednesday after working a half-mile Monday under the direction of trainer Steve Asmussen. “He came out of his work good,” said Asmussen assistant Scott Blasi Wednesday morning.
Curlin, the first North American-based Thoroughbred to surpass the $10-million mark in earnings when he won the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Sept. 27, is scheduled to have a public workout probably at five furlongs in company this Monday, Columbus Day, between the fourth and fifth races.
Meanwhile, Japanese invader Casino Drive was on the track at Hollywood Park Wednesday and, with time for a prep race becoming more impractical by the hour, probably will train up to the Classic, said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for Casino Drive’s owner, Hidetoshi Yamamoto.
Casino Drive is unbeaten in two starts. The son of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft is also a half-brother to Belmont Stakes winners Rags to Riches and Jazil. He has not raced since winning the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont last May 10. A stone bruise in his left hind foot forced him to miss the Belmont Stakes and has sidelined him since.
In other Breeders’ Cup news:
Colonel John worked four furlongs Wednesday on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride main track in a bullet :46.80, breezing, while Well Armed went three furlongs in :35.20, breezing, under regular rider Aaron Gryder. Eoin Harty, trainer of both horses, said “there was nothing set in stone yet” when asked who would replace Gomez on Colonel John, adding he was “inundated” with calls from agents seeking the mount for their rider.
Mott said “we’re thinking of that, yeah,” when asked if War Monger would be coming in for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
John Sadler said, “We haven’t decided yet,” when asked if Black Mamba would be supplemented to the Filly & Mare Turf. “We won’t decide until right before the 14th (the pre-entry date) because of the cost. It would cost like $300,000.”
Juvenile candidate Believe in Hope worked four furlongs at Santa Anita Wednesday in :49.80 for Ron Ellis.
Trainer Vladimir Cerin said Gomez has the mount on Albertus Maximus in the Dirt Mile, while Harty still was undecided on either that race or the Classic for Well Armed. Albertus Maximus worked four furlongs Monday in :48.80, while champion Indian Blessing went five furlongs for Bob Baffert in 1:00.40 prepping for the Filly & Mare Sprint on Oct. 24.
Following are training hours for Breeders’ Cup horses on Friday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 25: Friday, 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.; Saturday, 4:30 a. m. to 6 a. m. The training track will be closed on Thursday, Oct. 23.
Oak Tree will be hosting the Breeders’ Cup for the fourth time and the first time under its two-day format, which features 14 races with total purses of $25.5 million. Oak Tree will also be the first-ever venue to host the Breeders’ Cup in consecutive years. It will present the Championships in 2009.
TEAM ITALIA SET FOR SUNDAY’S LURE STAKES
Beware of the Italian Connection. Men’s Magazine, a 4-year-old Italian-bred colt, and Joe Talamo, an 18-year-old rider of Italian descent by way of Louisiana, are scheduled to team up in Sunday’s $75,000 Lure Stakes at one mile on turf.
Men’s Magazine, a son of Dr Devious, is one of many Thoroughbreds discovered by Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally for longtime clients Sid and Jenny Craig during one of his annual treks overseas.
One ailment after another has delayed Men’s Magazine’s United States debut, however. Undefeated in three starts in Italy, he has not raced since Sept. 24, 2006.
“The Craigs (the late Sid and his wife, Jenny) owned Dr Devious and we found Men’s Magazine a couple of years ago in Italy,” McAnally said. “He’s had little nagging problems since, nothing real serious, and we had him ready to run the summer before last on opening day at Del Mar.
“But he had ulcer problems and his groom was giving him medication to treat it, and a security man saw it and thought it was an illegal substance, so we had to scratch him. After that he had a back problem. Anyway, right now he’s doing good, and hopefully he’ll run well.”
As for McAnally, the 76-year-old Hall of Fame trainer didn’t visit Italy this year.
“Usually I get to Italy every year, but this year I didn’t get there,” he said. “We just went to England, Ireland and France. I got back a few days ago.”
Probable for the Lure: Bonjour, Martin Garcia; Lang Field, Jon Court; Men’s Magazine, Joe Talamo; Mr Napper Tandy, Garrett Gomez; Rebellion, Rafael Bejarano; and Vauquelin, Joel Rosario.
Trainer John Sadler said Becrux, who had been an expected starter, “would wait for another race,” adding that gelding did not pass the race due to injury.
DOLLAR DAY AT OAK TREE THIS MONDAY, COLUMBUS DAY
There will be special holiday racing at Oak Tree next Monday, Columbus Day, which also is Dollar Day. General admission, programs, hot dogs, beer, soft drinks and pop corn will be $1 each.
The day also will feature Bugstock ’08, presented by radio station K-Earth 101 FM. One of the top Beatles tribute bands, Stars of Beatlemania, will perform live in Santa Anita’s infield.
First post time will be 12:30 p.m. Gates open at 10:30 a.m.
FINISH LINES: Bobby Frankel, Oak Tree’s career leader in victories with 269, was on hand at Clockers’ Corner Wednesday morning. “I might go back to Keeneland on Saturday, but that’s it,” the Hall of Fame trainer said. “Then I’ll be back here through the Breeders’ Cup.” Frankel reiterated that Vineyard Haven, 5 3/4-length winner of the Champagne Stakes last Saturday, will not run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (the colt is not nominated), and will not run in the Grade I $750,000 CashCall Futurity on Dec. 20, as had been reported. “He won’t run until next year,” Frankel said. “He’s run enough times this year (three times).” . . . Probable for Saturday’s $100,000 Grade III Harold C. Ramser, Sr. Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at one mile on turf: Dawn Before Dawn, Garrett Gomez; Gorgeous Goose, Rafael Bejarano; Miss Singhsix, Tyler Baze; Solar Miss, Joel Rosario; and Tasha’s Miracle, Mike Smith . . . Joel Rosario was Oak Tree’s riding leader through Sunday with 11 wins, one more than runners-up Rafael Bejarano and Garrett Gomez . . . Into Mischief, working towards his comeback in the Damascus Stakes on Oct. 25, went seven furlongs Wednesday in 1:25 for Richard Mandella
. . . Jockey Chantal Sutherland rides at Oak Tree this week before returning to Woodbine for commitments on Saturday. “Then she’ll be back to ride the rest of this meet,” said agent Tommy Ball . . . There were 54 players alive in ShowVivor starting with Wednesday’s races, down from 163 . . . Trainer Ted West Sr. will be Jerry Antonucci’s guest Saturday, 11 a.m., at the Today’s Racing Digest seminar in the East Paddock Gardens, while trainer Bob Hess Jr. will do the honors this Monday, Columbus Day.
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