Thursday, November 05 2009

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Awesome Act – The 2yo son of Awesome Again came out for a gallop on the main track Thursday morning in company with stablemate Fleeting Spirit (Sprint). Both horses schooled in the gate.

The colt, who broke his maiden on Oct. 1, and then was ninth in the Dewhurst Stakes last out after a poor start on Oct. 17, drew post 9 in the full field for Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, a perfect spot according to trainer Jeremy Noseda.

Ryan Moore will be aboard the Kentucky-bred for the first time Saturday.

Marathon Notes, Thursday Nov. 5

Cloudy's Knight – Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard sent Cloudy’s Knight to Santa Anita’s main track Thursday morning for a 1 1/2m gallop to prepare for the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, which will be the 9yo gelding’s 39th race.

“It makes you feel good that a horse can maintain that level for such a long period,” Sheppard said. “I have a lot of respect for him.”

Sheppard took over the training of Cloudy’s Knight this year after the winner of more than $2.2 million recovered from a soft tissue injury that kept him away from the races for a year.

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile notes Thurs., Nov. 5

Bullsbay – Exercise rider Alice Clapham galloped Bullsbay 1 5/8m Thursday morning over the main track at Santa Anita. Trainer Graham Motion expects a much better performance from the 5yo son of Tiznow in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile while competing over the Pro-Ride synthetic surface than he gave in a 10th-place finish in the Gold Cup over Hollywood Park’s Cushion track.

“I think that was an aberration. I’m not sure it was the synthetic but just him having a bad day, like he had at Gulfstream. He’s run two bad races in his life -- one was in the Gold Cup and one was in Florida in the Donn. I can’t honestly say it was the surface,” Motion said.

Juvenile Fillies Turf Notes, Thursday Nov. 5

Elusive Galaxy – Trainer Ben Cecil’s new kid on the block, juvenile filly Elusive Galaxy, galloped 1m Thursday as she finished her serious preparation for Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“We’re going to take her back in the race and put her back to the style she ran while in Ireland,” Cecil said.

In her first three career races the filly was rated behind the leaders before making a push near the end of her races, winning her first start and finishing second and third in two subsequent starts before coming to Cecil to run in Woodbine’s Natalma Stakes, where she went to the lead and tired to finish fourth.

Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies Notes, Thursday Nov. 5

Always a Princess – The 2yo daughter of Leroidesanimaux galloped on the main track in her last move prior to a start in Friday’s Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

“She looked good today,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “We’ll see how she does. She’s only had two outs. She won her first and finished second, so that’s pretty good.”

Always a Princess broke her maiden at Del Mar on Sept. 5 and finished second in the Oak Leaf Stakes to fellow Juvenile Fillies contender Blind Luck on Oct. 4.

Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile notes Thurs., Nov. 5

Aikenite – Trainer Todd Pletcher tried to double-team the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year with Munnings and Silent Valor, but neither was able to hit the board. He’s optimistic the son of Yes It’s True and stablemate Eskendereya give him a serious threat to win his first 2yo Breeders’ Cup race.

“He’s got the right style for this kind of track, and his race at Keeneland (second in Breeders’ Futurity) should set him up for a big race,” Pletcher said. “Hopefully he’ll get a good trip from that post (9).

The Dogwood Stable colorbearer galloped 1 1/4m Thursday in preparation for this 1 1/16m race. Alan Garcia has the mount.

Sentient Jet Filly & Mare Sprint Notes, Thursday Nov. 5

Evita Argentina – The chestnut 3yo by Candy Ride was out for a 1 1/4m gallop shortly after 8 a.m. Thursday, putting a finishing touch on preparations for her run Friday in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on Friday’s card at Santa Anita.

The very last part of the equation will be some paddock schooling with the horses for Thursday’s race 4.

“She’s a go,” trainer John Sadler said. “She’s as ready as she’s going to be. We’ll just hope for some good luck.”

Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint notes Thurs., Nov. 5

California Flag – The speedy gelded son of Avenue of Flags galloped Thursday morning, none the worse for wear from his run-off Wednesday during training, when he was spooked by another horse after schooling in the gate and dumped his rider before running the wrong way through the stretch.

He returned to the barn without further incident.

As for strategy in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, trainer Brian Koriner said, “I believe he’s a much better horse this year than last,” when he led much of the way in the downhill sprint before fading to 10th. Barring some sort of mishap, Koriner said he expects to see California Flag on the lead.

Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint notes Thurs., Nov. 5

Capt. Candyman Can – Both horse and trainer are Breeders’ Cup rookies, but according to Ian Wilkes, this might not be last time you hear from this team in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“He’s a 3-year-old gelding,” Wilkes said. “You never want to look too far ahead in this game, but we hope he’s a fun horse to play with for years to come. Maybe he can win this race (Sprint) when he’s seven.”

Only one of Capt. Candyman Can’s six wins has come at a distance shorter than 7f, and that came in his 5 ½f career debut, but Wilkes isn’t concerned that Saturday’s 6f distance will be too short.

Breeders’ Cup World Championships: TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile

Courageous Cat – Normally one of the more conservative trainers on the East coast, Bill Mott is taking a bit of a risk by sending the 3yo Storm Cat colt against older turf horses in the always contentious TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile.

“You just hope your horse shows up,” Mott said after Courageous Cat returned from a morning gallop and quick trip to stand in the starting gate. “This is a very deep race, but I think he fits there. Next year I’m sure he’ll fit even better.”

Courageous Cat comes into this race the least experienced of 11 contenders. Garrett Gomez will be his third rider in his last three starts.

Emirates Airline Filly & Mare Turf Notes, Thursday Nov. 5

Dynaforce – Trainer Bill Mott said he has long ago put a line through Dynaforce’s last race (a 20-length defeat in the Flower Bowl on soft turf) and is expecting the Beverly D. winner to show up in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Friday.

“It looks like she’ll be one of the speed horses in the field,” Mott said after Dynaforce returned from an early jog Thursday morning. “She was game in this race last year. She would have been more of a factor, but she ran into some trouble. She should be a factor this year.”

Dynaforce was unable to establish position in last year’s Filly & Mare Turf and was steadied on the inside when Halfway to Heaven interfered with her. She finished eighth, beaten only four lengths by the winner Forever Together, and was moved up to seventh by the stewards.

Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf notes Thurs., Nov. 5

Allegre – Trainer Brian Koriner said Thursday morning his Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf prospect is dealing with a foot issue and the prospects of the 4yo Orientate colt running will be considered on Friday.

Koriner said the colt appeared to have the beginnings of an abscess.

Allegre did not go to the track on Thursday.