Friday, October 24 2008

Breeders’ Cup World Championships October 24-25: Classic - Thursday Notes

Casino Drive (Tr: Kazuo Fujisawa; ex. rider: Naruhito Kasai ) – Casino Drive, tThe unbeaten 3yo colt from Japan, jogged 3f on Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track under assistant trainer Naruhito Kasai before being shipped to Santa Anita Thursday morning.

“He is still fresh after the five-furlong work here yesterday and happy,” said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for Hidetoshi Yamamoto.

Tada said that trainer Kazuo Fujisawa is scheduled to arrive from Japan today and will be here to supervise Casino Drive’s training Friday for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Stable Notes, Thursday, October 23rd

GEORGIE BOY, GOMEZ TOGETHER AGAIN IN DAMASCUS STAKES

Garrett Gomez reunites with Georgie Boy in Saturday’s Damascus Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. It marks the first race for the California-bred son Tribal Rule since March 15, when he won the Grade II San Felipe Stakes, and the first ride for Gomez on Georgie Boy since they won the Grade I Del Mar Futurity together last year. Gomez, whose mounts have earned more than $17.7 million to date this year, is seeking his third straight national money-winning title. He leads runner-up Robby Albarado by more than $2.2 million.

“Georgie Boy has been doing everything great,” said Gomez, who has worked the gelding owned and bred by George Schwary and trained by Kathy Walsh several times en route to his comeback. “We’ve tried to get enough air in him to make sure he’s fit, without going too fast. He’s a classy individual and he’s doing good.”

Thursday, October 23 2008

Breeders’ Cup Classic Notes

Casino Drive (Tr: Kazuo Fujisawa; ex. rider: Naruhito Kasai ) – The unbeaten 3yo colt from Japan breezed an easy 5f at Hollywood Park on Cushion Track Wednesday under assistant trainer Naruhito Kasai.
“It was a nice easy gallop in 1:10,” said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto, following the 7 a.m. drill. “He went the same pace. It was perfect. It was just what Mr. Fujisawa (trainer Kazuo Fujisawa) wanted. We wanted to let him feel well. He’s fit enough.”

TVG Dirt Mile - Wednesday Notes

Lewis Michael (Tr: Wayne Catalano) – A full-brother to 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Dreaming of Anna, a multiple graded stakes performer on turf as well, it’s taken this 5yo son of Rahy a little more time to “get it”, according to his trainer Wayne Catalano.

“He was just a big old playboy early on,” Catalano explained. “There’s no question he’s learned a lot from year to year. He’s more mature. He knows his job now.”

AFTER MISSING BIG UPSET, CHRISTIANA’S HEAT HOLDS ON BY A NOSE

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 22, 2008) – Christiana’s Heat, who just missed pulling off a 30-1 upset in her previous start, withstood the late challenge of Tripped the Light to prevail by a nose Wednesday and capture Oak Tree’s $59,020 allowance feature for fillies and mile at one-mile over Santa Anita’s turf course.

Sent off as the 2-1 second choice in Wednesday’s event following her near miss in the $150,000 California Cup Distaff Handicap on Oct. 5, Christiana’s Heat ran the distance in 1:35.17 with Michael Baze aboard.

STABLE NOTES, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22ND, 2008

INTO MISCHIEF RETURNS SATURDAY IN DAMASCUS STAKES, STUD DUTY AWAITS

Saturday’s Damascus Stakes carries a relatively small purse of $100,000, considering it has attracted two Grade I stakes winners and three horses that were ticketed for the Triple Crown this year before they were sidelined with injuries.

They are Gayego, winner of the Grade II Arkansas Derby before getting a break after finishing 11th of 12 by 26 lengths in the May 17 Preakness Stakes; Georgie Boy, winner of the Grade I Del Mar Futurity, but out of action with back issues since winning the Grade II San Felipe Stakes on March 15; and Into Mischief, winner of the Grade I CashCall Futurity as a 2-year-old last Dec. 22. The son of Harlan’s Holiday has been sidelined with foot problems since finishing second to Georgie Boy in the San Vicente.

OAK TREE DERBY, DAMASCUS WIND UP BREEDERS’ CUP PROGRAM

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 22, 2008) – The 38 th running of the Grade II, $150,000 Oak Tree Derby and Oak Tree’s first running of the $100,000 Damascus Stakes complete Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships program that begins at 10:10 a.m. with the first of nine consecutive Breeders’ Cup stakes races at Santa Anita.

Track admission gates will open at 7 a.m., one-half hour after parking gates are to open for the eleven-race card that is due to be completed by 5 p.m.

The Oak Tree Derby, for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on grass, will serve as the nightcap with a scheduled post of 4:55 p.m. The Damascus Stakes, for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs over the main track, goes one race earlier at 4:20 p.m.

LAS PALMAS FOURTH GRADED STAKES ON BREEDERS’ CUP FRIDAY

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 22, 2008) – When the 25 th Breeders’ Cup World Championships commence on Friday at Santa Anita with the inaugural Ladies’ Day portion of the expanded two-day event, Oak Tree’s 39 th running of the Grade II, $250,000 Las Palmas Handicap will serve as the afternoon’s fourth graded stakes attraction.

Black Mamba, whose fortunes rose dramatically upon departing her native New Zealand last summer and joining trainer John Sadler’s barn, will carry high weight of 120 pounds among 14 entrants in the one-mile turf competition after running second to Naissance Royale in last year’s Las Palmas.

Wednesday, October 22 2008

CURLIN FACES STRONG CAST IN BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC REPEAT BID AT SANTA ANITA SATURDAY

ARCADIA, Calif. – Reigning Horse of the Year CURLIN will face 11 rivals, including international luminaries RAVEN’S PASS, DUKE OF MARMALADE (IRE) and CASINO DRIVE as he seeks to become the second repeat winner of the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park on Saturday.

A total of 153 horses from major racing centers around the world have been entered in the 25th edition of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships – Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious global event – with 14 races to be run over two days on Friday and Saturday, offering total purses and awards of $25,500,000 as the Arcadia, Calif. course hosts the event for the fourth time. Three of the entrants are listed as also-eligibles.

LAS PALMAS FOURTH GRADE II ON BREEDERS’ CUP FRIDAY LNEUP

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 21 2008) – When the 25th Breeders’ Cup World Championships commence on Friday at Santa Anita with the inaugural Ladies’ Day portion of the expanded two-day event, Oak Tree’s 39th running of the $250,000 Las Palmas Handicap will serve as the afternoon’s fourth Grade I attraction.

Black Mamba, whose fortunes rose dramatically upon departing her native New Zealand last summer and joining trainer John Sadler’s barn, will carry high weight of 120 pounds among 14 entrants in the one-mile turf competition after running second to Naissance Royale in last year’s Las Palmas.

Breeders’ Cup World Championships Oct. 24-25: Tuesday notes

Spring House (Turf) – The 6yo son of Chester House worked a sharp 4f Tuesday to complete his serious preparation for Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf for trainer Julio Canani.

Exercise rider Iggy Puglisi was in the irons for the work in 47 4/5 at Santa Anita.

Canani made the decision overnight to run in the Turf, rather than in the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon, to which Spring House was cross-entered.

Breeders’ Cup World Championships Oct. 24-25: Breeders’ Cup Marathon

Casino Drive (Tr: Kazuo Fujisawa) – see Classic

Delightful Kiss (Tr: Pete Anderson) – Hobeau Farm’s Delightful Kiss worked 6f in 1:12 over the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday for trainer Pete Anderson. The 4yo gelding is scheduled to van to Santa Anita on Tuesday with a late morning arrival.

Jockey Calvin Borel, who rode Delightful Kiss to his last two victories, will be back aboard in the inaugural Marathon.