Sat, 10/21/2017 - 12:52

Beach Patrol, Fanciful Angel among 11 Breeders' Cup workers for Brown

Barbara D. Livingston
Beach Patrol returned $12 to win the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont on Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Beware “the other horse” in Breeders’ Cup races where trainer Chad Brown will have multiple starters.

In the 34th running of the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 3-4 at Del Mar, Brown is likely to have more than one starter in four Breeders’ Cup races: three in the Filly and Mare Turf, two in the Turf, two in the Filly and Mare Sprint, and two in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. In some cases, there will be a distinct difference in price between his starters. But don’t be surprised if the longer-priced runner outperforms the one fancied more by the bettors.

Sat, 10/21/2017 - 11:41

Diversify to be pre-entered in Breeders' Cup Classic

Justin N. Lane
Diversify's one-length score in Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup marked the first Grade 1 win for owner Ralph Evans.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Diversify, the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner, will be pre-entered Monday for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 4, but trainer Rick Violette stopped short of committing him to the race.

On Saturday at Belmont Park, Diversify worked five furlongs in 1:01.88 over the main track. Daily Racing Form timed Diversify in splits of 12.41 seconds, 24.63, and 36.45, with a final quarter of 25.43. Exercise rider Rodney Paine told Violette the horse felt the same to him as he did in his two works prior to the Gold Cup.

Sat, 10/21/2017 - 11:35

Stellar Wind has final serious work for Breeders' Cup Distaff

Benoit & Associates
Vicgtor Espinoza and Stellar Wind edge Vale Dori to win the Beholder Mile on Saturday at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stellar Wind posted the final major workout of her career Saturday at Santa Anita as she prepares for the final start of her career in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 3 at Del Mar.

Stellar Wind, 3 for 3 this year in Grade 1 races and the presumptive Distaff favorite, worked seven furlongs under jockey Victor Espinoza at 6:40 a.m. She broke off two lengths behind workmate Shenandoah Queen, dropped about four lengths behind her rival on the turn, and rolled past in the stretch to win the work by about four lengths.

Fri, 10/20/2017 - 15:56

Mr. Crow pointed to Bold Ruler Handicap

Barbara D. Livingston
Mr. Crow, impressive in two victories at Saratoga, will start next in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Mr. Crow, a disappointing sixth in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Invitational, worked a half-mile in 48.40 seconds Friday morning over the Belmont Park training track in preparation for a start in next Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap.

Mr. Crow had impressed with two open-length victories during the Saratoga meet, but was beaten 13 1/2 lengths by fellow 3-year-old Takaful in the Vosburgh.

Fri, 10/20/2017 - 15:56

Elate works toward BC Distaff

Michael Amoruso
Beldame winner Elate worked Friday at Saratoga toward a planned start in the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Distaff.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Elate, the multiple Grade 1-winning 3-year-old filly, worked five furlongs in 1:00.92 on Friday morning over the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga in preparation for her start in the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 3 at Del Mar.

Working by herself following the second renovation break, Elate was timed by Saratoga clocker David Norton in splits of 12.96 seconds, 25.05, 36.97, and she came home in 23.95. Norton had her galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.12, while trainer Bill Mott had her out seven furlongs in 1:28.

Fri, 10/20/2017 - 15:50

El Deal to miss BC Sprint with suspensory injury

Barbara D. Livingston
El Deal, most recently second in the Grade 1 Vosburgh, will miss the Breeders' Cup with a suspensory injury.

ELMONT, N.Y. – El Deal, winner of the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga and runner-up in the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont Park, will miss the Breeders’ Cup Sprint due to a lesion in the suspensory of his left foreleg, trainer Jorge Navarro said Friday.

Navarro said El Deal didn’t come out of an Oct. 14 workout at Monmouth Park the way he would have liked and after several tests, the lesion was found. Navarro said it’s not a major issue, but he wasn’t going to take a chance of running him in the Breeders’ Cup.

Fri, 10/20/2017 - 15:50

Montauk to sit out Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Justin N. Lane
Montauk rolled to an impressive 11 1/4-length debut win Oct. 7 at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Montauk, who rolled to an impressive 11 1/4-length debut win Oct. 7 at Belmont, will not contest the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, trainer Todd Pletcher said Friday.

After discussing it with the owners of Montauk – a group that includes Robert LaPenta, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Twin Creeks Racing – Pletcher said shipping cross-country to take on a horse like Bolt d’Oro, who is 3 for 3 including two wins at Del Mar, where the Breeders’ Cup will be run, wasn’t prudent.

Fri, 10/20/2017 - 15:00

Jockey Hebert nears 4,000 career-win mark

Jockey Tracy Hebert is approaching a milestone of 4,000 career Thoroughbred wins in North America, and he could hit that mark this week at his Zia Park base in Hobbs, N.M.

Hebert had 3,992 wins heading into the Sunday program. He has one mount on a card of mostly Quarter Horse races. Hebert then has five mounts at the track Monday and has been named to ride six horses Tuesday.

Fri, 10/20/2017 - 14:36

O'Neill has his starting five for Breeders' Cup

Shigeki Kikkawa
Pavel (outside) works a half-mile in 49 seconds Friday at Santa Anita.

California trainer Doug O’Neill hopes to have five runners in Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar on Nov. 3-4.

O’Neill said Thursday that his team will include the 3-year-old Pavel in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4. On the same day, Frank Conversation is scheduled to run in the BC Turf, Piedi Bianchi is a candidate for the Juvenile Fillies, and Guns Loaded is being pointed to the Turf Sprint.

O’Neill acknowledged that Guns Loaded may not gain a berth in what could easily be an oversubscribed race. The Turf Sprint will have a maximum of 14 starters.

Fri, 10/20/2017 - 14:30

Promising juvenile Major Cabbie sidelined

Barbara D. Livingston
Major Cabbie won his maiden in his second start.

Major Cabbie, easy winner of a maiden race for 2-year-olds Sept. 29, is out of training until the middle of 2018 because of an injury, trainer Dan Hendricks said.

Hendricks said the setback was detected recently. Major Cabbie worked a half-mile in 51.40 seconds Oct. 12.

“He’s got a problem,” Hendricks said. “He’ll be out. It’s a shame. He can run, too.”

Owned by K.B. Sareen, Major Cabbie was purchased for $260,000 at a sale of 2-year-olds in training this year. On Sept. 29, Major Cabbie won a one-mile race by 6 1/4 lengths in his second start.