Barn Tour: McCarthy updates on 3 BC possibles, 9 others

Trainer Michael McCarthy said his stable has had a “pretty good year,” though one disappointment is that he hasn’t won a Grade 1 race.

That could change with the upcoming Breeders’ Cup. McCarthy discussed the horses he might have running the first weekend in November at Santa Anita and provided updates on others in his stable for the latest in Horse Racing Nation’s Barn Tour series.

Endlessly. The 2-year-old son of Oscar Performance is 3-for-3 after a win in Saturday’s Grade 3 Zuma Beach at Santa Anita. He also has a win in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf (G3). “Obviously the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf is the plan with him,” McCarthy said. “Came out of his race very well. He's been professional from day one.”

Ngannou. The 2-year-old Mendelssohn was second by a half-length in his maiden-special-weight debut and then second to Endlessly in the Zuma Beach in his only other start. “A horse we've always had high hopes for. Entered him in the maiden races a few times and was unlucky enough not to get in. So we thought as an option the stake might make some sense, seeing as how he ran so well going a mile at Del Mar, and he certainly put up a bang-up performance the other day for his second start while still being a maiden.” Pre-entering him for the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Turf is one option, McCarthy said, as is the Golden Mile the same day.

Clearly Unhinged. The 3-year-old Into Mischief filly won her debut in January and was second in the Chillingworth (G3) on Sept. 29 and second in the Test (G1) before that. “Clearly Unhinged ran a great race the other day in the Chillingworth,” McCarthy said. “We'll kind of take a long, hard look at the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.”

Queen Goddess. The 5-year-old daughter of Empire Maker has been getting a freshening since she last raced in May. She won the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf in January and was winless in two starts after. “Queen Goddess worked a half mile over the weekend,” going four furlongs in 48.80 seconds at Santa Anita. “She's probably a month away from being ready to run, so all of our options are open for her.”

Wizard of Westwood. The 3-year-old son of Tu Brutus broke his maiden in his only start last year and is 6: 1-2-1 this year, finishing fourth last out in the Dueling Grounds Derby (G3). “Wizard of Westwood is scheduled to run in an allowance race on the dirt at Keeneland and then come back out to California for the Hollywood Derby.” The Grade 1 race is on Dec. 2 at Del Mar.

Lily Poo. The 3-year-old daughter of Tapiture is 1-for-6 this year and hasn’t raced since finishing fifth in the Charles Town Oaks (G3) on Aug. 25. She has been working at Churchill Downs and is “is on schedule for the Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland” next Saturday.

Sandy Bottom. The 2-year-old daughter of Omaha Beach won her Sept. 10 debut at Del Mar. The “nice filly” will run next in the Anoakia Stakes next Saturday at Santa Anita.

Pushiness. The 2-year-old Kantharos filly won her first two starts and was seventh last out in the Del Mar Debutante (G1). “Pushiness didn't seem to get a hold of the racetrack at the Del Mar Debutante. She is getting a break and we'll be back after the first of the year.”

Offlee Naughty. The 5-year-old son of Flashback started the year with wins in the Charles Whittingham (G2) and the San Luis Rey (G3). After a second in the San Juan Capistrano (G2), he was seventh in both the Del Mar Handicap (G2) and, most recently, the John Henry Turf Championship (G2). “He's getting himself a little bit of a break, and he'll probably make it back to the races around the first of the year,” McCarthy said. “Getting a freshening. He's been on the racetrack for two and a half years or so. Just a little bit of break.”

Piroli. Winless in eight starts as a 2- and 3-year-old, the 4-year-old gelding broke his maiden in January and won his next two starts before going 0-for-5 the rest of the year, including three starts in graded stakes. “He got two kind of lackluster races and is getting himself a winter break as well, and he'll be back after the first of the year.”

Lugan Knight. The 3-year-old gelding won the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct to start the year but is 0-for-6 since. “Lugan Knight is on the farm and getting himself a break until after the first of the year.”

Escape Artist. The 3-year-old ridgling son of Good Magic has a 6: 2-1-1 record this year and finished seventh last out in the Gun Runner Stakes at Kentucky Downs. “Escape Artist had a poor race at Kentucky Downs, and we decided to go ahead and give him the rest of the year off, freshen him up and bring him back as a 4-year-old.”