Breeder's Cup Distaff Wednesday notes and quotes from Del Mar
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Here are notes and quotes from Wednesday morning at Del Mar looking ahead to Saturday's
Breeders' Cup Distaff.
Alice Verite
Trainer: Kazuya Nakatake
Jockey: Kyle Frey
Morning activity: Breezed five furlongs in 1:01 with Kyle Frey aboard
Planned activity: She won’t go to the track Wednesday morning, and it will be light work on Friday morning.
The quote: “Kyle breezed her this morning and he told me that she is better than last year. It was a great run last year. It is great honor to run in the Distaff, and I hope she will run her race on Saturday.” – stable representative, Yuichiro Mibuchi
Alice Verite finished fourth in the Distaff last year.
Clicquot
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Morning activity: Galloped an easy lap of Del Mar’s dirt track
Planned activity: Gallop then paddock school.
The quote: “She definitely looked to get over the track well today, moving over it great. She gate schooled today and will paddock school tomorrow. I’m very happy with her and Gin Gin going into the race. So far, so good.” – Brendan Walsh
Dorth Vader
Trainer: George Weaver
Jockey: John Velazquez
Morning activity: Galloped on the main track, schooled in the paddock
The quote: “She’s been a star of our stable. She is very athletic and always has been. She covers ground easily, a very forward filly. She has matured over time. Early on, she was a little edgy and could get nervous about things. She’s really settled into a nice groove now as she’s gotten older, and it’s shown in her races. She has been able to show how much she can run.” – George Weaver
Dry Powder
Trainer: Chad Summers
Jockey: Antonio Fresu
Morning activity: Stood in the gate, jogged two miles
Planned activity: Jog one mile, school in the paddock
The quote: “One day is better than the next. We’re excited about Saturday. I was really surprised that she was on her best behavior (paddock schooling this week), We got permission from the stewards to saddle her with the pony in front, and it’s just what she likes. We want to keep it that way.” – Chad Summers
Gin Gin
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Morning activity: Galloped an easy lap of Del Mar’s dirt track
Planned activity: Gallop then paddock school for a second time.
The quote: “She went out early this morning, which keeps her calm. That’s what we like to do with her. She will go a little later tomorrow and will gate school and then will probably paddock school again tomorrow. She’s doing very well but is a high-energy filly.” – Brendan Walsh
Morning activity: Galloped 1 1/4 miles under Gregory Benitez
Planned activity: Same as Wednesday
The quote: Hennig saddled his first Breeders’ Cup starter in 1993 shortly after going out on his own. That was Demaloot Demashoot, who ran fifth to Cardmania in the Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita. “That’s been a long time,” Hennig said.
Before that he was an assistant to D.Wayne Lukas, who shares the Breeders’ Cup record for most victories at 20 with Aidan O’Brien. Lukas’ best single Breeders' Cup was in 1988 at Churchill Downs.
“He had a big day that year. He won the Sprint with Gulch, the Juvenile Fillies with Open Mind and the Juvenile with Is It True,” Hennig said.
Were you there to enjoy it? “No. I was at Belmont with his string there,” Hennig said.
Majestic Oops
Trainer: Dan Ward
Morning activity: Galloped once around
Planned activity: Will gallop at the same time
The quote: Trainer Dan Ward, a Southern California native and former assistant to Hall of Famers Bobby Frankel and Jerry Hollendorfer, is happy to be back at Del Mar for the first time since 2019. He arrived in town Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s really good to be back,” Ward said. “I know everybody.”
Ward also hasn’t had a Breeders’ Cup starter since 2019, when he ran his first two horses as head trainer. He finished second on the Filly & Mare Turf with Vasilika and fifth in the Filly & Mare Sprint with Danuska’s My Girl. This year, he has Majestic Oops in the Distaff. She comes in off a fourth in the Delaware Handicap (G3) on Sept. 28.
“We’ll give her one bad race,” Ward said. “The track was as hard as this road that day. She’s doing really good.”
Morning activity: Galloped once around
Planned activity: Will gallop
The quote: “We're ready, so it's just a matter of keeping her happy.” – Mark Casse
Nitrogen enters the Distaff off a second in the Spintster (G1) at Keeneland Oct. 5. When asked whether he had tweaked anything in Nitrogen’s training after that race, Casse said he hadn’t. For him, it’s more about the timing.
“I had to make a decision,” Casse said. “I like her back in four weeks. That's kind of her deal. It was one of the reasons why we chose the Spinster. There were a couple reasons, but that was one of them. So, I like how we have good timing going into this race.” – Mark Casse
Morning activity: Visited starting gate and galloped under Josue Rodriguez
Planned activity: Gallop Thursday
The quote: Beckman has been training on his own since the fall of 2021 and is making his first trip to Del Mar. “It has been a fun ride. You start out with two horses and you are out of the mainstream. You look for bigger spots, and I have been fortunate enough to run in the (Kentucky) Derby and Oaks. I hope this is the springboard to take me to the next step.” – Whit Beckman
Trainer: Ignacio Correas IV
Morning activity: Jogged under Geovanny Vences
Planned activity: Gallop Thursday
The quote: “I would like to see her three to four lengths off the pace, stalking. In Argentina, she was a little closer, but this is a different dance.” – Ignacio Correas IV
Scottish Lassie
Trainer: Jorge Abreu
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Morning activity: Galloped 1 1/4 miles on the main track, schooled in the paddock
Planned activity: Gallop 1 1/4 miles
The quote: “She looked like she was smooth galloping around there. She’s pretty laid back. She’s been here before. So far, we’re in good shape.” – Jorge Abreu
Morning activity: Galloped 1 3/8 miles
Planned activity: Same as Wednesday
The quote: “I am bowled over by all of them when they first come in. When we first breezed her, we knew she was special. She was a beautiful, big and long. She goes over this track so well, and the track is in such great condition.” – Bob Baffert
Morning activity: Jogged one mile
Planned activity: Will gallop at same time
The quote: “We had her back on the track (after working four furlongs in 46 3/5 Monday), and she was good. At this point (with Classic runner Sovereignty ruled out of the race), I will direct my attention to Scylla, (trainer son) Riley, Miguel (Clement) and Will (Walden). I will be rooting for them. It would be great if all of them could win a Breeders’ Cup race.” – Bill Mott
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