Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Report - Oct 31
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Photo:
Breeders' Cup
Delegation – Gary
Barber’s Delegation galloped 1 1/2m on Wednesday morning as part of trainer
Mark Casse’s five-horse Breeders’ Cup contingent and then was sent to the
starting gate for a lesson.
“He’s still a little wound up
and I’d like to see him calm down a little, but he is on his toes,” said Casse,
the winner of four Sovereign Awards as Canada’s top conditioner. “We took him
to the gate and he was feeling good, although he was a little tough there.”
The 3yo gelded son of 2004
Sprint winner Speightstown has been blessed with plenty of speed and comes to
the Dirt Mile fresh from a pair of gate-to-wire scores.
“If the pace if fast enough,
he’ll rate a little. But if not, he’ll be right on it. I expect him to run
really well,” Casse said.
Emcee – Godolphin
Racing’s Emcee galloped 1 1/2m Wednesday morning at Santa Anita, prepping for a
start in the Dirt Mile.
The 4yo son of Unbridled’s
Song has been a most welcome member of Kiaran McLaughlin’s stable, especially
since he wasn't expected to stay in the barn very long after he impressively
broke his maiden at first asking at Belmont Park last fall.
“When he broke his maiden we
had identified him as a top horse for Godolphin, so we sent him to Florida for
30 days quarantine in Ocala to go to Dubai,” McLaughlin said. “A day or two
before he was supposed to fly, he spiked a temperature of 103-and-change and
couldn’t fly.
“Since he missed the flight
over, they decided, ‘Oh, well, just leave him with Kiaran,’ and they sent him
to us at Palm Meadows (Training Center). So it worked out very well.”
Fed Biz – Trainer
Bob Baffert is looking for an improved effort for his 3yo colt Fed Biz in the Dirt
Mile.
Following a near seven-month
layoff, he came back to win the El Cajon
Stakes at Del Mar in a photo over Jimmy Creed, who will run in the Sprint. Fed
Biz came off that race to finish third, beaten a length, in the Indiana Derby at
Hoosier Park.
“He’s sharp now,” Baffert
said. “Coming off that layoff, he wound up in a real ‘horse race’ at Del Mar.
He had to run real hard and it set him back a bit. Then we had to ship (to
Indiana) and that can take something out of them. But he’s back going good now.
I’m looking for a solid effort from him Saturday.”
Jersey Town – Charles
Fipke’s Jersey Town was aboard a Tex Sutton flight that originated in Newburgh,
N.Y., Wednesday morning and arrived at the Ontario, Calif., airport at noon.
Rail Trip – The
7yo gelding was shipped to Santa Anita Wednesday noon after working 4f at
Betfair Hollywood Park under jockey Jose Valdivia Jr.
“I got him in 48 and
2/5," said trainer Ron Ellis, satisfied with the drill. "He was just
galloping along.”
Shackleford – The
Forestry colt made another fine appearance Wednesday and has his trainer Dale
Romans thinking he’s sitting on a big effort as he attempts to avenge his loss
in the same race last year.
“He couldn’t be training any
better,” Romans said. “I’ve never seen him train better.”
While it is likely the Dirt
Mile will be the last race of Shackleford’s career, it is not a certainty
according to his trainer.
“We’ll have to see what
happens this weekend,” Romans said. “We could go in the Cigar Mile or that race
at Churchill (Clark Handicap). It would be nice to send him out with a bang for
his owners and fans.”
Shackleford has developed
quite a following since winning the 2011 Preakness and on Saturday, Oct. 27,
nearly 100 fans came by the barn to see him on invitation by his connections.
“We had a lot more people
than I expected,” Romans said. “I think the fans have been attracted to him
because he’s so tough. He’s shown up at every dance. And, he’s such a good
looking horse. All the good horses have funny characteristics that people latch
on to. We were happy to have all the people come to see him. The fans are the backbone
of this business.”
Tapizar – RonWinchell’s colt was one of five
Breeders’ Cup starters for trainer Steve Asmussen that returned to the track to
gallop Wednesday following 4f workouts Monday.
“They’re all doing well,”
Asmussen said. “They all just had easy gallops. It’s a matter of keeping them
all happy now.”
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