Upstart California Angel's Breeders' Cup has bumpy beginning

Photo: Candice Chavez/Eclipse Sportswire

Del Mar, Calif.

The feel-good story of this year's Breeders' Cup is off to a rocky start.

Graded-stakes winner California Angel, the bargain-basement buy for low-profile trainer George Leonard III, landed the dreaded post 14 for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf during Monday's post-position draw held in the Del Mar paddock. Furthermore, Leonard revealed that California Angel remained stuck in Indianapolis because of multiple flight delays.

"Everybody here has been super nice and this is a beautiful place – I'll just be a lot happier when she gets here," said Leonard, who is participating in his first Breeders' Cup with California Angel. "We've had a couple of delays and she hasn't gotten here yet. So I'm a little nervous until she gets here and gets in her stall."

Transport to this year's Breeders' Cup has been a logistical challenge for horsemen as issues with Tex Sutton forced the Breeders' Cup to charter two FedEx flights to ship horses out of Newark, N.J., on Sunday and Indianapolis on Monday. The flights do not allow horsemen to send their own handlers to accompany their charges. Instead, employees of Tex Sutton will be enlisted.

"I couldn't send any of my people, and that just makes things even more stressful," Leonard said. "Things will be a lot easier when she gets here. Then I can relax a little bit."

After Monday's draw, a representative of the stable office at Del Mar said the horses from Indianapolis, which also were to include Brad Cox horses such as Essential Quality, Knicks Go and Shedaresthedevil, were expected to arrive at the track by about 10:30 p.m. PDT.

While the travel frustrations were first and foremost on Leonard's mind, California Angel's seemingly poor draw was taken in stride by the cowboy-hat wearing trainer. She will be parked widest of all for the short run-up to the first turn in the one-mile Juvenile Fillies Turf.

"That doesn't bother me at all," Leonard said of the draw. "She has enough tactical speed she'll be fine from the 14. We're all right. We shouldn't get in any trouble. We're on the outside, and destiny is all up to her from there."

California Angel provided Leonard, who has been training since 1991, with his first graded-stakes win when rallying widest of all to win the Oct. 13 Jessamine Stakes (G2) at Keeneland. The California Chrome filly previously had won her debut on turf at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 8 and then 22 days later was third against allowance company on the dirt at Churchill Downs.

California Angel, who will have Rafael Bejarano in the irons, is the 8-1 co-fourth choice on the morning line.