Dennis' Moment working himself into Breeders' Cup favoritism
Dennis’ Moment, his talent well known in Kentucky, appeared to take that ability west on Friday at Santa Anita Park, where the top Breeders’ Cup Juvenile contender impressed while working a bullet half mile in 46 3/5 seconds.
Tammy Fox, who breezed the son of Tiznow for trainer Dale Romans, told TVG that “there’s no difference in this horse” on Santa Anita’s dirt.
“He came from Churchill feeling the same way over here as he did there,” Fox added. “I haven’t felt anything different with this horse. He likes it here. He’s been enjoying himself.”
Given the buzz surrounding Dennis’ Moment, favoritism seems to be leaning his way for next Friday’s Juvenile, which will also feature the local American Pharoah Stakes (G1) winner Eight Rings and Maxfield, who took Keeneland’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1).
“With him, he’s just such a professional. It looked like he was skipping over the track,” Romans told TVG after Friday’s work.
The trainer went with a half-mile breeze rather than Dennis' Moment's regular 5/8 not wanting the colt to go too fast the week before the biggest race of his life -- that's so far for a horse connections are already hoping will take them back to the Kentucky Derby.
"He went fast, but you could just watch and tell he was well within himself doing it," Romans said. "It doesn’t take anything out of him."
A $400,000 yearling purchase for Albaugh Family Stables, Dennis’ Moment has drawn comparisons to Not This Time, the Romans runner who finished second to Classic Empire the last time the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile ran at Santa Anita.
“I don’t know that I’ve had one better than him right now,” Romans said of Dennis’ Moment. “I know I’ve had some good ones. This horse has done things that I haven’t seen horses do around me before.
“It’s not just what he does on the racetrack. It’s the temperament around the barn. He’s just something special.”
Romans owns three Breeders' Cup victories, the most recent of them in 2012 when Little Mike won the Turf.