Breeders' Cup Classic or Turf for Dullahan?

Pacific Classic winner Dullahan is one of five horses bedded down at Barn 76 for trainer Dale Romans, who is preparing the quintet for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 and 3.

“The horses got in Monday, and Tuesday was their first day on the race track,” said Romans’ assistant of 21 years, former jockey Tammy Fox, who’s as big as a New York minute but 100 times as gracious and knowledgeable.

“They all seem to be training really well and all seem to like the surface,” Fox said at the barn Thursday morning after returning from the track. “It’s been hot here, which is why Dale wanted to get here early and get them used to the weather, because it’s cooled off in Kentucky (their point of departure). So far, so good.”

Dullahan is scheduled to work Saturday on Santa Anita’s turf course, Fox said, adding, “he’ll come back and work next Saturday on the dirt. Whichever one I decide that he likes the best, that’s the one we’re going to go with, so I hope I pick the right one.”

That means Dullahan would run in either the $3 million Turf at 1 ½ miles or the $5 million Classic at 1 ¼ miles on dirt. Both races are Nov. 3.

The other four Romans’ runners here awaiting the Breeders’ Cup are Little Mike (Mile); Moon Walk (Juvenile Fillies Turf); Shackleford (Dirt Mile); and Sustained (Juvenile Fillies Turf).

“This is my first time on horses here at Santa Anita,” Fox said. “We’ve been here before, but I’ve never been on a horse over the track. I was just in and out to watch a race or two.”

Bob Baffert maintained his high praise for Santa Anita’s conventional dirt surface. “Ever since it rained (three-quarters of an inch last Thursday), the track’s been great,” said the Hall of Fame trainer, leading the pack just past the halfway mark in pursuit of his record 11th title at The Great Race Place.

Added Fox philosophically: “Everybody has to run on the same surface, so why complain about it?”