Farrell could parlay Personal Ensign effort into Breeders' Cup start
Wayne Catalano has been around horses nearly his entire life. An exercise rider for Hall of Famer Jack Van Berg as a teenager, he became a jockey, won his first race in 1974, and totaled nearly 1,800 winners over a nine-year career.
Based in Chicago, he turned to training in 1983, had a taste of Kentucky Derby fever with Louisiana Derby and Arkansas Derby winner Crypto Star, won Breeders' Cup races with Dreaming of Anna, She Be Wild and Stephanie's Kitten, and has saddled nearly 2,800 winners.
On Saturday, he will send out Farrell, his talented 4-year-old filly, in the "Win and You're In'' Breeders' Cup Distaff qualifier Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign, the seventh race (post time 2:59 p.m.) on a stellar Travers Day card featuring seven graded stakes worth $4.95 million and highlighted by the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers.
"She's training great, we love the way she's coming into the race," the 62-year-old conditioner said Thursday. "She galloped like a monster this morning. It's a very tough race, but the filly's doing great and that's all you can ask for."
The field of six fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles is led by 6-5 morning-line favorite Abel Tasman and 7-5 second choice Elate, with Wow Cat third choice at 4-1, Farrell 6-1, Fuhriously Kissed 20-1 and She Takes Heart 50-1.
While trainer Bob Baffert's Abel Tasman is the top choice off her dominating win in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on June 9 at Saratoga and Elate was an easy winner in the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap in her first race of 2018, Farrell should not be overlooked, says Catalano.
The Malibu Moon filly owned by Coffeepot Stables held on to beat Wow Cat by a neck in the 1 1 /8-mile, Grade 3 Shuvee on July 29 at Saratoga, following runner-up finishes in the Grade 1 La Troienne and the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis, both at Churchill Downs. In the La Troienne, Farrell finished second and Abel Tasman was fourth.
"She's gotten bigger and stronger and [is] carrying herself further,'' said Catalano, who also won the 2012 Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga with Stephanie's Kitten. "I've been very fortunate to have a few good ones, but Farrell is right up with those others. She's earned over a million dollars and has won some big races."
The resume is strong. She broke her maiden in her second start, then went on a four-race winning streak to close out her 2-year-old campaign and open her 3-year-old season - taking the Grade 2 Golden Rod in November at Churchill Downs, and the Silverbulletday, the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra and the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks, all at Fair Grounds, to start 2017 off. Farrell was 14th in the slop in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks won by Abel Tasman, and closed out her 3-year-old campaign with a win in the Grade 2 Chilukki at Churchill Downs.
Farrell, who will be ridden by regular jockey Channing Hill, has a 2-2-1 record in seven starts this year, and a career record of 8-2-2 from 17 starts for earnings of $1,064,777.
"The past is the past,'' said Catalano. "Right now is what we need to be concerned with."
A good showing in the Personal Ensign could lead to a next start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs.
"That would be ideal,'' said Catalano.