Masochistic Training Well for SA Sprint Championship
Masochistic couldn’t hold off Wild Dude as the 2-5 favorite in the Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar July 26, but the lightening quick gelding could make amends in Saturday’s Grade I, Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge race at six furlongs.
“I probably ran him back a little too quick after the big race (a 3 ½-length victory in the Grade I Triple Bend at Santa Anita on June 27), and he really didn’t handle Del Mar very well, so he’s back at a track he really likes,” trainer Ron Ellis said of the California-bred son of Sought After owned by Los Pollos Hermanos Racing or Jay Em Ess Stable.
“He worked phenomenally Saturday (six furlongs in a bullet 1:11.20 under Tyler Baze, who rides him in the Sprint). It was really amazing.”
Masochistic, a winner of six of nine starts with two seconds overall, is three-for-four at Santa Anita, with career earnings of $583,850.
Wild Dude, second last out in the Grade II Pat O’Brien at Del Mar Aug. 22, will be back to take on Masochistic in the Sprint, reunited with Rafael Bejarano, replacing the injured Flavien Prat, who had ridden Wild Dude in his last three starts.
Wild Dude worked six furlongs today in 1:18 from the gate for Jerry Hollendorfer.
Indexical, third in the Pat O’Brien, also is a likely starter for Ben Cecil, who trains the chestnut ridgling by Latent Heat for J. Paul Reddam. Mario Gutierrez rides.
FINISH LINES: Despite reports that Bayern’s retirement already has been announced, “it is being evaluated right now,” Bob Baffert said Sunday morning at Santa Anita. Bayern, who won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, is winless since, a string that reached five races after his third-place finish as the 6-5 favorite in Saturday’s Awesome Again Stakes. “We’ll know in a few days,” Baffert said of retirement plans . . . Jerry Hollendorfer was more than pleased with the 4 ½-length romp by unbeaten Songbird in the Chandelier Stakes. “Very good,” he said when asked how the $400,000 daughter of Medaglia d’Oro came out of the race, quickly adding, ”As a matter of fact, she came back perfect.” . . . Trainer Doug O’Neill said that unbeaten Nyquist came out of his hard-earned, three-quarter length victory in Saturday’s FrontRunner Stakes “in great shape,” as did Land Over Sea, runner-up to odds-on favorite Songbird in the Chandelier . . . Ditto for Monster Mare Beholder, who came back “great” from an her third straight victory in the Zenyatta Stakes as Richard Mandella prepares the 5-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes owned by B. Wayne Hughes for a probable start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic . . . Grade I winner Warren’s Veneda, who finished seventh of eight in the Zenyatta after being crowded at the start, “ran down real bad on her front legs,” trainer Craig Lewis reported Sunday morning . . . Committed front-runner Distinctiv Passion, winner of the Grade III Los Angeles Stakes last May 25, worked four furlongs Sunday in a bullet 45.60 for Jeff Bonde, who has the Florida-bred son of With Distinction nominated to Saturday’s Santa Anita Sprint Championship . . . Santa Anita Derby winner Dortmund worked five furlongs in 1:01.20, while Om, prepping for the Grade II, $200,000 Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf Oct. 24, worked five furlongs in 1:02.80 for Dan Hendricks . . . Next Friday, Oct. 2, is Photography Day at Santa Anita. Photographers can receive special photo credentials that include Clubhouse Admission, hot breakfast, a Seabiscuit backstretch tour, a track program, and enjoy a panel conducted by trainers and jockeys. A $10 discount is available using promo code HORSE2015 online. Advance tickets are available at www.santaanita.com/events . . . Live racing resumes 1 p.m. next Thursday at Santa Anita. Every Thursday and Friday during the Autumn Meet, Santa Anita offers free General Admission and free general parking.
Source: Santa Anita Park