Santa Anita news: Sadler has 'good shot' to end Breeders' Cup drought
John Sadler is not openly offended or even noticeably miffed when gently reminded he has never won a Breeders’ Cup race from 41 starters during an otherwise stellar career that began four decades ago.
He deals with the issue straight on, and is optimistic the drought might very well end two weeks hence.
The 52-year-old Long Beach native could terminate that shabby streak with one or more of four scheduled starters in the championship events at Churchill Downs, two of them favored early on, Accelerate in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 3 and Catalina Cruiser in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile the same day.
Asked if he feels more confident about the latter two winning than perhaps any of his previous runners, Sadler said, “I think so. They’re going to be shorter prices, and I like that, so we’re feeling very good about it.
“There’s still a lot to be determined, the weather, the draw and stuff like that, but we’ve got a good shot, there’s no doubt about that . . . we’ve got fairly low odds.”
Sadler has his riders set, with Joel Rosario on Accelerate; Drayden Van Dyke aboard Catalina Cruiser and Catapult (Dirt Mile); and Tyler Baze on Selcourt (Filly & Mare Sprint).
BELLAFINA FIRES BULLET FOR JUVENILE FILLIES
With owner Kaleem Shah on hand, Chandelier Stakes winner and Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies favorite Bellafina worked five furlongs Friday morning in a minute flat for her ultimate goal at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2.
“I’m really happy,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “She’ll have one more breeze here before leaving for Kentucky.”
“They went well,” said Baffert, who also sent Dream Tree (Filly & Mare Sprint) five furlongs in a bullet 58.80, handily from the gate, the fastest of 43 drills at the distance, and Juvenile favorite Game Winner six furlongs in 1:13 flat.
Other Breeders’ Cup workers were Anonymity (Filly & Mare Sprint, three furlongs in 37 flat for Richard Mandella); Giant Expectations (Dirt Mile, five furlongs in 59.80 for Peter Eurton, who has engaged Julien Leparoux for the race); Pavel (Classic, six furlongs in 1:13.20) for Doug O’Neill; and It’s Gonna Hurt (Juvenile Turf Sprint) four furlongs in 48.60 for Brian Koriner.
GELDED SPARKY VILLE HEADS SUNNY SLOPE
Jeff Bonde hopes softer company leads to victory when Sparky Ville runs in Sunday’s $70,000 Sunny Slope Stakes for two-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs.
The son of Candy Ride is coming off a distant second in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes on Aug. 11, followed by an even more distant sixth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity Sept. 3.
“He ran with the bears,” the trainer said of the chestnut bred in Kentucky by Aaron and Marie Jones. “We gelded the horse since his last start and Gary (Stevens) is back on. He’s ridden him in his last three races so he knows him well.”
The Sunny Slope, race seven of nine with a 12:30 p.m. first post time: Seven Scents, Geovanni Franco; Shark, Tiago Pereira; Sparky Ville, Gary Stevens; Rickey B, Franklin Ceballos; Savagery, Joe Talamo; and Principe Carlo, Tyler Baze.
FINISH LINES: In his first ride since being injured in a training mishap Sept. 26, jockey Martin Garcia finished third in Thursday’s eighth race aboard Sedamar for owner/trainer Mick Ruis. “I’m happy to be back,” Garcia said Friday morning, adding as his first-time agent Thom Mitchell stood within easy earshot, “I’m happy with my agent, too.”