Trainer 'unhappy' with Mongolian Groom's final Breeders' Cup work
While Mongolian Groom came out of Sunday’s five-furlong work in fine shape, trainer Enebish Ganbat said Monday that he was not pleased with the time toward the Breeders' Cup Classic under exercise rider Jesse Cardenas.
“I was unhappy with it because the saddle moved back,” Ganbat said, “so he went very slowly, 1:02.”
Mongolian Groom was a surprise, 25-1 winner of Santa Anita Park's Awesome Again Stakes (G1) back on Sept. 28, when the son of Hightail led from gate to wire in the “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge race to earn a Classic berth.
“His last breeze before the Awesome Again, he went an easy one minute (1:00.80). Yesterday I told the rider I wanted between 1:00 and 1:00," Ganbat said. "The 1:02 was slow.”
Mongolian Groom walked Monday morning and will return to the track Tuesday to jog.
As far as other contenders exiting their final works, assistant trainer Riley Mott reported “all good” with the duo of Elate and Yoshida.
While Yoshida visited the track under exercise rider Juan Quintero around 7 a.m. PT after working four furlongs in 50 flat Sunday, Elate walked the shedrow following her 3/8-mile breeze in 36 4/5.
Steve Tripp says War of Will's "going great" after the Saturday worker galloped a mile on Monday.
"He seems to really be enjoying this weather," Tripp added.
A number of other Classic contenders are set to join at Santa Anita with Code of Honor and Vino Rosso, 1-2 in Belmont Park's Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), traveling cross country on Monday. Math Wizard and Owendale will make the trek Tuesday.
Works are done with likely favorite McKinzie turned in a five-furlong bullet in 1:00.20 Monday.
“It was nice, nice and smooth," said trainer Bob Baffert. "He got into a nice rhythm. It was just enough. I wanted to give him something light. He’s had two pretty stiff works. It was just perfect and he handled it well. He should come out running.”
A field of 11 is expected at Monday night's post position draw.