On the Breeders' Cup worktab
Godolphin had its Blue Crew out early as usual on Sunday as the first morning of Pacific Standard Time dawned at Santa Anita.
Champion MIDSHIPMAN (Unbridled's Song), successful in a September 18 allowance/optional claimer at Belmont Park in his belated three-year-old debut, logged six furlongs in 1:13 over the Pro-Ride. The chestnut colt, who is expected to contest Saturday's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), posted splits of :13 3/5, :26 1/5, :37 3/5, :49 2/5 and 1:00 1/5 for his work before galloping out in 1:26 2/5. Last-out Forego S. (G1) hero PYRO (Pulpit) covered five-eighths in 1:03 2/5 under Angel Cordero Jr. for trainer Saeed bin Suroor. The four-year-old dark bay, who is readying for the Dirt Mile, is no stranger to Thoroughbred's championship day, having run second in the 2007 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and sixth in last year's Dirt Mile. He clocked fractions of :13 4/5, :26 3/5, :38 4/5 and :51 while galloping out in 1:17 4/5. Ancient Title S. (G1) winner GAYEGO (Gilded Time), headed for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), traveled five furlongs in 1:00 4/5, getting splits of :13 2/5, :25 4/5, :37 3/5 and :49 4/5. |
Super Derby (G2) victor REGAL RANSOM (Distorted Humor), readying for either the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) or the Dirt Mile, exercised five furlongs in :59 1/5. He galloped out in 1:12 3/5 after recording fractions of :13 1/5, :24 1/5, :35 3/5 and :47 4/5.
Last-out Jerome H. (G2) winner GIROLAMO (A.P. Indy) covered five-eighths in :59 1/5 and is listed for both the Classic, where he'll need to draw in from the also-eligible ranks, and the Dirt Mile. The four-year-old posted splits of :36 2/5 and :48 1/5 while galloping out in 1:11 4/5. "Everything went according to plan," said Henry Spiller, assistant to bin Suroor. "I'm very happy with how they worked. Regal Ransom worked first at 5:10 a.m. (PST). He went off a lot better today. He went off in :12 and four (fifths) and galloped out in :59 1/5 and did it all very much in hand. I'm very happy with him." "Both couldn't be better," added Richard Migliore, who worked Regal Ransom and Gayego. "They're as good as a horse can be. Regal Ransom was aggressive with me again, but as aggressive as he was, he was more reasonable today. He went off in :12 and change instead of :11 and change, like last week. Gayego is just a very happy horse." Oak Leaf S. (G1) runner-up ALWAYS A PRINCESS (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]), expected to contest Friday's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), blazed a five-eighths bullet in :58 2/5, recording the best of 61 moves for the distance on the day. Working in company with fellow juvenile and allowance winner Miss Heather Lee (Trippi), who was clocked in :58 3/5, the chestnut miss had Joey Steiner aboard for the move. |
"She felt really good," the former jockey said. "We had kind of an easy pace. She was on the bit, and she finished up good. She's strong; she's really doing good."
Aptly named Oak Leaf scorer BLIND LUCK (Pollard's Vision), whose only loss to date came as a second in the Darley Debutante (G1), worked five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 in advance of the Juvenile Fillies. "It was a very good work," trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. "She went real slow early and finished up real good, her last eighth in :11.47. I got her a little faster than that, but we don't care. She's ready." Recent Alcibiades S. (G1) victress NEGLIGEE (Northern Afleet), whose only career loss from three starts came as a second in the Ontario Debutante S. at Woodbine, negotiated four panels in the second fastest time of :46 4/5. The John P. Terranova II charge will go for her second Grade 1 win in the Juvenile Fillies. Breeders' Futurity (G1) scorer NOBLE'S PROMISE (Cuvee), whose only loss came in his career debut, posted five panels in :59 1/5. The Kenny McPeek-trained two-year-old is gearing up for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). Norfolk S. (G1) runner-up PULSION (Include), pre-entered in the Juvenile, went five furlongs in 1:02 3/5. Working in company with stablemate Sea of Marmara (Johannesburg), who was clocked in 1:02 1/5, the bay colt rattled off fractions of :12 4/5, :25 2/5, :38 and :50 2/5. |
Multiple Grade 1 king EINSTEIN (Brz) (Spend a Buck), most recently runner-up by a neck in the Pacific Classic (G1), logged four furlongs in :47 4/5. The Helen Pitts-Blasi trainee is gearing up for the Classic.
Grade 2 heroine LETHAL HEAT (Unusual Heat), runner-up in the California Cup Classic against the boys and Lady's Secret S. (G1) to Zenyatta (Street Cry [Ire]) in her past two, worked a bullet four furlongs in :46 3/5, the quickest of 46 other moves at the distance on the day. Trained by Barry Abrams, the four-year-old lass will try her luck in either the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (G1) or the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint one day later. Grade 1 victor COST OF FREEDOM (Cee's Tizzy), fourth as the defending champion in the Ancient Title, worked three-quarters in 1:12 2/5 as he prepares for the Sprint. The John Sadler charge, who was entered in last year's Sprint only to be scratched after veterinary inspection, posted fractions of :24 2/5, :36 1/5, :48 3/5 and 1:00 3/5. Grade 2 winner CROWN OF THORNS (Repent), runner-up in the Ancient Title in only his second start off a 19-month vacation, negotiated five panels in :59 4/5 to ready for either the Dirt Mile or Sprint. Working in company with La Jolla H. (G2) victor Meteore (Pulpit), who got five furlongs in :59 4/5 as he gears up for the Oak Tree Derby (G2) on Breeders' Cup Saturday, Crown of Thorns was caught in splits of :12, :24, :35 3/5 and :48 1/5. |
Pennsylvania Derby (G2) runner-up JOIN IN THE DANCE (Sky Mesa) prepared for his bid in the Sprint with a half-mile move in :47. The Todd Pletcher-conditioned sophomore, last seen running fourth in the Ohio Derby (G2), has second preference in the Dirt Mile.
Multiple Grade 2-placed ALLICANSAYIS WOW (Street Cry [Ire]), runner-up to the boys in the Del Mar Mile H. (G2) two back, worked a half-mile in :47 1/5 in advance of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) on Friday. Brooklyn H. (G2) victor ELDAAFER (A.P. Indy), unplaced in the Hawthorne Gold Cup H. (G2) when last seen, traveled four furlongs in :48. The Diane Alvarado runner is expected to go in the Breeders' Cup Marathon on Friday. Allowance winner ON FIRE (Pulpit) posted five panels in 1:00 3/5 for the Marathon. Multiple Grade 2 hero COWBOY CAL (Giant's Causeway), who will go in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) off a win in the Oak Tree Mile S. (G2), worked a half-mile on Santa Anita's firm turf in :48. The four-year-old, who has second preference in the Dirt Mile, recorded fractions of :12 3/5, :24 1/5 and :36 3/5. |
Multiple Grade 3 winner CALIFORNIA FLAG (Avenue of Flags), who defended his title in the Morvich H. (G3) last out, logged four furlongs on the green in :48 in advance of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. He knocked off splits of :11 2/5, :23 3/5 and :35 4/5.
Turf Sprint candidate and multiple stakes winner CANNONBALL (Catienus) traveled five-eighths in a bullet :59 2/5. The Wesley Ward charge, a strong runner-up in the Golden Jubilee S. (Eng-G1) two back, captured his American comeback in the Commentator S. DAD'S CRAZY (Langfuhr), winner of the off-the-turf Miss Grillo S. last out, traveled four grassy panels in :48 3/5. The juvenile miss is on the also-eligible list for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Summer S. (Can-G3) runner-up BECKY'S KITTEN (Kitten's Joy), headed for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, worked five furlongs on the turf in 1:00. Over Hollywood Park's Cushion Track, multiple Grade 2 veteran WHATSTHESCRIPT (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]) covered three-quarters in 1:11 4/5. Coming off a third in the Oak Tree Mile, the John Sadler trainee is headed to the Mile, a race in which he finished third last year. |
Grade 3-placed TENGA CAT (Storm Cat), fifth in the Morvich H. (G3) most recently, breezed a half-mile in :48 4/5. The six-year-old dark bay is on the also-eligible list for the Turf Sprint.