BC contenders on their way to Santa Anita

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's Belmont-based squad of Royal Delta, Close

Hatches, Emollient and Ron the Greek departed Long Island MacArthur Airport at

approximately 10:30 a.m. (EDT) Monday. Flat Out, who had been training in

Saratoga, arrived in California on Sunday.

Royal Delta is seeking a three-peat in the Distaff, where she will be joined

by Close Hatches. Ron the Greek and Flat Out will renew rivalry in the Classic,

and Emollient is set for the Filly & Mare Turf.

Todd Pletcher on Monday shipped almost all of his Breeders' Cup starters --

the two exceptions being Palace Malice (Classic) and Havana (Juvenile) -- on

that flight from Long Island MacArthur Airport. As for Palace Malice and Havana,

both colts are scheduled to fly to California on Tuesday morning.

Trainer Mike Hushion's Breeders' Cup starters, Artemis Agrotera and The

Lumber Guy, are likewise flying from New York to California on a Tuesday morning

flight from Long Island MacArthur Airport.

On Sunday, Artemis Agrotera breezed five furlongs over Belmont's training

track in 1:01 3/5 while The Lumber Guy breezed four furlongs in :48 2/5. Both

horses walked Monday during training.

"I feel like we're bringing over a very live horse in the Juvenile Fillies,"

Hushion said of Artemis Agrotera. "I am a little worried about her getting a bit

too anxious before the race because she can be very high strung, but she's

trained great since the Frizette. Her work yesterday was perfect."

The Lumber Guy finished second in the Sprint a year ago. The colt, however,

was a flat seventh last out in Belmont's Vosburgh.

"I couldn't have been more wrong about the Vosburgh," Hushion said. "I loved

the way he went into that race and he just didn't fire. All I can say is he is

nice and sound, his feet have been good and he's trained as good as ever. We've

changed his training over the last couple of weeks by really taking it easy with

him and not letting him breeze as fast. I'm hoping that makes a difference."

The final European contingent from the powerful Ballydoyle stable is due in

Monday night at Los Angeles International airport at around 9:45 p.m. (PDT).

They include Breeders' Cup Classic hope Declaration of War, Magician (Turf),

Cristoforo Colombo (Mile), Giovanni Boldini and Wilshire Boulevard (Juvenile

Turf).

Godolphin's Outstrip, the first English-based horse to arrive at Santa Anita

and clear quarantine, went out onto the training track at 8:45 a.m. with his

work rider Wille Ravetto in the saddle, jogging for a couple of laps before

having a steady canter around one lap of the main track.

The other English horses that arrived Saturday evening are expected to be out

on the track first thing Tuesday morning and will include Planteur (Classic),

The Fugue (Turf), Dank (Filly & Mare Turf), Olympic Glory (Mile), along with the

juveniles Al Thakhira, Chriselliam and Shamshon. London Bridge (Marathon)

completes the nine-horse challenge from England.

The French team consisting of Romantica (Filly & Mare Turf) and Vorda

(Juvenile Fillies Turf) also cleared quarantine Monday morning and experienced

the Santa Anita surroundings for the first time. Romantica jogged one circuit of

the training track before returning to the barn while Vorda went twice round

also at a jog.

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