Black Seventeen (Tr: Brian Koriner; ex. rider: Colleen Hartford) - The roulette horse - Black Seventeen - jogged 2m at Santa Anita Wednesday with assistant trainer Colleen Hartford in the saddle.
Former quarter-horse trainer Brian Koriner who had made a name for himself during a decade in Southern California at Los Alamitos before shifting to the "long" horses, talked about the six post his charge had drawn in the nine-horse $2 million Sentient Flight Group Breeders' Cup Sprint field.
"All things considered, I've got no problems with his spot," he said. "There is speed outside us in Fatal Bullet and he's a fast one we're going to have to consider. Ideally, I'd like no speed at all out there and we're in control. But in this circumstance we'll key on him (Fatal Bullet) and see how it goes. Your rider has to see how they come out of there and act accordingly.
"If Black Seventeen breaks like a shot, maybe you just go on with him. If Fatal Bullet is breaking quick too, you want to go on inside and stay within a neck of him to get your spot.
"I'm afraid to give a rider specific instructions. The day you do is the day that something always goes wrong. If I tell him to take a hold Saturday and Fatal Bullet gets left, then there he is with a hold on our horse looking around for the other one and he's not there. You've got to trust them to do the right thing as the race unfolds."
Veteran Clinton Potts, who has handled Black Seventeen in six of his 10 starts, including a tally in the Vosburgh at Belmont last month in his most recent start, will be in the saddle once again Saturday.
Cost of Freedom (Tr: John Sadler; ex. rider: Dana Barnes) - Gary and Cecil Barber's Cost of Freedom galloped 1 1/4m Wednesday morning with exercise rider Dana Barnes up for trainer John Sadler.
Tyler Baze, who has not lost on four mounts aboard Cost of Freedom, has the call Saturday and will break from post position 1.
"I was a little disappointed to get the one (post) with Cost of Freedom," Sadler said. "It limits our options a little, but he is the kind of horse that doesn't have to have the lead."
Sadler claimed Cost of Freedom for $50,000 this July at Del Mar.
"He just loved Del Mar and set a track record (on Polytrack) down there for six furlongs," Sadler said. "He was lightly raced for a 5-year-old, but he always seemed to run a good race and was stakes placed, so we thought we'd take a chance."
Fabulous Strike (Tr: Todd Beattie) - Speed is the name of the game for Fabulous Strike, a 10-time winner, but trainer Todd Beattie believes that at the age of five, he's finally showing signs of being able to relax.
"He's always been the kind of horse that has to have his foot on the throttle at all times," Beattie said. "Lately he seems to have slowed himself down a bit. I think it's happening with age."
Fabulous Strike has never raced over a synthetic surface, but he fired a pair of bullet works at Presque Isle Downs in September, and handled the Pro-Ride surface in fine style during Sunday's breeze (59 1/5 for 5f).
"We got here early so I could train him over the track before the work," Beattie explained. "He gets along real well over it (Pro-Ride). It's a little harder than the Tapeta (Presque Isle surface)."
Fatal Bullet (Tr: Reade Baker) - Trainer Reade Baker isn't quite sure how to read the 3yo son of Red Bullet as he makes his final preparations for the Sprint on Saturday.
"He's a big gelding and he's laid back," said Baker. "It's tough to tell how he's doing because he doesn't let you know. He didn't work any good the other day, but when I put the blinkers on him, I'm sure he'll be all business."
Concerning business, Baker said with tongue in cheek that the colt's owner, Danny Dion's Canadian based Bear Stables, has a little more incentive to win on Saturday.
"With the way the Canadian dollar is going these days, it's going to be even more important," said Baker, who has trained for Dion for three years. "I think it's now 80 cents on the American dollar."
First Defence (Tr: Robert Frankel; ex. rider: Goncalino Almeida) - Breeders' Cup Sprint entrant First Defence jogged 1 1/4m on the main track Wednesday morning at Santa Anita. His conditioner, Hall of Fame member Robert Frankel, checked on him from a location near Clocker's Corner at the head of the stretch.
"He breezed fast here the other day (a bullet 57 4/5 Sunday), so he's just jogging today," he noted. "He likes this track, though; we know that."
The 4yo colt by Unbridled's Song from the fast mare Honest Lady has won six of his 13 starts, including the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga this summer. In Saturday's Sprint he'll be partnered again by Javier Castellano, who rode him in his first 11 starts.
"I shouldn't have to tell that kid anything," Frankel stated. "The post is all right. In sprints you just don't want to draw that one hole. I've had too many good horses get beat out of the one hole. You don't have any choice from there. You only have one - go. If you're outside you can make decisions; you can send, you can wait, you can take back. But inside there's a good chance you might be in trouble."
First Defence will break from post five in the nine-horse field.
In Summation (Tr: Christophe Clement) - Christophe Clements' charge In Summation galloped 1 ¼ m and the trainer said that In Summation is very deserving of his spot in the starting gate.
"He's been consistent all year and he seems to be one of the very good sprinters on the Polytracks," said Clement.
The synthetic surfaces seem kinder to the horse, who has been plagued with foot problems in the past and was declared from the Breeders' Cup Sprint last year after Clement was displeased with his final workout over Belmont Park's dirt track.
In Summation has been stabled in Southern California since July and has performed very well in three graded stakes at Del Mar and Santa Anita.
When asked if being here over the past couple of months will be an advantage in the race, Clement smiled and said, "I don't know. I'll let you know on Sunday morning."
Midnight Lute (Tr: Bob Baffert; ex. rider: Janell Gruss) - Defending Sprint champion Midnight Lute jogged 1m with exercise rider Sarah Cillie up Wednesday.
Owned by Weitman Performances LLC and Mike Pegram, Midnight Lute drew post position four for the Sprint and will be partnered again by Garrett Gomez, who was aboard for Midnight Lute's victory last fall at Monmouth Park.
"I would have liked for him to be outside a little more," trainer Bob Baffert said. "I just want him to be able toget a clear run."
Baffert has saddled the Sprint winner two times, having also scored with Thirty Slews in 1992 at Gulfstream Park.
Sing Baby Sing (Tr: Jack Bruner) -Phoenix winner Sing Baby Sing galloped 1m at Remington Park bright and early on Wednesday morning and then boarded a flight, which had already picked up several Kentucky based horses, for the trip to California. The horses were to do to arrive around noon PDT.
Trainer Jack Bruner, who was waiting to board a plane when caught on his cell phone, reported that everything had gone as scheduled.
Street Boss (Tr: Bruce Headley) - The winner of seven of 12 starts blew out 3f in 38 1/5 for trainer Bruce Headley on Wednesday in his final serious work preparing for Saturday's Sprint.
Headley expressed satisfaction with the workout, adding, "His last work was the serious one." Street Boss sizzled 5f in 57 3/5 on Oct. 14 over Santa Anita's main track.