october 22 - juvenile turf
Bittel Road (Tr: Todd Pletcher) - The one thing trainer Todd Pletcher feared in the draw came to pass when undefeated Bittel Road drew the 11 post in a field of 12 and faces a short run to the first turn at a mile on the Santa Anita turf course.
"Isn't that the way it always works?" Pletcher said. "Hopefully there's enough run to the first turn to let him get position."
In three starts in races run over as many distinctly different courses, Bittel Road has shown the ability to react to whatever develops in the running.
"He's shown at Belmont and Saratoga that he can be up close. He came from off the pace in his last start (the Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland). I just don't want to see him five-wide on the first turn."
City Style (Tr: Cheryl Asmussen; ex. rider: Cash Asmussen) - Stonerside Stable's 2yo gelding City Style breezed 4f in 49 2/5 at Retama Park in northeast San Antonio, Texas on Tuesday morning for trainer Cheryl Asmussen with her husband and assistant trainer, Cash Asmussen, aboard.
"He felt good," said Asmussen, 46, a former jockey who enjoyed a long international career riding races before retiring in 2001. He was also the Eclipse Award winning apprentice in 1979.
"He made it (the 4f) in 49 and 2 and got the last eighth in 13. So far, things are going as planned. I'm happy with the two hole (post number two) going a mile on turf," Asmussen said via cell phone.
City Style was picked up in Oklahoma on Wednesday for a flight into southern California. "It's important to see how he gets in and we'll go from there," said Asmussen. "We'll jog him at Santa Anita on Thursday."
As a jockey, Cash Asmussen rode one Breeders' Cup winner: Spinning World in the 1997 Mile
Coronet of a Baron (Tr: Eoin Harty) - The Darley Stable-owned son of Pure Prize went out for a gallop with the stable pony Wednesday morning and Oliver Costello, assistant to trainer Eoin Harty for two years, pronounced him well and happy.
The 9-2 second choice in the wide-open field will break from post position seven and he may have a home-field advantage.
"On a synthetic surface, it pays to work over it and train over it and not having to ship is a big help," said Harty.
Costello, 24, is a native of England who has a degree in equine management and business. In his homeland, he worked for renowned trainer John Gosden, who has saddled 18 Breeders' Cup starters and won the Mile with Royal Heroine in 1984.
Costello came to Kentucky to work for Darley for one year and then Darley sent him to its stallion operation in Australia. When Sheikh Mohammed took over Gainsborough Farm in the Kentucky, Costello had the opportunity to come to California and work for Harty.
"I love working for Eoin," he said. "He is a fantastic horseman. Like John, he always does what is best for the horse. Owen and John both come from a family of horsemen. It's bred into them and the horses are their life. For me, it's fantastic to have the opportunity to work for both and be with horses like this."
Harty will also run Colonel John in the Classic and Well Armed in the Dirt Mile.
Donativum (Tr: John Gosden) - The son of Cadeaux Genereux has won both of his starts since he was gelded this summer.
"He's a grand little horse," trainer John Gosden said. "He was incredibly unruly when we brought him in and spent most of January and February on his hind legs. He was a complete menace."
Donativum was not effective in his three races as a colt in May and June.
"After that, I decided that enough was enough, we're not going to make a stallion here," Gosden said. "We gelded him and he's been a pleasure to be around. He won his maiden well and we put him away for a huge sales race we have, a very valuable race. He won that race and he paid for his ticket out here. He's enjoying the California sun out on the track this morning happy."
Frankie Dettori will ride Donativum, who is owned by Princess Haya of Jordan.
Mark S the Cooler (Tr: Doug O'Neill) - The maiden Mark S the Cooler jogged twice around the training track Wednesday in his first day out of the barn since a runner-up finish in a 7f maiden race Sunday at Santa Anita.
"We need one defection," said trainer Doug O'Neill of the gelding on the also-eligible list.
Ninth Client (Tr: D. Wayne Lukas) - The Marylou Whitney Stable homebred galloped leisurely on the main track Wednesday morning as trainer D. Wayne Lukas greeted a seemingly endless stream of old friends from his days as a Santa Anita regular.
"I really think it's wonderful because Marylou has been an icon in this sport for a long time,'' said Lukas, whose only grass victory among 18 Breeders' Cup triumphs came with Steinlen in the 1989 Mile. "I'm so happy to represent her and her stable.''
The son of Malibu Moon has lost twice to morning line favorite Bittel Road, and Lukas said he had to do some prodding to get the owners to try him again here.
"Believe me, he's OK and he's definitely heading in the right direction,'' Lukas said. "I'm really hoping we get a good showing from this colt.''
Paddy The Pro (Tr: Paddy Gallagher) - Trainer Patrick Gallagher sent Paddy The Pro out for a 1 ¼ m gallop Wednesday morning.
Garrett Gomez will ride Paddy The Pro in his first U.S. start for Gallagher, who recently purchased the colt for a partnership of three of his American clients.
Paddy The Pro picked up his two career victories over the synthetic surface at the Dundalk track in Ireland.
Skipadate (Tr: Mark Casse) - The son of Skip Trial drew post 10 and that's fine with trainer Mark Casse because 7-2 favorite Bittel Road and Grand Adventure will be to his outside when the gates open.
"Three of the livest horses in the race are all there on the outside so at least those other two won't have an advantage on us," said Norman Casse, the assistant to his father, who is scheduled to arrive on the grounds tonight .
Skipadate, who finished second by a head to Grand Adventure in the Summer Stakes at Woodbine last out, galloped 1 1/2m this morning and is the 6-1 choice in the race.
Westphalia (Tr: Aidan O'Brien) - After clearing quarantine Wednesday, Westphalia trotted around the main track with the seven other Breeders' Cup horses trained by Aidan O'Brien.
John Murtagh will ride the colt, who has three wins and two seconds in six career starts in Europe.
"Westphalia is in good shape," O'Brien said. "We think he'll get a mile. He's a classy horse at home and won the Champagne (Doncaster), which is usually a good race. He's in good form."