Communique (Tr: George Arnold II) - G.W. Watts Humphrey Jr.'s 4yo homebred filly Communique was declared Monday morning from Friday's running of the $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf after developing an abscess in her right front foot.
"She worked good Saturday morning," said trainer G.R. (Rusty) Arnold from Keeneland, "but she had a pulse in the foot this morning. We had the blacksmith pull the shoe and revealed the abscess. It's not serious, but the timing is obviously bad. The plan is to race her next year."
A daughter of Smart Strike, Communique won the Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland and Modesty Handicap at Arlington Park this year before finishing a strong second in the Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington. Last out, she finished third in the Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park on Sept. 27.
Dynaforce (Tr: Bill Mott) - Dr. John A. Chandler's Dynaforce breezed 4f in 49 2/5 on the fast main track at Belmont Park on Sunday. Formerly trained in France by Andre Fabre, the 5yo Dynaformer mare has made four starts for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in America, and became a Grade 1 winner on Sept. 27 when she won the Flower Bowl at Belmont Park by four lengths.
"She's doing really well, and she will ship out on Tuesday morning," Mott said. "That plane will take a bunch of horses from New York, pick up some in Kentucky, and then head to California."
Alan Garcia has the mount on Dynaforce, who will gallop into Friday's race.
Folk Opera (Tr: Saeed bin Suroor) - Folk Opera, winner of the E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine last out, was scheduled to arrive at Santa Anita Monday afternoon on a flight bringing the Godolphin horses to the Breeders' Cup.
Saeed bin Suroor trains the 4yo daughter of Singspiel, who will again be ridden by Frankie Dettori.
Forever Together (Tr: Jonathan Sheppard ex. rider: Barry Wiseman) - Trainer Jonathan Sheppard sent Forever Together to the main track at Keeneland Monday morning for a 1 1/2m gallop under Barry Wiseman in preparation for a start in the Filly & Mare Turf.
The 4yo daughter of Belong to Me is scheduled to breeze 3f on Tuesday morning before shipping to Santa Anita.
Forever Together began her career with three straight main-track triumphs, but attempts to stretch her out were unsuccessful.
"She had a couple of bad races and got sour on us," Sheppard said. "She started not wanting to train. After we took her to Keeneland in the spring, she really blossomed. She liked training on Polytrack. I figured if she didn't like dirt that I'd try her on turf."
Forever Together's attitude changed and so did her level of performance, starting with a stakes triumph at Arlington Park in her first turf start in May. She subsequently became a strong candidate for the Filly & Mare Turf with victories in the Diana at Saratoga and the recent First Lady at Keeneland.
Julien Leparoux, who was aboard for those two major stakes scores, has the return mount.
Halfway To Heaven (Tr: Aidan O'Brien) - Halfway to Heaven, winner of three Group I stakes this year was scheduled to arrive at Santa Anita Monday afternoon with the Aidan O'Brien-trained contingent.
Johnny Murtagh rides the 3yo daughter of Pivotal who has taken the Sun Chariot Stakes, Nassau Stakes, and Irish 1000 Guineas this season.
Mauralakana (Tr: Christophe Clement; ex. rider: Tobias Coles) - Mauralakana, victorious in five of seven starts and the earner of more than $1 million since being transferred to trainer Christophe Clement this year, arrived from New York on Sunday and jogged Monday morning under exercise rider Tobias Coles.
She is coming to the race in terrific shape, according to assistant trainer Nicholas Balachard, who has worked for Clement for 15 years.
"The Beverly D. was a powerful race for her," said Balachard. "There should be more pace in this race and that's good. She'd rather it be firm going, but she's proved she can run on anything."
Pure Clan (Tr: Bob Holthus) - The 3yo filly arrived Sunday from Kentucky and walked the shedrow of Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally's barn on Monday. She will have her first trip over the Santa Anita track on Tuesday.
Pure Clan, who has never been worse than third in 10 career starts, has spent the majority of her career in the Midwest, but made one prior trip to California in July when she won the American Oaks. Her connections are hoping for the same kind of luck in the Filly & Mare Turf.
"She shipped in real good," said trainer Bob Holthus. "If we can get a repeat of her last California race, we'll be good."
Sealy Hill (Tr: Mark Casse) - Sealy Hill, Canada's 2007 Horse of the Year, galloped 1 1/2m under exercise rider Julia Brimo and visited the paddock on Monday.
"I know this sounds like a cliché, but she's in great shape and doing better than she's ever done," assistant trainer Norman Casse said.
After Sealy Hill's successful campaign in 2007, she has only won once in six starts this year, winning an allowance race at Woodbine in July.
"She was kind of a disappointment earlier this year, but she's got things figured out now," Casse explained. "Her last race, the E.P. Taylor, was a good race. She got in a lot of trouble and then came on strong to get third. I've been around her for her whole career and she's training better than she ever has."
Sealy Hill breezed 5f in 59 3/5 and galloped out in 1:12 at Santa Anita on Saturday.
"It was a very impressive work," Casse said. "A lot of people were asking 'Who's that bay filly?'."
Patrick Husbands, who has ridden Sealy Hill in every one of her 17 lifetime starts, gets the call.
Vacare (Tr: Christophe Clement; ex. rider: Paul Turner) - Vacare, one of two Christophe Clement trainees entered in the Filly & Mare Turf, galloped on Monday with exercise rider Paul Turner in the irons.
"She has a great turn of foot," assistant trainer Nicholas Balachard said. "She ran very well last time out in the Yellow Ribbon here at Santa Anita, and was closing fast to get second to Wait a While."
Some have questioned whether the 1 1/4 m distance will be too much for Vacare, but Balachard is not among them.
"The mile-and-a-quarter won't bother her," Balachard said. "There will be 12 of them in it, and everyone deserves a chance."
Jose Valdivia Jr. will be aboard Vacare in the Filly & Mare Turf.
Visit (Tr: Sir Michael Stoute) - Visit arrived early Monday morning after a flight from England and spent Monday in quarantine.
Michael Stoute trains the 3yo daughter of Oasis Dream, who won the Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood in England this year. Ryan Moore has the mount.
After her Breeders' Cup race, Visit will remain in the U.S. to race with Robert Frankel as her trainer.
Wait a While (Tr: Todd Pletcher) - Wait a While had her final work on Saturday, which was a very good move according to trainer Todd Pletcher, and will jog and gallop into the race.
"Her last two races are as good as she's ever been, and she obviously loves this turf course," Pletcher said of the 5yo mare who has twice won the Yellow Ribbon at Santa Anita, where she is undefeated in three starts.
John Velazquez has the mount.