Practical Move (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
BC: 9 Horses From Japan Set To Arrive Tuesday
Santa Anita Stable Notes by Victor Ryan
ARCADIA, Calif.— Breeders’ Cup contender Practical Move returned to the work tab Saturday following a sharp comeback victory going a flat mile against against allowance foes here Oct. 6.
At about 6:45 a.m., Practical Move hit the main track and went four furlongs in company in 48.80 seconds. He is targeting the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 4, trainer Tim Yakteen confirmed.
“He got some outside company, and it all went well,” Yakteen said. “I was just looking to see that his energy level was good, make sure all systems are a go. That’s what we saw.”
Yakteen added he is “planning on the (Dirt) Mile” for Practical Move.
In his comeback effort, which followed a nearly six-month layoff, Practical Move and jockey Ramon Vazquez settled just off the early pace before surging past rivals at the top of the stretch and cruising to an easy four-length victory. The effort earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.
By Practical Joke, Practical Move has won five of eight starts and never missed the board. Following his win in the Santa Anita Derby April 8, he was shipped to Churchill Downs to contest the Kentucky Derby on May 6. He never got the chance. The week of the Derby, Practical Move spiked a temperature and had to be scratched.
Practical Move was among several Breeders’ Cup contenders to work Saturday.
Also returning to the tab for Bob Baffert were Muth and Wine Me Up, the one-two finishers in the GI American Pharoah here Oct. 7. Muth went five furlongs in 59.40 seconds and Wine Me Up was timed in 59.20 seconds for the same distance. Both are pointed to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Nov. 3.
Working towards expected starts in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint Nov. 4 were Anarchist (5f, 59.40) on the main track and The Chosen Vron (5f, 1:01.60) on the training track. Also working on the main track for trainer Steve Asmussen was Gunite (5f, 1:00.20), who is possible for either the Sprint or the Dirt Mile.
Anarchist worked with Vazquez in the irons. The 4-year-old Distorted Humor colt trained by Doug O’Neill most recently won the GII Pat O’Brien going seven furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 26.
“He went really good. This is a happy horse,” Vazquez said.
Added Leandro Mora, O’Neill’s assistant: “He’s stepping things up. He looks more focused and fresher, which was the idea giving him more time between races.”
Working towards the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint going seven furlongs were both Kirstenbosch for trainer John Sadler and Society for Asmussen. Kirstenbosch, winner of the GIII Chillingworth here Sept. 29, went five furlongs in 1:00.40. Society went the same distance in 59.80 seconds.
Clearly Unhinged, second in the Chillingworth for trainer Michael McCarthy, also worked towards a potential start in the Filly & Mare Sprint with a four-furlong move in 48.20 seconds.
Drilling a half mile on the training track for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile were Du Jour and Exaulted, the one-two finishers in the GII Del Mar Mile most recently on Sept. 2. Du Jour worked in 48.60 seconds while Exaulted, winner of the GI Shoemaker Mile here in the spring, went in 47.40 seconds.
Astronomer, also a candidate for the Mile following a second-place finish in the GII City of Hope Mile here Sept. 30 worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:01.00 for trainer Simon Callaghan.
Working towards the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Nov. 4 was Motorious for trainer Phil D’Amato. Winner of the GIII Green Flash at Del Mar on Sept. 2, Motorious worked four furlongs on the training track in 46.80 seconds.
D’Amato also worked Desert Dawn six furlongs in 1:13.40. The Arizona-bred daughter of Cupid is possible for either the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff at 1 1/8 miles or the Filly & Mare Sprint.
Pre-entries for the 40th Breeders’ Cup will be announced Friday at 9 a.m. Pacific.
Breeders’ Cup: 9 Horses From Japan Set To Arrive Tuesday
A group of nine horses from Japan bound for the Breeders’ Cup are scheduled to arrive at Santa Anita Tuesday, according to Santa Anita Stall Superintendent Jeff Metz.
Among Japan’s expected contingent are GI Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro and Derma Sotogake, who came to the U.S. earlier this year for the Kentucky Derby and finished sixth.
Two years ago, at Del Mar, horses from Japan collected their first-ever wins in a Breeders’ Cup. Marche Lorraine lit up the tote board in the Distaff when prevailing by a nose at 48-1 and Loves Only You won the Filly & Mare Turf at 4-1.
According to Metz, an additional 42 horses from Europe are scheduled to arrive at Santa Anita on Sunday, Oct. 29. The 40th Breeders’ Cup will be run Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita.
