Rockingham Ranch Wrecking Crew Out for a Jog
Breeders Cup Press
Photo credit Eclipse Sportswire / Breeders’ Cup Photos ©
Dennis’ Moment – Trainer Dale Romans keeps being asked what it is about Dennis’ Moment that makes the colt different from the litany of other talented youngsters that have passed through his care over the decades. Though it sounds vague on the surface, the most complete answer the Louisville native can come up with is, quite simply, everything.
“I’ve never had a horse at this stage that acts like this horse, that trains like this horse. He’s 8-5 for a reason,” Romans said of the morning-line favorite for the $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. “He’s just so talented and so versatile. He’s got the turn of foot I think if he has any problems to get himself out of trouble.”
The only issue Dennis’ Moment hasn’t overcome during his brief career is one that literally tripped him up. In his career debut at Churchill Downs on June 23, the bay colt was bumped and clipped heels with a rival, unseating jockey Robby Albarado in the process.
It has been nothing but one monster step forward after another since. In addition to the brilliance he showed in winning his past two starts, Dennis’ Moment has clocked bullet workouts in five of his past six moves with his latest coming Oct. 25 when he breezed 4f in 46 3/5 at Santa Anita.
“He goes out and works 58 and 46s and he comes back and he’s not even blowing,” said assistant and exercise rider, Tammy Fox. “I know he’s going quick out there, but he doesn’t feel like he’s going quick. He’s just so fluid with his stride.”
Dennis’ Moment galloped under Fox on Tuesday and will break from post one in the eight-horse field for the Juvenile.
Eight Rings
– American Pharoah Stakes winner Eight Rings
jogged a mile at Santa Anita Park Tuesday morning, two days after his
final timed work the Juvenile.
Jimmy Barnes, assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert
said the son of Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker, would likely gallop
Wednesday morning.
Eight Rings, a $520,000 yearling buy at the 2018 Keeneland September sale, has won two of his three career starts. In the third, he dropped his rider at the start of the Del Mar Futurity.
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will ride Eight Rings in the Juvenile. They will leave from post six in the field of eight.
Shoplifted –Leaving Barn 59 early this morning with exercise rider Angel Garcia aboard, $800,000 Fasig-Tipton March 2019 purchase Shoplifted galloped 1½ miles with trainer Steve Asmussen’s assistant Scott Blasi watching from the pony. The son of Into Mischief has started three times, including a win first out at Saratoga over 5½f, a second in the Hopeful and fifth in the American Pharoah last out over this course and distance. He is owned by Joseph Sutton, whose best horse to date was Grade 1 winner Bradester, who was ninth in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
“He just galloped an easy mile and a half,” Blasi said. “We’re just keeping him happy.”
Wrecking Crew – Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen’s 2yo ridgling Wrecking Crew left Barn 44 at approximately 7:45 a.m. and put in his final breeze before the Juvenile on Tuesday morning, blowing out 3f in 38 4/5 for trainer Peter Miller.
“It went very well,” Miller said. “He was just cruising nice and easy in 38 (seconds). We’re all set.”
The son of Sky Kingdom will break from post two in the Juvenile. He will be piloted by Paco Lopez, who will be his fourth rider in as many starts. He was ridden by Flavien Prat in his July 27 successful debut, then Mike Smith when second in the Best Pal and Abel Cedillo when again second in the Del Mar Futurity.
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