Del Mar
Saturday, Oct. 25
Weather: Cloudy
Temp: 60 degrees
Track: Fast
DEL MAR, Calif. – For the second consecutive morning, trainer Michael McCarthy dominated the Breeders’ Cup work tab at Del Mar, sending out three of his Breeders’ Cup contenders to breeze here Saturday over a fast main track. The turf course was also open for business for the first time this week, with Ag Bullet the only horse to take advantage of the opportunity to work on the grass.
As was the case here Friday, when McCarthy also breezed three of his seven Breeders’ Cup contenders, the action began well before dawn with the Turf Sprint-bound Yellow Card going four furlongs under the lights in 48.29 seconds, coming home a final quarter in 23.65 and doing so without need of encouragement, before galloping out five furlongs in a willing 1:01.72. Yellow Card gave every indication that he is holding his good form exiting a career-best effort when a narrowly beaten second in the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita.
Touch of Destiny (Dirt Mile) was up next for team McCarthy putting in some serious work this morning, responding to strong handling to complete five furlongs in 59.78 off a 36.09 opening split. He did wander out a bit on the gallop-out entering the clubhouse turn but still managed to shade 1:13 for six furlongs, despite finishing five or six paths off the inner rail.
Formidable Man (Mile) worked over a fresh track shortly after the renovation break and went in nearly identical fashion as Touch of Destiny, posting similar splits of 24.08 and 36.30 to the top of the stretch en route to a 1:00.19 five-furlong clocking, while under much less encouragement to complete the move. Formidable Man eased up after six furlongs in 1:12.79 and did get a little hot in the coat on a relatively cool morning.
Trainer Richard Baltas sent out his only two Breeders’ Cup runners, the aforementioned Ag Bullet and Sweet Azteca (Filly and Mare Sprint), the latter working a solid five furlongs over the main track in 36.73 and 59.80, finishing up strongly without any urging necessary. Sweet Azteca, who loves Del Mar and seems to be peaking at the right time, eased up after six furlongs in 1:12.96.
Ag Bullet, who has already proven her mettle over the Del Mar turf, was just out for a little leg stretcher over the course cruising four furlongs in 26.19 and 51.04. Her final time, and all-turf clockings here this week, are somewhat irrelevant with the dogs set out closer to the outer than the inner rail during training hours.
McCarthy’s Breeders’ Cup contingent is seven strong, with Journalism being the lone member of that group to not record a published work over the last 24 hours. Journalism did have another rock solid morning prepping for the Classic, showing off his professionalism, as he never turned a hair when passed by a team of workers entering the stretch. Journalism is scheduled to work here Sunday with his new rider, Jose Ortiz, aboard.
Meanwhile, Classic favorite Sovereignty was also flawless again today, leveling out upon turning down the backstretch the second time, covering his final quarter-mile at a two-minute clip with his ears pricked the entire way.
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