DEL MAR
Thursday, Oct. 30
Weather: Clear
Temp: 60°
Track: Fast
Turf: Firm
DEL MAR, Calif. – What a difference a week has made at Del Mar when it comes to Breeders’ Cup activity.
It’s gone from only a handful of Cup horses on the grounds for the first several days after the track opened on Oct. 20 to wall-to-wall action here Thursday with the entire Breeders’ Cup roster hitting the track at one point or another during the course of the 3 1/2-hour training session.
Only one Breeders’ Cup contender, Jonquil (Mile) made the clocker’s tab this morning. He was set down from the top of the stretch to and through the wire at the tail end of a strong open gallop over the turf. His Andrew Balding-trained stablemate See The Fire (Filly and Mare Turf) did likewise, albeit in a little less aggressive fashion.
As was the case Wednesday morning, trainer Charles Appleby sent out his powerful Breeder’s Cup contingent over the turf led by Rebel’s Romance, who began at a strong two-minute clip before gearing down some during the latter stages. He continues to make a very favorable impression, as did his Turf rival and stablemate El Cordobes, who looked particularly sharp this morning bringing up the rear of the six-horse string.
Although it was impossible to get a good look at every Breeders’ Cup horse who trained over the main track, especially those who went in the dark from 5:30 to 6:45 a.m., there were plenty who caught the eye. The group included, in somewhat chronological order beginning at 5:30, the following horses.
Tamara (Filly and Mare Sprint) – She had tons of energy galloping down the lane and through the wire before disappearing into darkness around the clubhouse turn.
Lovesick Blues (Sprint) – I have never seen this guy train before but he was a handful and wanting to do a lot more than his rider would let him.
Gin Gin (Distaff) – She was moving along at a good clip while chasing along just behind the grand-looking Journalism shortly before dawn.
Formidable Man (Mile) – He was not far behind his stablemate Journalism either and had another very good morning, giving every indication he’s holding his top form.
Scylla (Distaff) – She sharpened her speed with a quick and very impressive breeze over the track several days ago and seems to have bounced out of the work quite nicely. She was under a stout hold tugging her way past the grandstand this morning.
Stellify (Filly and Mare Turf) – She was an absolute bundle of energy for a second straight morning since arriving earlier in the week.
Seismic Beauty (Distaff) – Massive filly put a punctuation mark on her preparation for the role of Distaff favorite. She was full of run for a second straight morning, cruising along at a crisp two-minute pace from the half-mile pole to the wire.
Switch in Love (Juvenile Fillies Turf) – I thought her work here a couple of days earlier was sneaky good, way better than the final time indicates, as she finished full of run and galloped out with big energy into the turn. Appears to have bounced out of the breeze in good order from the looks of her effort today.
Straight No Chaser (Sprint) – The defending Sprint champion sure looked the part out there today. Showed off tons of energy while wanting to do way more than his rider would allow.
As for the Classic, only Journalism and Forever Young turned in local works. Journalism, the number one star during training hours here the past week, has made his usual beastly appearance on a regular basis while also putting in a very solid five-furlong breeze on Sunday, galloping out a full mile in willing fashion under new rider Jose Ortiz.
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Forever Young was not as flashy-looking in the morning, but surely will not want for fitness considering his daily training routine. His lone official work was of the maintenance variety on Wednesday.
Sierra Leone has looked terrific on a regular basis since hitting town at the top of the week. He reportedly was working as good as ever at Saratoga prior to shipping west, per DRF colleagues.
Hard to fault any of trainer Todd Pletcher’s Classic trio from the looks of their routine pre-dawn gallops the last several mornings with Fierceness having the strongest work reports of the bunch coming out of Saratoga.
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