Del Mar
Weather: Foggy
Track: Fast
Turf: Firm
Temp. 55
DEL MAR, Calif. – Fog was so dense Saturday morning at Del Mar that it prompted track management to make the rare call of suspending workouts from the time the track opened at 5:30 a.m. until after the renovation break more than two hours later. The poor visibility created an eerie atmosphere at Del Mar, host of this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
Fortunately, the fog lifted almost as quickly, leaving clear skies by the time horses returned to the freshly harrowed strip following the break at 7:45 a.m.
Four Breeders’ Cup contenders worked over the fast main track on Saturday, with three others doing likewise on the turf, which opened for training for the first time here several hours later. Many members of the large, 19-strong Japanese contingent on hand for this year’s Championship races were allowed to open gallop into an easy three-furlong breeze. That group included Classic hopefuls Derma Sotogake, in the fog well before dawn, and Forever Young at his usual time after the break.
Snowyte (Juvenile Fillies) was the most impressive of the dirt workers, zipping four furlongs in 23.03 seconds, 46.99 despite not switching off her left lead until inside the sixteenth pole. She weakened a tad to the wire under light urging, but managed to sustain good energy on the gallop out, continuing a full three-quarters into and around the turn in 1:14.64, and appeared to handle her new surroundings quite well.
Post Time (Dirt Mile) went in company with her graded stakes-placed mate Saddle Up Jessie, covering a half-mile in 24.80 48.70, breaking about a half-length back, finishing even with both well within themselves to finish before running out five-eighths in 1:01.87. Maintenance-like for the multiple Grade 1-placed miler.
Howard Wolowitz (Turf Sprint) and Bentornato (Sprint) breezed back-to-back half-miles, in that order, for trainer Jose D’Angelo. The former, whose action is all turf, clocked 26.58 50.88, picking up the pace late off a pedestrian opening furlong that barely shaded :14, the latter going 25.52, 49.31 after also easing away slowly at the start. Both horses were also allowed to fan about four paths off the turn into the stretch as is customary for workers from this barn.
Stablemates Tigerish (Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Scipio (Juvenile Turf) went in company immediately after the turf course opened, completing five furlongs in 1:02.17 and 1:01.97 respectively, the latter breaking a length back before sticking his head in front at the wire, both sent along for their best to finish before galloping out in average fashion around the very wide dogs.
Beach Bomb (Filly and Mare Turf), working in a hood, was joined by recent maiden special weight winner Test Score to go an easy half in 26.18 51.03, the mate maintaining a slight advantage throughout working nearest the rail with the duo galloping out with very good energy into the clubhouse turn.
T O Saint Denis (Dirt Mile) was reportedly due to work five furlongs for the vets to get off the poor performance list after having been defeated 60 lengths in his most recent start in Japan. He went too slow, five-eighths in 1:09.99 from the half-mile pole, while never really allowed to get out of more than an open gallop for all but the final furlong. His time was way too slow to meet the requirements or get a published work.
Trainer Steve Asmussen had his five Breeders’ Cup horses out early, as usual, four of them galloping, including Turf Sprint favorite Cogburn immediately after the track opened. Skelly, currently the morning-line favorite for the Sprint, also trained in the dark and foggy conditions, but appeared to only jog for a second straight morning.
Among the more impressive gallopers of the morning were Geoglyph, who made a terrific impression going in blinkers after the break prepping for the Mile, and Rousham Park (Turf), who went a bit greenly training on the dirt but showed off a long and powerful stride nonetheless over what is obviously not his preferred surface.
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