Breeders' Cup Sprint Notes

Capt. Candyman Can – According to trainer Ian Wilkes, David Zell and the late Joseph Rauch's $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint contender Capt. Candyman Can arrived at Santa Anita in good order on Monday following a Tex Sutton flight from Kentucky. Regular jockey Javier Castellano is slated to ride on Saturday.

The excitement of having his first Breeders' Cup starter was tempered for Wilkes on Saturday with the news of the sudden death of Rauch, a co-owner and breeder of the 3yo gelded son of Candy Ride. Dr. Rauch, a director of the urgent care department at Leesburg Regional Hospital near Ocala, Fla., was 66.

“He was having so much fun with this horse, and was looking very forward to running in the Breeders' Cup,” Wilkes said. “What makes it so hard is that Mr. Rauch wasn't just a client, he was a friend.”

Capt. Candyman Can worked a half-mile on Sunday morning over a fast track at the Skylight Training Center in 48 2/5 under jockey Freddy Lenclud. Wilkes hopes to give the sprinter his first look at Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface on Tuesday morning.

“The work went well, the horse is very fit,” Wilkes said. “He's carrying his weight real well. He's a professional racehorse. You lead him over there, and he tries hard for you every time. He trains himself. My job is easy. I just have to keep him happy.”

A four-time stakes winner, Capt. Candyman Can was last seen finishing a fast closing second behind fellow Sprint contender Fatal Bullet in the Phoenix over the Keeneland Polytrack.

“I thought he ran a tremendous race,” Wilkes said. “Not to take anything away from the winner, but we were spotting him weight (four pounds) as a 3-year-old, and we were the only one running at him at the end,” Wilkes said.

Cost of Freedom – The 6yo gelding had a quiet morning at trainer John Sadler’s Barn 56 on the Santa Anita backstretch Monday, only walking the shedrow after he had put in his final Breeders’ Cup Sprint prep Sunday with a 6f move in 1:12 2/5 on the main track.

“He’s doing fine,” Sadler noted. “Tyler Baze will ride.”

The California-bred by Cee’s Tizzy was pointed for this same race last year, but was not allowed to run when he could not pass veterinarian checks. All systems are “go” this time around and the speedster looms a forward factor in the six-furlong feature.

Crown of Thorns – see Dirt Mile

Dancing in Silks – The quick California-bred gelding jogged Monday morning and will gallop up to his date Saturday in either the Sprint at 6f or the Turf Sprint at 6 1/2f.

“I’m leaning toward the main track,” trainer Carla Gaines said at her Barn 6 headquarters on the Santa Anita backstretch. “He knows and likes that trip and that run down the hill (for the Turf Sprint) is a little tricky.”

Dancing in Silks has won six races all together, including his last three, with the most recent coming at the 6f distance at Santa Anita in the California Cup Sprint on Oct. 3.

Joel Rosario, who is currently tied with Rafael Bejarano as the leading rider at the Oak Tree-at-Santa Anita meet, has the call on the bay speedster Saturday.

Fatal Bullet – A determined second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Fatal Bullet jogged once around the wrong way with the pony on Santa Anita's main track on Monday morning under exercise rider Martine Pare and won’t work out again before the race.

“Everything is good with him,” said trainer Reade Baker. “He had an easy five-eighths work in 59 and change last Friday on the Polytrack in Toronto (at Woodbine) and that’s it.”

Fatal Bullet will be reunited with regular rider Eurico Da Silva in the Sprint.

Fleeting Spirit – The 4yo filly, who will be trying a synthetic surface for the first time when she takes on the boys in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, remained in quarantine Monday morning.

Trainer Jeremy Noseda has given the riding call to Frankie Dettori, who was aboard the Irish-bred filly in her very first start, a maiden win at Nottingham in 2007.

Most recently, Fleeting Spirit put on quite a show in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp, when she missed the break and then rallied furiously to be beaten a neck in the 5f event.

Gayego –The 4yo Gilded Time colt walked the Godolphin Stable shedrow one day after turning in his final prep for the sprint, 5f in 1:00 4/5 on Nov. 1. He comes off an Oct. 11 score in the Ancient Title Stakes and has always savored Santa Anita, where he set a track record for 6 ½f (1:13.07) in the 2008 San Pedro Stakes as a 2-year-old.

Purchased by Godolphin following an unsuccessful Triple Crown campaign (after winning the Arkansas Derby, he ran 17th in the Kentucky Derby and 11th in the Preakness), he was shipped to Dubai where he claimed a group 3 victory and ran second in the Godolphin Mile.

“He was freshened up after his Triple Crown campaign,” said Rick Mettee, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor. “Paulo Lobo brought him back and ran him on the Breeders’ Cup undercard last year (7th in the Damascus stakes) and then after that he set a course record sprinting over the Hollywood Park Cushion track surface for 6 1/2f (1:13.37). Then he was bought by Godolphin off that race specifically to take to Dubai and also because he had both synthetic and dirt form.”

Gayego also won a Saratoga allowance race prior to the Ancient Title, bringing his 2009 tally up to three wins and a second. Jockey Garrett Gomez gets the call.

Join in the Dance –Join in the Dance, pre-entered in the Dirt Mile and Sprint, will run in the 6f Sprint according to trainer Todd Pletcher.

John Velazquez has the mount on Join in the Dance, who is still eligible for an entry-level allowance.

“The owner wants to take a shot,” Pletcher said. “We’re going to need the planets to align to win, but the horse is training very well.”

Join in the Dance worked 4f in 47 flat Sunday at Santa Anita.

Kodiak Kowboy – Following a Monday morning work at Santa Anita's, Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm's Kodiak Kowboy was declared out of Saturday's Sprint. The 4-year-old son of Posse breezed 4f in 52 1/5.

“He worked well, but scoped bad,” said Scott Blasi, assistant to Kodiak Kowboy's trainer Steve Asmussen. “He has to go on antibiotics and will be unable to run (on Saturday).”

Square Eddie – see Turf Sprint

Zensational – Trainer Bob Baffert was all smiles this morning following a 4f breeze from the 3yo Zensational, an Unbridled’s Song ridgling pointing for the Sprint. The Zayat Stables runner came onto the track shortly after the break around 8:11 a.m. and worked a bullet in 45 1/5, the fourth in a series of speedy preparations at Santa Anita.

Previously, he drilled 4f Oct. 27 in 46 2/5, best of 11 at the distance, went 5f in 57 4/5 on Oct. 21, best of 19 at the distance, and went 6f in 1:10 3/5 on Oct. 15, best of 11 at the distance.

“He really he knows he’s getting ready to run,” Baffert said. “I broke him from the gate Oct. 15 and he knew it was time to get back to work. He just flew out of there that day and ever since then it’s really sharpened him up; he’s enjoying what he’s doing right now and he’s ready and strong.”

Zensational rides a string of four victories into the Sprint, the last three GI scores in the Triple Bend Handicap, the Bing Crosby, and the Pat O Brien.

“You know, I’ve been trying to slow him down but he just does it so effortlessly, he’s just incredible, he’s just a fast horse,” Baffert said. “He was born that way, I didn’t do it to him.”

Travers Day Stars - What's Next?

Here's a quick look at the top horses from Travers Day and where they might make their next start:

Summer Bird - Trainer Tim Ice said that the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont on Oct. 3 makes the most sense as it fits well time wise. It leaves about a month before the Breeders' Cup and he's not concerned about getting a race over the artifical dirt of Santa Anita before the BC. The only races on the radar is the Louisiana Super Derby (Sept. 19) and the Goodwood (Oct. 10). Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird is expected to run in the Goodwood.

Hold Me Back - The Travers runner-up has no specific next race but trainer Bill Mott said he is definitely targeting the Breeders' Cup.

Quality Road - A rematch with Summer Bird could be in store as trainer Todd Pletcher indicated that the beaten favorite in the Travers could move on to the JC Gold Cup.

Kensei - Trainer Steve Asmussen gave no indication where the Jim Dandy winner is running next. He said they will "take a step back, regroup and go from there."

Capt. Candyman Can - The winner of the King's Bishop is not specifically targetting the Breeders' Cup Sprint but trainer Ian Wilkes has not made a decision where he goes next.

Munnings - We now know that the King's Bishop beaten favorite is not moving on the BC Sprint. Pletcher wants to avoid the artificial dirt of Santa Anita. He'll target the Vosburgh (Oct. 3) and then the Cigar Mile (Nov. 28).

Salve Germania - The impressive winner of the Ballston Spa has been moved to Pletcher's barn but no timetable has been set for her next start. The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf is a logical target.

Best Race on Travers Day?

The Travers usually showcases the best 3-year-olds in the country but the preceding race on the card might actually be the best 3-year-old event of the day.

The King's Bishop, set to go off at 5:10 p.m. (ET), appears to be as deep and talented of a group of sophomores assembled since the Kentucky Derby. The caveat here is that these horses are only running seven-eighths of a mile (as opposed to the 1 1/4 mile of the Derby) but they should put on a great display.

The favorite is the Todd Pletcher trained Munnings. The $1.7 million auction purchase is coming off a third place finish to Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell but before that reeled off two impressive victories. He has loads of talent and is finally living up to it.

Next on the list is Big Drama. The fifth place finisher in the Preakness has won six of 10 starts and narrowly lost the West Virginia Derby (but did beat Mine That Bird in that race.) The only race he lost in three tries at 7/8 mile was the Swale for which he was disqualified for bumping a horse in the stretch.

Capt. Candyman Can has done a lot in his short career. He's won five of nine and finished a good second to Travers favorite Quality Road in the Amsterdam a few weeks ago. He's also never lost in three starts at seven furlongs.

Making his return to the races in the King's Bishop is one of the stars from last year. Vineyard Haven, who became an "overnight sensation" last Fall when he won the Hopeful and Champagne, was purchased by racing powerhouse Godolphin Stable. The colt was then sent over to Dubai with hopes of making the Kentucky Derby. But after a disappointing fourth in the UAE and a minor injury, he was given a little time off and sent back to the U.S. to prepare for Saratoga. This is a tough spot to make his return but we'll know pretty quickly if he has any future.

Other to watch in this race include: Everyday Heroes (2nd to Munnings in June), Flat Bold (4th to Kensei in the Jim Dandy) and Not for Silver (2nd to Everyday Heroes in May).

The race will be run very quickly and we will likely see a few of them go on to the Breeders' Cup. I'm not even sure who I will bet in the race but the bottom line is, it's a very deep field will loads of talent.

If you watch the race on TV, remember some of these names. You'll hear from them again soon.

Bay Shore - Sweet Victory for the Candyman

The first big race of the day at Aqueduct is in the books just as the sun is trying to break through.

Capt. Candyman Can, a horse that was once considered a major contender for the Kentucky Derby, rolled to an easy victory 3 3/4-length win over another former Derby hopeful Taqarub.

Trainer Ian Wilkes, who worked for many years for Carl Nafzger, will bring the horse right back to Churchill Downs and run him in the Matt Winn Stakes on May 16. Looks like "Derby fever" will not affect the "Candyman crew" as they are ultimately are shooting for the King's Bishop at Saratoga in August.