Breeders' Cup - Day One Thoughts

With the Day 1 of the Breeders' Cup behind us, what did we learn about the horses that ran?

Since the day went without a favorite, you have to think we'll see a favorite or two on Saturday's card come home triumphant.

It appears that the NY contingent is not comfortable in Southern California. I am certain it has something to do with the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita but even on turf, it was not a great showing for the horses based in Northeast. The best effort was for trainer Todd Pletcher as Rose Catherine was the runner-up in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Life Is Sweet's (left) victory in the Ladies Classic certainly bodes well for Zenyatta in the Classic. Life Is Sweet was beaten three times by the undefeated star mare this year and today's easy victory over what appeared to be a good group of contenders is a good sign.

The Europeans again proved that they are very tough. They won two races on Friday (Man of Iron - Marathon and Midday - Filly & Mare Turf) and will have a big shot in the Mile, Turf and Classic. The only disappointment was Lillie Langtry in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. She was sent off as the post-time favorite but never fired and ran ninth.

The Juvenile Fillies was a good race but don't think we've seen next years Kentucky Oaks winner. She Be Wild (right) loves the synthetic tracks and being a daughter of Offlee Wild doesn't make me think she'll stretch out in distance. The horses to watch in that race are Biofuel and Zilva who had horrific trips.

Sad that Ventura did not win the Filly & Mare Sprint. Trainer Bobby Frankel reportedly has been sick for a while and this would have been a nice way to pick up his spirits.

Informed Decision might be the biggest synthetic track lover since the surface made its debut a few years ago. She is now 7-for-7 on the artificial dirt. The great news is that she will run again next year but the Breeders' Cup moves back to the conventional dirt at Churchill.

It was nice to see Cloudy's Knight (left) run so well in the Marathon. He's a 9-year-old gelding, which ties for the oldest horse ever to run in a Breeders' Cup.

Day one was a lot of fun and Saturday should be even better.

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Notes

Allicansayis Wow – Allicansayis Wow was declared out of the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on Monday after trainer Patrick Biancone discovered that she had suffered an injury to her left front leg.

“She tore the suspensory (ligament). It’s an unfortunate injury and the timing is all wrong, but there is nothing that we can do,” a disappointed Biancone said.

Allicansayis Wow worked 4f in a fast 47 2/5 at Santa Anita on Sunday. According to sources, the 4yo daughter of Street Cry is still slated to be sold at auction later this month.

Evita Argentina – The stretch-running 3yo filly jogged a mile at Santa Anita Monday morning, returning to the track following a Saturday drill that was her final major prep for the Filly & Mare Sprint.

“She’ll gallop up to the race from here,” trainer John Sadler said.

Joel Rosario, who rode the 3yo daughter of Candy Ride in her three most recent outings, including a victory over older fillies and mares in Hollywood Park’s A Gleam Handicap, is the trainer’s choice to ride her again Friday.

“My one concern with the race is whether there will be enough speed in there to give my filly a chance,” Sadler added. “Last year they had Indian Blessing and Dearest Trickski in there to get it going, but they’re not around this time.”

Free Flying Soul/Silver Swallow – Both Free Flying Soul and Silver Swallow continue to train toward the Filly & Mare Sprint to trainer Bruce Headley’s satisfaction.

The veteran trainer reported that Free Flying Soul galloped 1 1/2m Monday, and said the filly “pulled up good after that nice win” in Oak Tree’s Lou Rowan Stakes on Oct. 12. “She’ll have a nice little blowout Wednesday, probably three furlongs.”

Regular exercise rider Mel Batyrkulov will be up for the work. Mike Smith will ride on Friday.

Silver Swallow’s serious work is done, Headley said, and she’ll gallop up to the race. Alex Solis has the call.

Game Face – Grade 1 winner Game Face will run in the Filly & Mare Sprint, not the Turf Sprint, according to trainer Todd Pletcher.

“She’s been very good to us, very consistent,” Pletcher said. “It’s obviously a very tough race, but I’m sure she’ll show up and run hard.”

Jockey Edgar Prado will ride.

Informed Decision – Informed Decision accompanied stablemates Forever Together and Cloudy’s Knight on a four-hour flight from Louisville Monday morning.

The 4yo daughter of Monarchos will seek her 11^th victory in 14 lifetime starts in Friday’s Filly & Mare Sprint. The Jonathan Sheppard-trained filly suffered her only loss in six starts this year in the Ballerina over a sloppy Saratoga track.

“That was a muddy nasty track at Saratoga,” Sheppard said before boarding a plane to Southern California. “She cooled out fast after the race.”

Informed Decision is 6-for-6 over synthetic tracks, including victories in the Presque Isle Downs Masters and the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland in her two most recent starts.

Julien Leparoux will return to the saddle for the Filly & Mare Sprint.

Only Green – The 3yo homebred daughter of Green Desert arrived at Santa Anita Sunday afternoon after a flight from Europe and is in quarantine until Tuesday. She is expected to visit the track Wednesday morning. Trainer Freddie Head was traveling Monday.

Only Green won a listed stake, the Prix de Saint-Cyr, at Chantilly on Oct. 15. She broke her maiden in her only start over a synthetic surface in March.

Sara Louise – The 3yo Malibu Moon filly galloped at Santa Anita Monday morning, her main preparations for the Filly & Mare Sprint completed Oct. 31 when she went 4f in 47 4/5 under jockey Richard Migliore.

The filly exits a runner-up finish by a head to Indian Blessing in the Sept. 26 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park and won the Victory Ride Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 29.

“We’re very happy with where she is going into this race, with her past two races and her overall pattern,” Rick Mettee, assistant trainer to Saeed bin Suroor, said. “She’s on a positive cycle and I’m confident that she can be competitive.”

Frankie Dettori has the mount aboard Sara Louise on Friday in her first start over a synthetic surface.

Seventh Street – The 4yo daughter of Street Cry galloped Monday morning at Santa Anita, her main preparations for the Filly & Mare Sprint completed with an Oct. 31 move through 5f in 1:02 2/5 under jockey Aaron Gryder.

Seventh Street comes into the Filly & Mare Sprint off a runner-up finish to Swift Temper in the Sept. 12 Ruffian Handicap at Belmont after winning the Aug. 2 Go For Wand for Godolphin Stable on a sloppy track at Saratoga.

“She’s never run on the synthetic, so obviously there’s a little concern, but she tries hard every time,” Rick Mettee, assistant trainer to Saeed bin Suroor, said.

Sweet Hearth – see Dirt Mile

Ventura – The defending Filly & Mare Sprint champion Ventura galloped about 1 1/4m on Cushion Track under exercise rider Salvador Martinez at Hollywood Park Monday and will be shipped to Santa Anita Tuesday, Humberto Ascanio, chief assistant to trainer Bobby Frankel, said.

Regular rider Garrett Gomez will again be aboard the 5yo mare, a Juddmonte Farms homebred coming off a victory over males in the Woodbine Mile on Sept. 20.

Ventura worked 5f in 59 4/5 breezing Friday at Hollywood Park.

“Ventura has done this before," Ascanio said of the daughter of Chester House. "She's a real professional."