Tamara, Kopion Among Breeders’ Cup Hopefuls on Santa Anita Worktab

[Wandering Eyes]

Stablemates Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) and Kopion (Omaha Beach) were among several Breeders' Cup hopefuls to make an appearance Monday morning on the worktab at Santa Anita ahead of a multi-day rainstorm that's expected to arrive in the area later in the evening.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Grade I winners Tamara and Kopion both worked three furlongs with the former being clocked in :37.40 (7/19) on the main track while the latter went to the synthetic training track and was timed in :39.80 (4/4). Kopion wears glue-on shoes, according to Mandella, and was barefoot for a few days. The trainer included that the move was more meant to 'do something with her' before the poor weather came in than it was intended to be a real work.

Both fillies are owned by Spendthrift Farm, and might be on track for entry in the same Breeders' Cup race. Tamara, the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' daughter of Hall of Famer Beholder is ticketed for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint while Kopion has a slight chance of tackling the males in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. If that does not pan out, Mandella says she'll be joining Tamara in the Filly & Mare contest.

“We're just taking everything in, but at the moment I would say it's more than likely they both run in the Filly & Mare (Sprint).”

Also sending out a noteworthy team was Bob Baffert, whose Explora (Blame), Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso), and Desert Gate (Omaha Beach) all went out in preparation for their expected tilt on Future Star Friday Oct. 31.

Grade I-placed, and the recent winner of the GII Oak Leaf Stakes, Explora breezed four furlongs in :48.80 (19/63) in her first move since that aforementioned graded victory. It had been her first time going two-turns after an immediate jump into elite company two back Sept. 6 in the GI Del Mar Debutante. That start was post 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' debut Aug. 17 at the venue. She was defeated in the Grade I contest by stablemate Bottle of Rouge, who drilled five furlongs in 1:00.40 (3/43) Monday morning. Both runners are being pointed toward the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Well beaten in both of the above graded races after she claimed the GIII Sorrento Stakes in just her second start, another of Baffert's 'Rising Stars' Himika (Curlin) was also clocked going through her paces Monday with a three-furlong drill in :37.60 (8/19).

Of his potential candidates for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Baffert's Desert Gate produced a four-furlong work in :50.60 (55/63) in his first move since running second in the GI American Pharoah Stakes Oct. 4.

The older divisions also saw a strong contender for next month's World Championships take a spin around the track, namely MGISW Formidable Man (City of Light) from the Michael McCarthy barn. The winner of the 2025 GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile was timed doing four-furlongs on the main track in 1:02.60. He is being pointed for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile.

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