Baffert Runners Tune Up for Cup Dates

[Wandering Eyes]

Trainer Bob Baffert sent out a trio of Breeders’ Cup contenders to work at Santa Anita Sunday. Leading the way was GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile contender Eight Rings (Empire Maker). Working in company with unraced 2-year-old Azul Coast (Super Saver), the GI American Pharoah S. winner went four furlongs in :47.20 (2/62).

“I wanted to give him a target,” Baffert explained.

Evin Roman was aboard for the 7:45 a.m. drill.

“He’s healthy and he looks good,” Baffert added of Eight Rings. “The track’s pretty deep today. It’s different, a lot deeper, than it was yesterday…overall, it was a very good work. Now we just wait, buy our tickets, enter and hope we get a good draw.”

GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies hopeful Bast (Uncle Mo), winner of the GI Chandelier S. and GI Del Mar Debutante, worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 (14/42) in company with 5-year-old gelding Hot Sean (Flatter).

Improbable (City Zip), aiming for the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, earned the five-furlong bullet Sunday, covering the distance in :59.20 (1/42).

Baffert’s GI Breeders’ Classic hopeful McKinzie (Street Sense) is expected to have his final major work ahead of the $6-million race Monday.

● Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s Elate (Medaglia d’Oro), coming off runner-up efforts in the GI Personal Ensign S. and GI Juddmonte Spinster S., tuned up for Saturday’s GI Breeders’ Cup Classic with a three-furlong drill in :36.80 (5/12). Also working for the Classic, GI Awesome Again S. winner Mongolian Groom (Hightail) went five furlongs in 1:02 flat (17/42).

●  GI Zenyatta S. winner Paradise Woods (Union Rags), aiming for the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff, went five furlongs in 1:00 flat (2/42) under Abel Cedillo for trainer John Shirreffs. GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Turf contender Mirth (Colonel John) went five furlongs over the training track in 1:01.80 (1/7) for trainer Phil D’Amato. The Little Red Feather Racing colorbearer is coming off a win in the Sept. 28 GI Rodeo Drive S.

●  The Rood & Riddle Breeders’ Cup Post-Position Draw for the 2019 Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be shown live Monday from the Trackside Breakfast Marquee at Santa Anita Park starting at 3:30 p.m. PT, with the first race drawn at 4 p.m.. All 14 Breeders’ Cup races will be drawn and announced on TVG, along with the Breeders’ Cup website, Official Mobile App and YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

 

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