Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
O’Neill has his starting five
ARCADIA, Calif. – California trainer Doug O’Neill hopes to have five runners in Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar on Nov. 3-4.
O’Neill said Thursday that his team will include the 3-year-old Pavel in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4. On the same day, Frank Conversation is scheduled to run in the BC Turf, Piedi Bianchi is a candidate for the Juvenile Fillies, and Guns Loaded is being pointed to the Turf Sprint.
O’Neill acknowledged that Guns Loaded may not gain a berth in what could easily be an oversubscribed race. The Turf Sprint will have a maximum of 14 starters.
On Nov. 3, Mopotism will start for O’Neill in the BC Distaff.
On Friday, Piedi Bianchi worked five furlongs in 1:02.80, while Mopotism worked a halfmile in 49 seconds.
Pavel, who will be a longshot in the Classic, worked a halfmile in 49 seconds.
The fillies Avenge and Paradise Woods worked for trainer Richard Mandella in advance of Breeders’ Cup races.
Avenge worked six furlongs in 1:13.80 for the Filly and Mare Turf. Last year, Avenge was third in the same race at Santa Anita.
The 3-year-old Paradise Woods worked six furlongs in 1:14 for the BC Distaff. Paradise Woods won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks in April and the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes in her first start against older fillies and mares Sept. 30 at Santa Anita.
Champagne Room, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2016, worked five furlongs in 1:00 for the BC Distaff. Champagne Room won the Remington Park Oaks in Oklahoma on Sept. 24 in her first start since February.
Jockey Ocampo breaks hand
Jockey Israel Ocampo will be out for at least a month, and Joe Talamo will not ride this weekend after the pair sustained injuries in a two-horse spill Thursday at Santa Anita.
Ocampo was aboard Warrens cry sta liz ed, who broke down approaching the finish of an allowance race on the hillside turf course. Talamo was aboard Hawk’s Journey, who could not avoid Warrens cry sta liz ed and fell.
Warrens cry sta liz ed was euthanized as a result of a leg injury, according to track stewards. Hawk’s Journey was not injured, trainer Jorge Periban said Friday.
The two riders were taken to a local hospital late Thursday afternoon. Ocampo broke a bone in his hand that required surgery Thursday evening to insert a stabilizing pin, according to his agent, Tommy Ball. Ocampo was released from a local hospital early Friday.
“We don’t know the timetable yet,” Ball said. “I would guess it would be five or six weeks.”
Talamo bruised a thigh and will resume action Thursday, according to agent Scotty McClellan.
“He’ll have a couple of days to get the soreness out,” McClellan said. “He’ll probably be here on Monday or Tuesday to work horses.”
Ocampo, 31, has won two races from 28 mounts at the Santa Anita autumn meeting. Talamo, 27, has won five races from 49 mounts. Talamo has two Breeders’ Cup mounts Nov. 4 at Del Mar – Alluring Star in the Juvenile Fillies and Win the Space in the Classic.
Royal F J retired at 10
The 10-year-old gelding Royal F J has run his last race.
On Thursday at Santa Anita, Royal F J finished seventh in a $6,250 claimer as a 4-1 shot, beaten 9 1/2 lengths. He won 9 of 102 starts and earned $568,150 in a career that began with trainer Jack Carava at Santa Anita in 2009. Carava was Royal F J’s final trainer.
“I always said if he ran a bad race without an excuse, that would be it,” Carava said Friday. “He didn’t fire.
“I’ve got several offers to give him a good home. He’s a cool horse.”
Carava trained Royal F J for 92 starts for a variety of owners. Royal F J was claimed for $8,000 last October by a partnership that includes Chris Curtis, Howard and Janet Siegel, and Carava.
Promising juvenile sidelined
Major Cabbie, easy winner of a maiden race for 2-year-olds Sept. 29, is out of training until the middle of 2018 because of an injury, trainer Dan Hendricks said.
Hendricks said the setback was detected recently. Major Cabbie worked a half-mile in 51.40 seconds Oct. 12.
“He’s got a problem,” Hendricks said. “He’ll be out. It’s a shame. He can run, too.”
Owned by K.B. Sareen, Major Cabbie was purchased for $260,000 at a sale of 2-year-olds in training this year. On Sept. 29, Major Cabbie won a onemile race by 6 1/4 lengths in his second start.
Sareen and Hendricks have one candidate for the Breeders’ Cup in Om for the Mile. In 2016, Om was beaten a nose in the BC Turf Sprint on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.