Geroux still hopeful of making BC

Jockey Florent Geroux, injured in an accident during training hours Sunday morning at Keeneland, is still hopeful of riding in the Breeders’ Cup in 2 1/2 weeks, with his most prominent mount being Owendale in the $6 million Classic on Nov. 2.

Geroux suffered a fractured sternum when thrown from Air Strike while completing a workout Sunday morning. On Wednesday, Geroux saw a specialist in Kentucky, and, according to Geroux’s agent, Doug Bredar, the “doctor liked what he saw.”

“We still have hope he could make the Breeders’ Cup,” said Bredar, who said Geroux would have follow-up X-rays in about two weeks.

Bredar said Geroux was much more comfortable Wednesday than he had been Monday and Tuesday.

“At this point, we want to see if he can give it a try,” Bredar said. “We remain hopeful of riding in the Breeders’ Cup.”

Brad Cox, trainer of Owendale, earlier this week said he would leave the mount open for Geroux for the time being. They’ve been a good team. Geroux has been aboard Owendale for his last five starts, three of which resulted in victories, including the Lexington, Ohio Derby, and, in his last start, the Oklahoma Derby.

Owendale had been under consideration for both the Classic and the Dirt Mile, but Cox said Monday the Classic was the target.

Geroux won the Classic two years ago at Del Mar with Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year. He owns five Breeders’ Cup wins overall, most recently with Monomoy Girl in last year’s Distaff.

If Geroux can’t make the Breeders’ Cup, Cox would need to find a replacement, and he’s not the only one in the Classic facing that situation.

Yoshida will need a new rider, with Joel Rosario, who had ridden him in his last two starts, having opted for McKinzie after trainer Bob Baffert decided to replace Mike Smith. Under Rosario, Yoshida was second in the Whitney and third in the Woodward.

Smith would ride Omaha Beach if he went in the Classic, and while that still hasn’t been completely ruled out by trainer Richard Mandella, the Sprint – which Mandella has said all along he is leaning toward – remains the most likely spot for Omaha Beach. If Omaha Beach goes in the Sprint, Smith would be open for the Classic, and Yoshida would seem a likely landing spot.

Omaha Beach worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds on Wednesday at Santa Anita, his first work since winning the Santa Anita Sprint Championship 1 1/2 weeks earlier.

Yoshida is at Saratoga, where he worked five furlongs in 1:02.13 on Wednesday.

“Doing good, very good work,” said his trainer, Bill Mott. “Put him behind another horse, went past him, galloped out good.”

Mott also is planning on running the mare Elate in the Classic. He said both Elate, who is currently at Churchill Downs, and Yoshida would travel to California on Sunday and get in final works there.

McKinzie, the pro-tem favorite for the Classic, worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 on Wednesday at Santa Anita. Also working Wednesday at Santa Anita for the Classic was Preakness winner War of Will, who went five furlongs in 59.40 for trainer Mark Casse.