Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
BREEDERS’ CUP COVERAGE WITH GRADED PRE-ENTRIES,
ARCADIA, Calif. – Another gorgeous morning Wednesday at Santa Anita, where Omaha Beach was the marquee name on a work tab that included four other potential Breeders’ Cup starters.
With jockey Mike Smith aboard, Omaha Beach worked six furlongs from the five-eighths pole. He got to the wire in 59.88 after early splits of 23.89 and 35.68 without need of any real prodding from his Hall of Fame rider. Smith did give the smooth-moving 3-year-old a couple of nudges once passing through the finish line, encouraging Omaha Beach to complete six furlongs on the clubhouse turn in 1:12.93 before easing up seven-eighths in 1:27.81.
Nothing flashy, but it was a sharp move and good indicator that Omaha Beach appears to have bounced out of a fairly gutwrenching performance defeating Shancelot in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship several weeks ago none the worse for wear.
Omaha Beach was the second of two Breeders’ Cup hopefuls from the barn of trainer Richard Mandella to work on Wednesday. The first was United (Turf), who also breezed six furlongs from the five-furlong pole in 1:14.39, with internal splits of 24.57, 36.39, and 1:00.81 to the wire. United began about five lengths behind a target, was given ample room to come up inside his mate turning for home, and was under mild pressure, edging well clear through the finish line before extending the advantage continuing into the turn to complete the drill. All in all, it was a decent run for this turf specialist working on the dirt.
Wednesday, Oct. 23 SANTA ANITA Weather: Clear Track: Fast Temp. 68°
The Steve Asmussen duo of Shoplifted (Juvenile) and Wicked Whisper (Juvenile Fillies Turf) breezed five furlongs in a slow 1:03 on Sunday, and thus were sent back out on relatively short rest for a decidedly quicker run at daybreak Wednesday morning. The two juveniles breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 with a final quarter in 24.37, with both finishing easily enough and Shoplifted sticking his head in front on the rail at the end. They galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.20, having to alter course some in traffic into the turn, with Shoplifted continuing to maintain a slight edge over his undefeated partner.
Wrecking Crew (Juvenile) was the last of the handful of Breeders’ Cup workers on Wednesday, going six furlongs from the gate in 1:14.37. The Peter Miller trained 2-year-old was a bit on the warm side. He hopped slightly at the start, but quickly recovered to flash big speed for his opening half, posting splits of 23.20, 35.20, 47.40 to the top of the stretch. Wrecking Crew began to labor some once settling into the stretch and was under steady encouragement from the eighth pole to the wire while continuing to tire at the end.
Tuesday
Mitole and McKinzie spiced up a relatively quiet Tuesday morning at Santa Anita. Horses are normally forbidden to work here on Tuesdays, a ban lifted this week and next with the Breeders’ Cup now less than two weeks away.
Mitole was eye-catching working from the gate, which is positioned here in the morning at the end of the chute just behind the six furlong pole. Breaking like a shot, Mitole wasted little time showing off his ample speed, completing his opening three furlongs in 33.84. He turned into the stretch after sizzling a half-mile in 45.24, completing five furlongs at the eighth pole in 58.24 while virtually on his own throughout under Smith. He then continued down the home straight to ease up at the wire after six furlongs in 1:11.57. Hard to look any more impressive or appear any sharper than Mitole, who has not raced since winning the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga on Aug. 24.
Trainer Bob Baffert was also looking for a strong drill from McKinzie and he got it, sending his star seven furlongs from the five-eighths pole with jockey Rafael Bejerano up. McKinzie negotiated the opening five furlongs in 24.77, 36.40, 1:00.29 to the wire before completing his run into the turn in a sharp 1:12.09 and 1:24.70 for the seven-eighths. He was set down hard by Bejarano leaving the eighth pole, remaining under steady pressure throughout the final three furlongs. McKinzie galloped out the mile in 1:38.89 in his best work since a secondplace finish as the odds-on favorite in the Awesome Again at Santa Anita on Sept. 28.