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Breeders’ Cup Bulletin–Oct. 24

| 12:00 am

MIDNIGHT LUCKY RETIRED
   Karl Watson, Paul Weitman and Mike Pegram’s Midnight Lucky (Midnight Lute–Citiview, by Citidancer) was on trial Friday for a start in Saturday’s GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, but not only did trainer Bob Baffert rule the 4-year-old filly out of that race after she worked six furlongs in 1:12, the conditioner also announced that she would be retired from the races. A $220,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate, Midnight Lucky achieved TDN Rising Star status with a smashing 7 1/4-length maiden victory on her February 2013 debut and followed with an eight-length tally in the Sunland Park Oaks, but found the waters of the GI Kentucky Oaks too deep and finished eighth. She bounced back with a 6 1/4-length success in the GI Acorn S., her final appearance of 2013, and faced the starter but once this term, posting a 4 1/2-length victory in the GI Humana Distaff S. May 3 at Churchill Downs. Midnight Lucky retires with a record of 5-4-0-0 and earnings of $565,022. Produced by a full-sister to Pegram’s GI La Brea S. winner Hookedonthefeelin (Citidancer), Midnight Lucky is bred just like Pussycat Doll (Real Quiet), also a winner of the Humana Distaff and La Brea in addition to the GI Santa Monica H. 

• In other works at the “Great Race Place” Friday morning, Goldencents (Into Mischief) breezed five furlongs in :59.40 with regular rider Rafael Bejarano up for trainer Leandro Mora. The 4-year-old, who is off to join his sire at Spendthrift Farm in 2015, will be looking to make it back-to-back victories in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile next Saturday. With Joe Talamo in the irons, Big Bane Theory (Artie Schiller), last-out winner of the GII City of Hope Mile Oct. 4, went five furlongs in :59.60 for trainer Carla Gaines. He will carry the hopes of the U.S. in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile. Conquest Stable’s Conquest Eclipse (Malibu Moon), who ran on nicely to be runner-up to Angela Renee (Bernardini) in the GI Chandelier S. Sept. 27, went a half-mile in :49.20 for trainer Mark Casse. 

• Prepping for the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, Southern Equine Stable’s GI Whitney H. hero Moreno (Ghostzapper) drilled three-quarters of a mile in the company of stablemate Elle Rain in 1:12.60 with Tyler Baze in the irons. Elle Rain was clocked the same distance in a sluggish 1:16.40. “The company couldn’t keep up with him,” Guillot said. “I got him galloping out [seven furlongs] in 1:26 1/5.” The 4-year-old figures part of the early pace in the Classic along with Bayern (Offlee Wild) and talking horse Cigar Street (Street Sense). 

• A trio of Breeders’ Cup contenders got in their final major work Friday morning at Churchill Downs. Michael Langford’s Carve (First Samurai) went an easy half-mile in :49 flat to the satisfaction of trainer Brad Cox, who will saddle his first starter on Breeders’ Cup weekend in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. “His work this morning was great,” Cox said. “He went a half-mile in :49 and galloped out really well.” Since being transferred from the barn of Steve Asmussen earlier this season, Carve, who was claimed by Langford for $30,000 out of a victorious career debut in January 2013, has won half of his eight trips to the post, including the GIII Cornhusker H. June 28 and the West Virginia Governor’s S. Aug. 2. He was runner-up to Bradester (Lion Heart) in the GIII Ack Ack S. going Churchill’s one-turn mile Sept. 6, but was only fifth to Cigar Street in the Homecoming Classic over nine panels three weeks later. “I think we ran him back a little too quickly from the Ack Ack to the Homecoming Classic, so hopefully giving him an extra week or so should ensure that he’ll be at his best.” Cox is looking forward to the Breeders’ Cup experience. “It’s exciting,” the conditioner said. “The horse is doing as well as he can do and we expect him to run well. Obviously we’re running to win, but I will be happy as long as he shows up. I honestly think he has what it takes to compete with these horses.” 

Prepping for a start in the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Charles Fipke’s GII Indiana Oaks runner-up Unbridled Forever (Unbridled’s Song) went five furlongs in 1:02.20. “She had a great work,” trainer Dallas Stewart said. “She was cruising at a high speed and galloped out nicely. One of her great qualities is that she doesn’t own her track. Whether it’s Churchill, Fair Grounds, Saratoga or Belmont she’s run well. So I expect her to run really well at Santa Anita.” Stewart confirmed that John Velazquez would have the call in the Distaff. 

Top Decile (Congrats), runner-up to Peace and War (War Front) in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. at Keeneland Oct. 3, was out for a half-mile breeze and covered the distance in :49.80 under the watchful eye of trainer Al Stall Jr. “She went in :49 and change, galloped out [five furlongs] nicely in 1:03 and just did it the right way,” Stall said of the filly, owned by Klaravich Stable and William H. Lawrence. Rosie Napravnik has a return call in the Juvenile Fillies. 

• About 70 miles east of Louisville at Keeneland, GI Juddmonte Spinster S. upsetter Don’t Tell Sophia (Congaree) got her final tune-up for Friday’s featured GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff by working four furlongs in :48 flat (video) beneath jockey Joe Rocco Jr. Working by herself right after the break, the 6-year-old mare posted fractions of :12.40, :24.20 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02. “She was doing a two-minute lick to the half-mile pole and I got her in like :48 and 3 or 4 and out in 1:01,” co-owner and trainer Phil Sims said. “We are just trying to maintain what we have.” For Sims, it will be his second runner at the Breeders’ Cup after saddling Hot Cha Cha (Cactus Ridge) to a fifth in the 2010 GI Filly/Mare Turf at Churchill Downs. Don’t Tell Sophia does her best work from well off the pace, and the conditioner is at least somewhat concerned about the speed-favoring nature of the Santa Anita main track. “I am just concentrating on my horse, but [a speed-favoring track] is always a concern. We are not going to take her out of her element,” Sims said. “There seems to be a lot of speed in there, which is good for us. She’ll run her race.” 

Loooch Racing Stable’s Ria Antonia (Rockport Harbor), one of five winners from the 2013 Breeders’ Cup to make a return appearance this year, also drilled a half-mile for the Distaff, stopping the timer in :47.60 (video). The sophomore filly, winless in eight starts this season and most recently runner-up in the Spinster, went in fractions of :23.20 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.40. “It was very good,” trainer Tom Amoss commented. “She did it in hand and the key thing was the rider was just sitting on her. That was exactly what we were looking for.”