Breeders’ Cup Bulletin–Thursday

PHAROAH MAKES FINE FIRST APPEARANCE

Two days after arriving and a day after walking the shedrow, Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) made a much-anticipated first visit to the Keeneland frontside with a strong spin over the all-weather training track.

“We took him out to the training track because when we checked out the main track yesterday afternoon, it looked pretty wet still, and when it starts to dry out, it can get a little deep,” trainer Bob Baffert reasoned.

With his exercise rider Jorgie Alvarez in the irons, the Zayat homebred trained eagerly, pulling hard while appearing to be asking to do more. Baffert is confident that edge will have come off by training hours Friday morning.

“It looked like he was pretty aggressive and was full of himself,” the conditioner offered. “He looked pretty happy. What we saw today was very encouraging. He was tough. He couldn’t have gone any slower. He didn’t go very far. As long as he doesn’t go very far like that, he’s okay. He was a little fresh today because he didn’t do anything yesterday. He won’t be like that tomorrow. He’ll be more relaxed.”

Unraced since a defeat at the hands of Classic aspirant Keen Ice (Curlin) in the GI Travers S. at Saratoga Aug. 29, American Pharoah has put on some weight in the two months since.

“The time off gave him the chance to get his strength back,” Baffert said of the colt, who weighs in at 1195 pounds. “He’s at his peak he’s happy and he’s doing really well. He’s going to come out of there running.”

Thursday’s defection of Beholder (Henny Hughes), who not only was supposed to be American Pharoah’s chief market rival but was also expected to be the one to apply the pressure, theoretically should make life easier on the Baffert trainee. But nothing is being taken for granted.

“They still have to get the trip and we’re hoping he gets a clean break, a clean trip and a good trip,” Baffert commented. “My job is to have him at peak performance. Then it’s up to Victor Espinoza to play the break and decide what he’s going to do with him. He has an idea because he’s on the inside [post four], so there’s not a lot of thinking going on there.

He continued, “The trip is going to be important…the pace, the trip. A lot of jockeys get excited and you don’t know who is going to do what. I told Victor ‘Just ride your horse and don’t worry about anyone else. Don’t panic.’ I told him to keep him happy and stay in his groove. He can’t worry about what’s going on around him.”

S-‘TEPIN’ UP BIG TIME FOR MILE

The GI Breeders’ Cup Mile has been won no fewer than eight times by females, albeit by just five horses that go by the names of Royal Heroine (Ire), Miesque, Ridgewood Pearl (Ire), Six Perfections (Fr) and legendary three-time winner Goldikova (Ire). Robert Masterson’s Tepin (Bernstein) will need a herculean effort in order to join that elite group, but given her current form, it could be foolish to dismiss the possibility out of hand.

A $140,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling in 2012, Tepin was precocious enough to land the GIII Delta Princess S. on the main track at two, but has seen her career really take off since switching to the turf and particularly this season. The bay has won four of her six trips to the post, and but for some truly horrible luck, could be undefeated. After dropping a nose decision to GI Filly/Mare Turf hopeful Hard Not to Like (Hard Spun) in the GI Diana S. at Saratoga July 25, she was beaten a head by the promising F/M Turf-bound Dacita (Chi) (Scat Daddy) after looking home in the GII Ballston Spa S. Aug. 29.

Her last outing points her out as a potentially serious challenger in the Mile. Favored in the GI First Lady S. Oct. 3, Tepin overcame the 11 hole to sit a stalking trip and motored home in the lane to score by seven impressive lengths. Trainer Mark Casse has been shut out with his 23 Breeders’ Cup starters to date and is trying not to put the horse before the cart, so to speak.

“I’d always thought that I need my horse to run the race of his or her life,” said the conditioner, who will saddle five horses over the course of the two days. “Now, from just doing my handicapping and going over everything, I just need them to run up to their ability. If they do, we’ll be right there. That’s a new one for me.”

Tepin is the first horse that longtime owner Robert Masterson has owned wholly by himself rather than in partnership, and she has been entered in the Fasig-Tipton November sale. Casse said that the indication from Masterson now is that as long as she remains healthy and happy she will remain in his barn and come back for her 5-year-old campaign.

WARD A TRIPLE THREAT IN TURF SPRINT

By any analysis, the 2014 Breeders’ Cup was a rousing success for trainer Wesley Ward.

After being bageled with his first 20 starters on championship weekend, the former jockey sent out six runners at Santa Anita and broke through on Breeders’ Cup Friday with Hootenanny (Quality Road)’s victory over stablemate Luck of the Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) in the GI Juvenile Turf. Judy the Beauty (Ghostzapper) doubled his total in the GI Filly & Mare Sprint and that number would have been three, but for an impossible mid-track rally from Bobby’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) to tag the Ward-trained duo of No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) and Undrafted (Purim) in the GI Turf Sprint. The former now stands at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, but Undrafted makes a return trip for the shortest race of the Breeders’ Cup meeting Saturday. He will be joined in the gate by fellow Ward trainees Green Mask (Mizzen Mast) and The Great War (War Front), and the styles of each horse complements the others.

“I wish I had No Nay Never,” Ward quipped. “He was a turf monster, but these three are all doing well. I think they’ll be tiered off. Green Mask will be mid-pack, The Great War will be more forwardly placed and Undrafted will be flying from behind.”

Green Mask has just one win in his six tries on the grass, a victory in the Paradise Creek S. while under the care of Christophe Clement. He was runner-up in turf sprint stakes in his first two appearances for Ward over the winter before a bang-up third in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Mar. 28. In his one run since, the dark bay was fourth in a blanket finish in the Sept. 14 Kentucky Downs Turf Dash.

Undrafted also has overseas form, having sprung a 14-1 surprise over top Aussie sprinter Brazen Beau (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. June 20. He too has made one start since, a useful runner-up effort behind Tourist (Tiznow) in the one-mile Sept. 5 More Than Ready S. at the Tennessee-border venue.

The Great War, a $1-million acquisition at the 2013 Keeneland September sale, was a respectable fourth to Texas Red (Afleet Alex) in last year’s Juvenile, but has made his last two starts on the turf and was most recently a close third in the GII Nearctic S. at Woodbine Oct. 18.

‘SOFT’ SPOT FOR THIS DAN

Two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan (Wiseman’s Ferry) won’t be too far away from Keeneland during this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup meeting, but there is another ‘Dan’-imal among the entries–Argentina’s Ordak Dan (Arg) (Hidden Truth).

Conditioned by one of the country’s leaading trainers Juan Carlos Etchechoury, the 7-year-old earned his spot in Saturday’s GI Breeders’ Cup Turf via a second victory in three years in the ‘Win and You’re In’ G1 Gran Premio 25 de Mayo at San Isidro Racetrack in Buenos Aires (video). While that success came over firm turf, his 18-1 upset of the same race in 2013 was achieved over ground listed as heavy, with a final time of 2:29.34 for the 2400 meters (video).

Ordak Dan, who has trained well over the Keeneland main track, stretched his legs over the turf course Thursday morning beneath exercise rider Richard Castillo. Castillo is an assistant to trainer Ignacio Correas, who has been overseeing things ahead of Etchechoury’s arrival in the States.

“He really, really liked the soft turf,” Castillo commented. “He moved on it really, really smooth. From what the groom in Argentina tells me, he does really well on the soft turf. It should dry some, but from the rain we’ve had, it should stay a little bit soft. He’s doing good, he’s feeling good. As of right now, all systems go.”

Ordak Dan’s sire, Hidden Truth (Danzig), was Grade III-placed on the turf in the U.S. for Will Farish and W. Temple Webber Jr. and trainer Neil Howard. Hidden Truth’s dam Sneaky Quiet (Seeking the Gold) was third to Gal in a Ruckus in the 1995 GI Kentucky Oaks for the same connections.

Ordak Dan will be ridden by his regular rider, Jorge Ricardo, currently the fifth-leading rider at San Isidro.

FRIVOLOUS, ‘LONGSHOT’ GO HAND IN HAND

When G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s Frivolous (Empire Maker) defeated 2014 GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff runner-up Don’t Tell Sophia (Congaree), in last year’s GII Falls City H. at Churchill Downs, she returned a handsome $40.80 to those who kept the faith despite a six-race losing streak heading into that event. When the 5-year-old took down the colors of Sheer Drama (Burning Roma) in this year’s GII Fleur de Lis H. in Louisville, she kicked back a win mutuel in excess of $66. So, if you were worried that Frivolous is pegged at morning-line odds of 30-1 for Friday’s Distaff, you may want to think again.

In the absence of Beholder (Henny Hughes), who was entered in the Distaff, but was always an intended runner in the Classic, a full field will face the starter for the first time since 2006 at Churchill Downs. Trainer Vicki Oliver, who will saddle just her second Breeders’ Cup starter, believes Frivolous can adapt to any race shape.

“It does look like there’s a lot of speed in the race,” Oliver said. “Sometimes she breaks really good, and sometimes she doesn’t. It depends on how she breaks on where she’ll be sitting. She usually likes to be close, stalking, but she has won from off of the pace as well.

She added, “We’re just going to have to see how it unfolds. If we get boxed in on the rail, that’s when we have to work to get her out on the backside. She’s such a big filly and definitely not [highly maneuverable].”

Runner-up to Sheer Drama after setting the pace in the GI Delaware H. going 10 furlongs July 18, Frivolous landed the Sept. 12 Locust Grove S. by eight lengths, but was a somewhat disappointing fourth behind Got Lucky (A.P. Indy) in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. over the Distaff course and distance Oct. 4.