When 2021 Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Aloha West attempts to defend that title in this year's race Nov. 5 at Keeneland, trainer Wayne Catalano believes his running style could help as the six-furlong test will be his first start in more than four months.
Aloha West wrapped up his serious Breeders' Cup preparations Oct. 31 at Keeneland when he worked a half-mile in :47 2/5 on a good track.
"That's what you want to see," Catalano said. "He worked very well. He worked good, and he's barely drinking. So I'm happy. He went :47 2/5 and galloped out in 1:01 3/5 so that was perfect.
"We don't want too much faster than that. He just went :58-and-change. We're just squeezing in the works."
Catalano is squeezing in works for the 5-year-old son of Hard Spun because he has not raced since rallying from fourth to win the Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes July 2 at Churchill Downs. Catalano and Aron Wellman, of owner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, opted to give Aloha West some rest after that effort, which followed a third-place finish May 7 in the Churchill Downs Stakes presented by Ford (G1) and a fourth in the June 11 Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park.
About four weeks ahead of his upset victory in last year's Sprint at Del Mar, where he defeated eventual champion sprinter Jackie's Warrior , Aloha West finished a close second in the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2) at Keeneland. While Catalano would have preferred a similar path this year, he's confident his horse is heading in the right direction and thinks his running style could allow him to deliver a big effort off the layoff.
"When you only got to run three-eighths-of-a-mile, that helps. With his running style, he only runs the last three-eighths," Catalano said. "He's not going to have to do all the work. Of course he's going to have to run, but he's not going to have to make a half-mile of five-eighths run."
Aloha West worked five times in Kentucky in October, officially punching his ticket back to the Sprint with a bullet five-furlong breeze in :58 3/5 Oct. 25 at Keeneland. He closed out the busy month with Monday's move, which again earned a bullet as fastest of seven works at the distance.
Catalano said Monday that Aloha West is probably around 90% in terms of fitness. He hopes that might be enough with the aforementioned running style.
"This is what we're doing (this year). It's Breeders' Cup time, and he's probably going to go be a stallion, so we'll take a shot and here we go," Catalano said. "He's pretty good. He's in good shape. We're getting very close to being ready for our race."
Jackie's Warrior, Clairiere Among Asmussen's BC Workers
While Racing Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen called a small audible—moving workers scheduled for 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. Monday at Keeneland—it was all systems go for a group of workers preparing for Breeders' Cup led by champion Jackie's Warrior and two-time grade 1 winner Clairiere.
The time change for the workouts allowed the track to be upgraded from sloppy to good as Jackie's Warrior officially breezed three furlongs in :37 3/5 under exercise rider Wilson Fabian while Clairiere, with Carlos Rosas up, completed an easy four furlongs in :50. Asmussen said the Keeneland surface has been terrific all fall and that continued today, despite some overnight rain.
"One thing that has stood out to us is how good the surface at Keeneland has been to put the kind of work that we've put in and for (the horses) to feel like they've thrived and improved," Asmussen said. "There's very few surfaces where you can put in this kind of work and continuously feel that you're in this good of shape."
Jackie's Warrior wrapped up serious preparations for the Breeders' Cup Sprint with Monday's short burst, his fourth timed workout of the month. Campaigned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, Jackie's Warrior is trying to bounce back from a runner-up finish in the Forego Stakes (G1) Aug. 27 at Saratoga Race Course when Cody's Wish surged past him late.
But that's been the lone setback this year for the 2021 champion sprinter as he's won his four other starts this year, including victories in the Albert G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) at Saratoga and the Churchill Downs Stakes presented by Ford (G1).
As accomplished as Jackie's Warrior is, the 4-year-old son of Maclean's Music has not delivered his best in previous Breeders' Cups, despite being favored in both his previous starts.
In the 2020 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), Jackie's Warrior led in the stretch before fading to fourth. He largely has been pointed to sprints since that effort. In last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, Jackie's Warrior faded to sixth after a taxing early duel with Special Reserve. With all four of those October works completed at Keeneland, Asmussen is confident Jackie's Warrior can deliver a top effort this year.
"He's been training so well here," Asmussen said. "Looks lovely...We brought him in fresh this year because (last year) he obviously didn't respond well off of a 2 Ragozin (a fast speed figure effort) at Parx Racing before shipping all the way out to California. That said, there's so many variables year to year in a Breeders' Cup."
Asmussen said one of those variables last year was a season that saw Jackie's Warrior start the season in a Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) prep race, the Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park, before making the move to shorter races. This year the focus has been on sprinting, and Jackie's Warrior already has delivered some memorable wins—the Vanderbilt secured his place in history as the first horse to win grade 1 races three seasons in a row at Saratoga.
"It's a little sad to think this is the last time we get to run him," Asmussen said. "He's given us so much; we're just proud of who he is."
Also Monday, Clairiere looked like she was getting over the track well during her easy half-mile breeze as she wrapped up serious preparations for the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 5 at Keeneland.
"She's just an unbelievable mare; she really is," Asmussen said. "We love how she's doing here. It's a tremendous field but we feel like we have a tremendous horse and we love having her run in it."
A 4-year-old homebred for Stonestreet Stables, Clairiere turned heads in June when she defeated a pair of champions—Malathaat and Letruska—to win the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. The daughter of Curlin will try to bounce back from a fifth-place finish in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) Aug. 27 at the Spa.
Monday's breeze marked Clairiere's fifth move this month at Keeneland.
Asmussen's other two Breeders' Cup workers Monday were Gunite , pre-entered in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), and Wicked Halo, pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).
As both are coming off recent wins at Keeneland, Asmussen said neither needed much work. Gunite completed a half-mile in :51 3/5 while Wicked Halo posted four furlongs in :52 3/5.
Asmussen said he wanted to give each horse—both homebreds for Winchell Thoroughbreds—the opportunity to compete in the Breeders' Cup after seeing how well each looked in winning recent races at Keeneland. Gunite won the Perryville Stakes Oct. 22; the same day that Wicked Halo secured the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2).
"We're very pleased with how the horses for the Breeders' Cup are doing," Asmussen said. "We feel that they're extremely well suited for it."
| Horse | Track | Distance | Time | Division |
| Aloha West | Keeneland | 4F (Dirt-Good) | :47 2/5 | Sprint |
| Clairiere | Keeneland | 4F (Dirt-Good) | :50 | Distaff |
| Gunite | Keeneland | 4F (Dirt-Good) | :51 3/5 | Dirt Mile |
| Jackie's Warrior | Keeneland | 3F (Dirt-Good) | :37 3/5 | Sprint |
| Wicked Halo | Keeneland | 4F (Dirt-Good) | :52 3/5 | Filly & Mare Sprint |
Letruska, Jack Christopher Out of BC Consideration
St. George Stables' Letruska, champion older dirt female of 2021, will be rested and will not run in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland, trainer Fausto Gutierrez told FanDuel TV's Joaquin Jaime Oct. 31.
"She needs some days off after all this time to run, and we need to recognize when you are not going to arrive in the best form," Gutierrez told Jaime. "It is better to take time. She has run five years in a row. She is OK. She is in condition, but we have decided to skip this risk."
Gutierrez said Letruska would get 60 days off before a decision would be made on whether she will be retired from racing.
The homebred 6-year-old Super Saver mare was coming off a fourth-place finish in the Oct. 9 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) at the Lexington track, and has not won since her April 23 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) title defense at Oaklawn Park. Letruska has won five grade 1 stakes among her 19 career wins, with earnings of more than $3 million.
Trainer Fausto Gutierrez just told me Eclipse Award winner Letruska needs 60 days off and will not run in the @BreedersCup this year. Decision on retirement TBD.
— Joaquin Jaime (@JoaquinJaime_) October 31, 2022
Also withdrawn from Breeders' Cup consideration Monday was two-time grade 1 winner Jack Christopher , who was not entered in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. According to Daily Racing Form's David Grening, who first reported the news, the colt's connections were concerned he would be scratched before race day by Breeders' Cup veterinarians based on how he moves in his training, according to trainer Chad Brown.
Jack Christopher was scratched from the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, for which he was the morning-line favorite, by on-site veterinarians. He was later diagnosed with a stress fracture to his left shin and underwent surgery, which was done by Dr. Larry Bramlage of Rood & Riddle.
Brown told Grening that recent radiographs of Jack Christopher were inspected by Bramlage, and "no fractures or areas of concern were found by him," but that he felt it best for all parties involved to pre-emptively decide not to enter instead of having the horse scratched later in the week.
Bradley Weisbord, racing manager for majority owner Jim Bakke, told BloodHorse a decision on the racing future of the colt will be made in a few days. Bakke owns Jack Christopher in partnership with Gerald Isbister, Peter Brant, and Coolmore, the latter of which has acquired breeding rights to Jack Christopher, a son of their stallion Munnings . Weisbord declined to go into depth regarding Jack Christopher's physical condition.
"It's now been two championship-caliber seasons that the horse has put forth and to miss the Breeders' Cup both years is heartbreaking," he said. "For Mr. Bakke and the other owners, it's a big blow. It's almost Groundhog Day. For us the horse has done no wrong, but we'll digest what happened in the next 48 hours and come up with a game plan."
Jack Christopher broke his maiden at first asking and won the 2021 Champagne Stakes (G1) before the shin injury ended his juvenile season. He returned with victories in the Pat Day Mile Presented by LG&E and KU (G2) and the Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (G1), then ran third in the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) before turning back to sprinting in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) last out Aug. 27 at Saratoga Race Course.
Rich Strike Faces Long Odds Again in a Kentucky Classic
Rich Strike may be known in some circles as "The People's Horse," but when it comes to his odds for major races in Kentucky, he's still horse racing's Rodney Dangerfield.
After winning the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at shocking 80-1 odds, some six months later the son of Keen Ice was once again assigned hefty odds, this time for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Saturday at Keeneland.
Maybe not 80-1. Those days are long gone. Yet in a field of eight, topped by the undefeated Flightline at 3-5, Rich Strike was tabbed at 20-1, the seventh biggest price in the morning line. Only Happy Saver , who hasn't won a graded stakes in more than two years, was higher at 30-1.
"He's got to earn everything he gets," trainer Eric Reed said. "Until he wins again, this will happen. It is what it is.
"The odds really don't determine anything," he added. "We found that out in the Derby."
Since stunning the racing world in the opening leg of the Triple Crown by rallying from 18th to post his second—and still most recent—career victory, RED TR-Racing's 3-year-old is winless in three starts. He sat out the Preakness Stakes (G1), then finished sixth in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) before turning in two improved efforts.
He was fourth in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) behind Classic 5-1 second choice Epicenter , though he missed second by only a nose and a neck in that 1 1/4-mile test. He then seemed headed for victory in the stretch of the Oct. 1 Lukas Classic Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs only to have Hot Rod Charlie (15-1 in the Classic) battle back to prevail by a head.
"He's coming into the race in good order and he couldn't look any better than he does," Reed said about Rich Strike's chances in the 10-furlong Classic. "He's matured a lot. Each time we've run him he's taken a step forward and hopefully he'll do that one more time."
Suffice it to say, Rich Strike has a much more loyal following among racing fans than oddsmakers. His story is surely compelling. Bred by Calumet Farm out of the Smart Strike mare Gold Strike, he was claimed by his owners and Reed, who never had a Kentucky Derby starter, for $30,000 out of his maiden win as a 2-year-old. Before his horse's heroics on the first Saturday in May, Reed had not captured a graded stakes since 2009.
The chestnut colt didn't even have a spot in the Run for the Roses until a last-minute scratch opened the door for him to enter the race moments before entries were closed.
And, for his backers in the spring, who can forget a horse that rewarded them with $163.60 for every $2 they bet on him in the Kentucky Derby?
"It's been a wonderful ride and hopefully it will continue on through next year," Reed said.
"Coach Cal" Gets in on Breeders' Cup Draw Action
When University of Kentucky men's basketball coach John Calipari questions a call at Rupp Arena this season, he may not want the referees to show the tape of the Rood & Riddle Breeders' Cup Post Position Draw.
Calipari served as the celebrity drawing the pills for the Breeders' Cup Classic field Monday at Rupp and, with the first pill, called "seven" for Flightline. Immediately, Keeneland racing secretary Ben Huffman, seated beside the Hall of Fame coach, stopped him and quietly told the coach to turn the pill around. What Calipari thought was a "7" actually was the "4." The coach joked that he couldn't read it.
"We're going to do this together," Calipari said before drawing another number and enlisting Huffman's help the rest of the way. "That's a one, I think."
Calipari said the "six" was readable as it was spelled out on the pill. The six is spelled out to avoid confusion with the "9."
Later, Olympiad drew post 7. "There's the seven," Calipari said with a chuckle.
Before pulling the first pill, Calipari said Breeders' Cup is a great event for Lexington and noted the quality of the fields for this year's World Championships.
