After nearly two months out of action with a fractured hand, Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano made a special trip from New York to Keeneland in Lexington for a morning session with Ferocious, one of the leading candidates for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar Nov. 2.
How's the hand?
"The hand is in good shape," Castellano said as he brought Ferocious off the track after a half-mile work in :49 1/5.
How's the horse?
"The horse is in good shape," Castellano said with a smile.
And so it went for Ferocious in his first work since finishing second in the Oct. 5 Breeders' Futurity (G1).
Coming on the fast track at 7:30 a.m. ET following the morning's first harrow period, Ferocious worked his half-mile and then galloped out five furlongs in 1:02 2/5 and six furlongs in 1:15 1/5.
"He was really good this morning," Castellano said. "We didn't want a bullet work or anything like that. He did it the right way and had a big gallop out."
Trainer Gustavo Delgado was equally pleased with the work and said Ferocious would work again Oct. 26 and ship to Del Mar Oct. 28.
"It was all good. He did everything right," Delgado said, adding that Castellano would have the Breeders' Cup mount on the colt owned by JR Ranch, Ramiro Restrepo, High Step Racing, and OGMA Investments.
Because of his injury, Castellano was unavailable to ride Ferocious in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) and Breeders' Futurity after being aboard for the colt's debut victory.
Castellano was heading back to New York Saturday afternoon and will resume race riding Oct. 24 when he is named on four horses at Aqueduct Racetrack. The mounts will come a day after his 47th birthday.
Other Breeders' Cup Hopefuls Work Saturday at Keeneland
Trainers Cherie DeVaux and Ignacio Correas IV put their Breeders' Cup prospects through main track works Saturday morning.
Working for DeVaux were Vahva (Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, G1) and Cagliostro (Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, G1), together in :59 4/5 for five furlongs; Pyrenees (Breeders' Cup Classic, G1), a half-mile in :47 1/5 in company with Stage Raider; and More Than Looks (Breeders' Cup Mile, G1T), a half-mile in :47 3/5 on his own.
Correas sent out Didia (Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, G1T) for six furlongs in 1:15 2/5 and Mufasa (Dirt Mile) for a half-mile in :48 3/5. A 50% ownership interest in Mufasa, winner of the Vosburgh Stakes (G3), will be offered at Keeneland's inaugural Championship Sale at Del Mar Oct. 30.
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Working half-miles on a turf course labeled as good were trainer Chad Brown's duo of Carl Spackler (:50 2/5) and Chili Flag (:50 3/5), who went together with a final quarter-mile in :23 for the Mile.
Trainer Charlie Appleby sent out six runners, including three with designs on the Breeders' Cup, for half-mile works on the turf.
His Filly and Mare Turf possibles are Cinderella's Dream (:49 3/5) and Beautiful Love (:52). The former worked in company with Star Guest and the latter with Musical Act. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) hopeful Al Qudra worked in :52 4/5 in company with Cavallo Bay.
Trainer Brad Cox's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) prospect, Destino d'Oro, was timed in :51 3/5 working on her own.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
