Shisospicy Training Up to Breeders' Cup Defense

Morplay Racing's 4-year-old filly Shisospicy, last year's champion female sprinter, continues to train forwardly for a planned return trip to the Breeders' Cup. Gulfstream Park-based trainer Jose D'Angelo said Shisospicy, who beat males in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) last fall at Del Mar, is being pointed to the Oct. 30-31 championships at Keeneland, which would be just her second race this year. Seventh in the Unbridled Sidney (G2) May 1 at Churchill Downs, Shisospicy was sidelined by minor ailments that cost her starts in Dubai and New York, most recently the Floral Park sprinting six furlongs on the Belmont Park turf Sept. 19. The daughter of 2019 champion male sprinter Mitole has breezed six times at Saratoga, returning from three weeks between works with a bullet half-mile move in 46.93 seconds Saturday, the fastest of 133 horses. Shisospicy has won six of 10 career starts and more than $2 million in purses. "She had a very good work at Saratoga. It was the first workout since she was out for a little bit with a little temperature. That's why we skipped the race we were supposed to run at Belmont," D'Angelo said between races Sunday at Gulfstream. "Now we are pointing to the Breeders' Cup. It's the only race we have now going forward. She's been training very good." Shisospicy was the first Breeders' Cup winner for D'Angelo, who followed up one race later by winning the Sprint (G1) with Leon King Stable Corp. and TCC Stables' Bentornato. This year, Bentornato ran second in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) and True North (G3), the latter June 6, before being sidelined with a small sesamoid fracture following a workout in early July. "He's at the farm. I saw him when I went to Keeneland for the sale and he looks pretty good," D'Angelo said. "We are waiting 30 more days to recheck him and probably back to training."