At Santa Anita: Curlin to breeze on Monday

From Breeders' Cup Ltd.

Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin enjoyed another lengthy stroll on Santa Anita’s synthetic Pro-Ride main track Sunday morning in what could lead to a possible meeting with Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown and other members of the equine elite in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 25.

“He galloped two miles,” said Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, who was due in from out of town tonight to supervise Curlin’s first official workout over the track at a half-mile Monday morning.

Curlin became the first North American-based horse to surpass the $10 million mark in earnings when he won the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Sept. 27.

Meanwhile, Japanese invader Casino Drive was on the track at Hollywood Park Sunday and his connections indicated he could possibly train up to the Classic without a prep race. Unbeaten in two starts, the son of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft, Casino Drive is also a half-brother to Belmont Stakes winners Rags to Riches and Jazil. He has not raced since winning the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont last May 10. A stone bruise in his left hind foot forced him to miss the Belmont Stakes and has sidelined him since.

“He had a good canter today,” said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for Casino Drive’s owner, Hidetoshi Yamamoto. “The horse will stay at Hollywood for the time being and we may go directly to the Classic. We’ll see how he behaves in the next five, six days.”

In other Breeders’ Cup news:

Defending Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Midnight Lute worked six furlongs from the gate on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride course Sunday in a bullet 1:10.60 under former jockey Joe Steiner.

“He went really well,” Bob Baffert said. “I took the blinkers off and he broke like a shot. He was perfect in the gate. He’s right where he was last year and I feel very confident about how he’s coming up to the race.”

Believe in Hope, a fast-closing third in the Grade I Norfolk Stakes on Sept. 27, is being pointed to the $2 million Juvenile. “I thought he was the best horse,” trainer Ron Ellis said, referring to the Norfolk, in which Believe in Hope was beaten less than a length by victorious Street Hero and a nose for second by Midshipman.

Believe in Hope, a son of 1995 Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch owned by the Jay Em Ess Stable, was off to a slow start in the 1 1/16-mile Norfolk, but “closed willingly along the fence,” according to the Equibase chart of the race.

Dearest Trickski, prepping for the $1 million Sentient Flight Group Filly & Mare Sprint on Oct. 24, worked six furlongs Wednesday at Hollywood Park in 1:15. “She’s doing great,” trainer John Sadler said. “She’s going to train up to the Breeders’ Cup and couldn’t be doing any better.”

Morvich Handicap winner California Flag worked four furlongs for Brian Koriner Sunday in :47.60 on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface as he prepares for the Turf Sprint.

Following are training hours for Breeders’ Cup horses on Friday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 25: Friday, 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.; Saturday, 4:30 a. m. to 6 a. m. The training track will be closed on Thursday, Oct. 23.

Oak Tree will be hosting the Breeders’ Cup for the fourth time and the first time under its two-day format, which features 14 races with total purses of $25.5 million. Oak Tree will also be the first-ever venue to host the Breeders’ Cup in consecutive years. It will present the Championships in 2009.



‘Zenyatta Jr.’ preps for Juvenile Fillies

They call Stardom Bound “Z.J.” around trainer Chris Paasch’s barn.

“It’s for Zenyatta Jr., and we say it with the utmost respect,” Paasch said. Paasch trains Stardom Bound, the 2-year-old filly who won the Grade I Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita in spectacular fashion last Saturday to stamp herself as the favorite for the $2 million Bessemer Trust Breeders’ CupJuvenile Fillies on Oct. 24.

“We’ll stick with the program, and it’s on to the Breeders’ Cup,” Paasch said. “What’s amazing to me, and of course I’m kind of partial, but I don’t know too many 2-year-olds, especially fillies that I’ve seen in recent history that can do what she did that easily.” He was referring to Stardom Bound’s impressive 3 ½-length victory under Mike Smith in the Oak Leaf Stakes, her first attempt at two turns.

“If you look at Mike at the three-eighths pole, all he does is throw the reins at her one time. She just drops down and levels out, and then as she comes out of the turn, she changes her lead. Mike pushes on her twice more. He never even drew the stick, and to see her accelerate like that is just breathtaking.