Breeders’ Cup World Championships Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1 2-Year-Old Races Report

To be run Friday, October 31 $1 Million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (Grade I) 2-Year-Old Colts & Geldings 1 Mile (Turf) $1 Million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade I) 2-Year-Old Fillies 1 Mile (Turf)

To be run Saturday, November 1 $2 Million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Grade I) 2-Year-Old Colts & Geldings 1 1/16 Miles $2 Million 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade I) 2-Year-Old Fillies 1 1/16 Miles

Tuesday, October 28, 2014 Contact Notes Team (626) 254-1352

Bob Baffert (American Pharoah and One Lucky Dane, Juvenile) – With emotion showing on his face and in his voice, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert announced at a hastily called news conference at 9:30 a.m. Pacific time that Juvenile favorite American Pharaoh had been withdrawn from the race with a deep bruise on the left front foot.

“After his work (on Sunday) he wasn't quite right," Baffert said. "We were working on a foot (Monday) and again this (Tuesday) morning. We X-rayed him and did an ultrasound ... It isn't soft tissue and it isn't bone, but there's something not right. We'll give him some more diagnostic tests and we'll deal with it ... Nothing serious, nothing career ending.

“I've had to scratch horses before big races before, but this is probably the most disappointing. But he's too great of a horse and too valuable to take a chance. I didn't want to risk it and Mr. (owner Ahmed) Zayat didn't want to risk it. He's going to be OK, but the timing is just very tough ... It's pretty difficult for the barn, the Zayat family and anybody who has anything to do with the horse.

“I've never had a bad day with this horse and never had one come up to a race so perfect.”

The 2yo son of Pioneerof the Nile won the 7f Del Mar Futurity in his second career start by 4 3/4 lengths on Sept. 3 and followed that with a 3 1/4-length victory in the 1 1/16 mile Front Runner on Sept. 27. He drew the No. 5 post and was tabbed the 2-1 favorite in a field of 13 for the Juvenile.

Baffert's remaining Juvenile entrant, One Lucky Dane, walked the shedrow on Tuesday following a 4f workout on Monday.

Aidan O'Brien (The Great War, Juvenile; War Envoy, Juvenile Turf; Qualify, Juvenile Fillies Turf) – see European report

Brian Meehan (Faithful Creek, Juvenile Turf) – see European report on also eligible list

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Chad Brown (Offering Plan and Startup Nation, Juvenile Turf; Lady Eli, Partisan Politics, Sivoliere, and Tammy the Torpedo, Juvenile Fillies Turf) – Trainer Chad Brown said his team of 2yo grass runners all shipped well from New York Monday.

The flight was delayed while a repair was made on a cracked windshield, so Brown’s horses did not arrive until Monday evening. He sent them out for some light exercise Tuesday morning and said they will all gallop on Wednesday.

Charlie Hills (Commemorative, Juvenile Turf) – see European report

Charlie Fellowes (Wet Sail, Juvenile Turf) – see European report

D. Wayne Lukas (Mr. Z, Juvenile; Take Charge Brandi, Juvenile Fillies; Lady Zuzu, Juvenile Fillies Turf) – Lady Zuzu was in the Lukas spotlight Tuesday when she galloped 1 1/2m under regular exercise rider Allyson Walker on her way to Friday’s Juvenile Fillies Turf. She’ll be ridden by Julien Leparoux.

Lukas’ other Breeders’ Cup prospects – Mr. Z and Take Charge Brandi – set for the Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies, respectively, walked the shedrow following 4f workouts on Monday.

Dale Romans (Cristina's Journey, Juvenile Fillies; Danny Boy, Juvenile Turf; Flying Tipat [also eligible], Juvenile Fillies Turf) – Trainer describes Cristina’s Journey as a horse “in a plain brown wrapper,” but she’s also a runner that never disappoints.

“She’s always the same,” said Romans. “She always goes out and does her job. She’s not a ‘wow’ horse although her last work was pretty ‘wow.’ I expect her to well.”

Donegal Racing’s Danny Boy is still looking for his second win after breaking his maiden in his first start three races ago, but Romans is very optimistic about his chance.

“He’s probably my best chance of winning a Breeders’ Cup race this year,” said Romans. “He’s really coming into this race well. He’s improving at the right time.”

David Brown (War Alert, Juvenile Fillies Turf) – see European report on also eligible list

Graham Motion (Rainha Da Bateria, Juvenile Fillies Turf) – The 2yo daughter of Broken Vow galloped 1 1/2m Tuesday morning at Santa Anita.

Rainha Da Bateria has won two of her three lifetime starts, including the Jessamine Stakes at .

“She’s a filly who always showed a lot. We liked her from the get-go,” trainer Graham Motion said. “She had a couple issues in her second race. She had a terrible trip and she actually entrapped her epiglottis that day. It was kind of a race you put a line through.”

Hugo Palmer (Aktabantay, Juvenile Turf) – see European report

Jamie Osborne (Prize Exhibit, Juvenile Fillies Turf) – see European report -MORE-

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Jerry Hollendorfer (Majestic Presence, Juvenile Fillies) – Mark DeDomenico LLC and North American Thoroughbred Horse Company Inc.’s Majestic Presence galloped on the main track at Santa Anita under exercise rider Edgar Rodriguez.

Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Majestic Presence enters Saturday’s race off a fourth-place finish in the Chandelier, her initial race on dirt after debuting over the Polytrack at Del Mar. Dan Ward, assistant to Hollendorfer, does not believe the transition to dirt factored in the filly’s lone off-the-board finish in three starts.

“She had a bad post that day (11 in a field of 12),” Ward said. “I really liked her in there, but she had a wide trip. She made a move on the turn and flattened out a little. I think that race will help her here Saturday and she had an excellent work last Saturday (6f in 1:12 3/5).”

There was one other factor at play in the Chandelier, Ward said.

“At Del Mar, she ran one of the first route races of the meet for 2-year-olds,” Ward said. “It was a long time (6 ½ weeks) between races and she may have been just a little short.”

John Sadler (Daddy D T, Juvenile Turf) – The 2yo son of Scat Daddy galloped 1 1/2m Tuesday morning. Corey Nakatani, aboard for a victory in the Oak Tree Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Sept. 3, is back in the saddle. Rafael Bejarano was in the irons for a fifth-place finish in the Front Runner on dirt at Santa Anita on Sept. 27.

“He's getting back on his best surface, turf, and hopefully he'll put his best foot forward and win himself a Breeders' Cup race," Nakatani said.

Kiaran McLaughlin (Imperia, Juvenile Turf) – Godolphin Racing’s Imperia went out to the main track at 6:45 a.m. on Tuesday under regular exercise rider Pat Correa for a 1 1/2m gallop and then stood at the gate and backed out.

“Second time out is a big angle for us,” McLaughlin said. “We figured we could take a shot in the Pilgrim and if he got beat, go back to a maiden race. He’s finished so strong in both of his races. There is a short run into the first turn but we have (Javier Castellano) and he’s a push-button ride.”

Leah Gyarmati (Wonder Gal, Juvenile Fillies) – Juvenile Fillies contender Wonder Gal, who was a bit keyed up earlier in the week according to trainer Leah Gyarmati, was more at ease on Tuesday morning after putting in her final breeze one day earlier.

“She’s much more relaxed today,” said Gyarmati, after the daughter of Tiznow traveled 4f in 47 4/5 on the main track. “She jogged the wrong way this morning from the quarter-pole gap, walked to the paddock and took a long walk around the backside. Normally, I just walk her after a breeze but this took the edge off of her.”

Owned by Treadway Racing Stable, the New York-bred Wonder Gal will be ridden for the first time by Hall of Famer Mike Smith when they break from post 10. The winner of a state-bred stakes race for fillies at Belmont Park in her first start, she caught a sloppy track when second to Juvenile Fillies contender By the Moon in her last.

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Mark Casse (Conquest Eclipse, Juvenile Fillies; Conquest Typhoon, Juvenile Turf; Conquest Harlanate, Juvenile Fillies Turf) – Trainer Mark Casse’s crew of Conquest Stable runners all galloped 1 1/2m on Tuesday morning and while the fillies had regular exercise rider Jason Hoyte aboard, the colt was partnered with Martin Rivera.

“Everybody is as good as can be,” said Randi Melton, who runs the Southern California division of Casse’s widespread North American operation and had scheduled a paddock lesson for all three later in the morning.

Conquest Stable is the nom de course for Chicagoans Ernie Semersky and Dory Newell, who are longtime life partners. Although they have only been in the racing business for about two years, they have invested more than $13 million at the sales and currently own roughly 100 horses. All are trained by Casse and branded with “Conquest” in their names, including the recently retired My Conquestadory, who ran in the 2013 Juvenile Fillies Turf, and 2013 Juvenile participant Conquest Titan.

Semersky, who owns auto dealerships and is a venture capitalist, and Newell, an interior designer and fine art expert, have enjoyed enormous success in a very short time with multiple Graded stakes victories in the United States and Canada. They actively maintain the Conquest Stable Facebook page, where they refer to their horses as “our kids” and delight in engaging in a discourse with their fan base.

Mike Maker (International Star, Juvenile Turf) – The Fusaichi Pegasus colt has never been worse than second in any of his four races, but may have his work cut out for him after drawing post position 12 on Monday.

“I was really confident in him until the draw,” said Maker. “But, he’s really coming around nicely and doing well.”

Michelle Nevin (By the Moon, Juvenile Fillies) – Jay Em Ess Stable’s By the Moon, winner of the Frizette in her most recent start to earn a berth in the Juvenile Fillies, was scheduled to arrive at Santa Anita Tuesday afternoon from her home base at Belmont Park.

She will represent the first Breeders’ Cup starter for trainer Michelle Nevin. By the Moon will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, who is participating in his first Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

Peter Miller (Calculator, Juvenile; Hennythelovepenny, Juvenile Fillies) – Learning of American Pharoah’s scratch from the Juvenile, Miller said, “It doesn’t change our tactics but it makes the race a lot easier.”

Calculator, a maiden who finished second to American Pharoah in both the Del Mar Futurity and FrontRunner Stakes, drew the inside post. “The rail is good,” said Miller. “The horse is tactical. He won’t be too far back, hopefully in the second flight.

“We just got unlucky versus a really good horse,” said Miller of the two losses to American Pharoah. He said the gray/roan colt jogged two miles Tuesday at San Luis Rey Downs.

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Miller said that Hennythelovepenny is a 2yo filly that is getting good at the right time. She scored a 6 ½- length maiden victory in her third start here on Oct. 12. “She followed that with a great five-furlong work in 59,” said Miller. “She’s got speed and is tactical. Post nine will be no problem.”

Miller said that she galloped 1 ½ miles Tuesday. She and Calculator will be shipped to Santa Anita on Wednesday.

Richard Hannon (Osaila, Juvenile Fillies Turf) – see European report

Todd Pletcher (Carpe Diem and Daredevil, Juvenile; Angela Renee and Feathered, Juvenile Fillies; Isabella Sings, Juvenile Fillies Turf) – Trainer Todd Pletcher’s Breeders’ Cup starters departed (Long Island) MacArthur Airport at approximately 10:30 a.m. today.

“They left Belmont in perfect shape. It’s exciting when you’ve got some promising horses and we have two undefeated colts and the morning-line favorite in the Juvenile Fillies. These are the types of events you get fired up for,” Pletcher said.

With regard to Angela Renee, he added, “We always thought that with her pedigree – two turns was gonna be her game. It really looked like in the Chandelier that that was the performance we had hoped to see. Maybe it’s an advantage that she’s had a race over the track. We hope for a good trip from the inside post and hopefully she runs as well as she did last time or a little better.”

Wesley Ward (Hootenanny and Luck of the Kitten, Juvenile Turf; Sunset Glow, Juvenile Fillies Turf) – Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf hopeful Luck of the Kitten, who concluded his serious prep work with a 5f move on Saturday in 50 2/5, exits a win in Zuma Beach Stakes on Oct. 5. The Wesley Ward-trained son of Kitten’s Joy galloped Tuesday morning under assistant Blake Heap’s supervision.

“He’s doing awesome – really great,” Heap said. “He backed up to the half-mile pole and just galloped a mile and three-quarters. He’s really coming along.”

Hootenanny – who is owned by Coolmore principals Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor – is expected to arrive from Tuesday afternoon, according to Heap. The son of Quality Road exits a second in the Prix Morny in France on a soft course. Ward is high on Hootenanny’s chances.

“I think he can win,” Ward said. “He wasn’t really ridden perfectly at Deauville and we were the victim of pace on a soft course which can favor closers. Frankie (Dettori on eventual winner The Wow Signal) knew my horse well and knew how to beat him that day. He was sort of laughing at me as he stalked me the entire way.”

This time, Dettori will be on top of Hootenanny – a colt who not only shipped to France in August, but also to England in June for a victory in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“He’s a really easy going dude,” Ward said. “He is a wonderful shipper and is training really well. A lot of horses don’t travel well. He just jumps right into the feed tub.”

Hootenanny’s regular workmate – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf contender Sunset Glow – put in a maintenance gallop Tuesday morning at Santa Anita.

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“She just galloped a nice mile and a half,” Heap said. “She’s doing really well.”

The gray daughter of Exchange Rate has three victories in five starts for owner Ten Broeck Farm. Like Hootenanny, she shipped to Royal Ascot and earned a check – finishing second in the Albany Stakes on June 20. After that performance, she won two graded stakes at Del Mar, including the Del Mar Debutante over that track’s Polytrack surface.

Unraced since that victory on Aug. 30, Sunset Glow enters Friday’s race off a considerable layoff.

“I didn’t want to squeeze too many races together and end up not having her perfect,” Ward explained. “I wanted the best race of her season to be the Breeders’ Cup. She’s outstanding right now.”

Regular rider Victor Espinoza will have the reins once again, breaking from post 3 in the full field of 14.

Bill Mott (Puca, Juvenile Fillies; Quality Rocks, Juvenile Fillies Turf) – Like the other members of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott’s East Coast shippers, Puca and Quality Rocks went to the track Tuesday morning for some easy exercise.

Since the flights that brought horses from Kentucky and New York Monday were delayed and his horses did not get into their stalls until after midnight, Mott sent his runners out to jog or for light gallops.

Puca, the Donegal Racing filly, broke her maiden by 16 lengths on Oct. 1 at Belmont. Though she lacks stakes experience, she is the 6-1 co-third choice on the morning line. She drew post eight in the field of 12 runners and will be ridden by Joel Rosario.

Bred and co-owned by Destiny Oaks of Ocala, Quality Rocks was second in the Jessamane Stakes at Keeneland in her most recent start. She drew post 10 in the 14-horse field and will be ridden by .

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