Breeders’ Cup World Championships Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7

Notes Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020

Contact: Notes Team, 859-250-0358

Sprint

Collusion Illusion – One has to wonder if whoever named Collusion Illusion has something against racetrack announcers. Not only is his name a mouthful to pronounce but the Twirling Candy colt has been a handful for his competitors on the track. The bay sophomore colt, a $300,000 purchase from the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sale 2-Year-Old In Training Sale, punched his ticket to and the Breeders' Cup Sprint with a score over older rivals in the Bing Crosby at Del Mar Aug. 1. Trainer Mark Glatt picked him out at the sale and is a co-owner. Collusion Illusion is owned by Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider and John Xitco. This will be Glatt's second Breeders' Cup appearance. He saddled Blackjackcat to run third in the 2017 Mile. “He's a nice horse and he's going to be even better at 4,” Glatt said. “He's already heavier and stronger since summer. This is a good time and place to take a shot with him.”

Echo Town/Yaupon – Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen added a seventh Breeders’ Cup trophy to his collection last year when Mitole won the Sprint and secured Champion Sprinter honors with the effort. He returns in 2020 with two sprinters, both 3yos, looking to follow in their former stablemate’s footsteps. Echo Town, winner of the H. Allen Jerkens this summer, comes in off a third in the Phoenix at Keeneland in his first attempt against older horses, while Yaupon, undefeated in four starts this year, will be facing older horses for the first time. “Yaupon’s been brilliant this year, he’s four for four and Echo Town is a Grade 1 winner and battle tested,” Asmussen said. “Very fortunate to have them. The two draws I was disappointed in the Breeders’ Cup were Echo Town drawing the one and Calibrate drawing the 14 (in the Juvenile).” Like Mitole, Yaupon races for Asmussen’s longtime clients William and Corinne Heiligbrodt. “It’s a bit unusual to have a horse in the same race for the same owners in back-to-back years,” Asmussen said. “To have Mitole and now Yaupon for Bill and Corinne is truly special. I do believe the difference is Mitole was late in his 4-year-old year and had already shown his dominance, while Yaupon is a lightly raced 3-year-old.”

Vekoma – R. A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables’ Vekoma was ruled out of Saturday’s Sprint Wednesday morning after spiking a fever overnight. “Vekoma did not train. He spiked a fever last night. He got treated. It doesn’t look like he’s going to get to run,” trainer George Weaver said. “He’s good. We treated him. He’s comfortable, stable and happy.” Vekoma was installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite for the Sprint. The 4yo son of , who won the Blue Grass at Keeneland last year, is undefeated in three starts this year. After winning the March 28 Sir Shackleton at off a layoff of almost 11 months, Vekoma scored back-to- back Grade 1 victories in the Carter Handicap and the Metropolitan Mile at . “We kind of thought it was his destiny to win this race and put the crown on what has already been a great year. He’s a very special horse. I’m lucky I’ve had the chance to train him. We’re going to take good care of the horse. That’s all we can do.” Spendthrift Farm holds stallion rights to Vekoma, who will likely be retired, Weaver said.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Gamine – Michael Lund Petersen’s Gamine, had her first look at Keeneland’s main track Wednesday morning during a 1m gallop under exercise rider Humberto Gomez. Purchased for $1.8 million as a 2yo in March 2019, she has used her speed to great advantage, winning three of five starts and earning $483,000. She is the 7-5 favorite in the Filly and Mare Sprint. The 3yo daughter of top sire Into Mischief won the 1m Acorn by 18 ¾ lengths on June 20 and raced away to a 7-length score in the Test at Saratoga on Aug. 8. She led early as the 7-10 favorite in the Sept. 4 but was collared and ended up third. She returns after a two-month stretch between races. “That little break has really helped her,” trainer said. “She couldn’t be doing any better. She looks great. I think seven-eighths is a great distance for her and the one turn, because of her speed. At two turns she’s not as effective because you have to slow her down going into those turns. “I would have liked an outside post. I said that about the Acorn, too, when she drew the one and it really didn’t matter.” Gamine drew post position two.

Serengeti Empress – Joel Politi’s Serengeti Empress galloped 1m on Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs before shipping to Keeneland’s Barn 68, where she will prepare for Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. The Kentucky Oaks champion of 2019 concludes her career in the race. Trained by Tom Amoss, the dark bay daughter of Alternation has done her best running on the lead, including a gate-to-wire win in the Oaks and a gritty victory in August’s Ballerina, her seventh career, sixth stakes and second Grade 1 win. Unraced since a nose loss to Bell’s the One in the Derby City Distaff on Sept. 5, she breaks from post seven of nine in Saturday’s 7f contest. “I wasn’t really too fixated on the post before the draw,” Politi said. “The reality is that (7-5 morning line favorite) Gamine has only shown one style of running, but (Bob) Baffert has said she doesn’t have to be on the lead. I don’t know what they’ll do. All I know is that we’re going for the lead. She’s done that every time and she can go at a breakneck pace. If someone is going with her, they’re on a suicide mission that might tire us all out and a closer wins. I hope that doesn’t happen. She’ll go as fast as she needs to.” Politi, an orthopedic surgeon based in Columbus, Ohio, purchased the Kentucky-bred at Keeneland’s September 2017 yearling sale for $70,000. Including the Derby City Distaff, she has placed in four G1 races, including last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff behind Blue Prize and Midnight Bisou. One year prior, she was seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Known for her very kind and laid-back , Serengeti Empress has coupled said off-track disposition with a fierce will to win when competing. Such has resulted in a considerable following among racing fans. “She’s been the greatest gift ever,” he said. “We’ve had two years with consecutive Breeders’ Cups and all the travel and great races. It’s a dream come true having a horse like this, especially for a relatively small owner like me. My kids can go into the stall with her and stand and pet her and she is just a big old lover. “On Saturday, we will celebrate her,” Politi continued. “She means the world to me and my family, as well as Tom, his career and personally for him. He’s with her every day and I know she’ll be really missed. I’ll still have her and go see her anytime I want. She going to (Spendthrift stallion) Into Mischief and headed back to Taylor Made Farm, where she was born. She crosses so well with so many stallions, so we just hope she passes on her talent.”

Speech – Eclipse Partners, Madaket Stables and Heider Family Stables’ Speech, winner of the Ashland at Keeneland in July, galloped on the main track at 8 o’clock as she continued her preparations for Saturday’s Filly & Mare Sprint. A troubled fourth in the Kentucky Oaks in her most recent start, Speech will be cutting back to a sprint distance for the first time since February. “There were a lot of moving parts in that decision,” trainer Michael McCarthy said of running in the Filly & Mare Sprint as opposed to the Longines Classic at 1 1/8m. “Eclipse already had Point of Honor and Valiance for the Distaff and she is a 3-year-old filly on an upward trajectory.” Javier Castellano, who has ridden Speech in the Ashland as well as the Kentucky Oaks, has the call Saturday and will break from post one. “There is plenty of speed in the race, so she should be able to tuck in behind it, swing out at the head of the lane and come running,” McCarthy said.

Venetian Harbor – Ciaglia Racing, Highland Yard, River Oak Farm and Domenic Savides’ Venetian Harbor, who has spent the bulk of 2020 chasing the likes of , Gamine and Speech, will be making the quickest turnaround of her career Saturday in the Filly & Mare Sprint. Trained by Richard Baltas, Venetian Harbor has been at Keeneland since mid-October when she came to Lexington for a victorious run in the Raven Run on Oct. 17. “I’m not concerned about it (the three weeks between races) at all,” Baltas said Wednesday morning before Venetian Harbor galloped on the main track. As for the competition, that includes the aforementioned Gamine and Speech? “I think she is as good as anybody,” Baltas said of the 3yo who never has been worse than second in seven starts. “These are the World Championships and I think getting here is a win. I have always said, you win one of these, it is like winning three Grade 1s.” Manny Franco, who was aboard for the first time in the Raven Run victory, has the mount Saturday and will break from post six.

Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile

Sharp Samurai -- Trainer Mark Glatt had a decision to make with the 6yo Sharp Samurai: Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile or the FanDuel Mile presented by PDJF. He was pre-entered in both races with Glatt opting for the dirt for the horse who is owned by Red Baron’s Barn, Rancho Temescal and Glatt. “Because he's never raced outside California we weren't sure if he'd like the softer turf,” Glatt said. “Even though your weather has been good it would still be quite a bit softer than our turf out there. I talked to (retired Hall of Fame ) Gary Stevens about it quite a bit. “ Sharp Samurai arrived at Keeneland Tuesday for his second dirt start since 2017. The most recent was a runner-up finish to Maximum Security in the TVG Pacific Classic. “He's run good races all summer long and run into some tough ones,” Glatt said. “We're hoping Saturday will be the day he wins his first race of the year.”

TVG Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

Classier – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert called the decision to enter Classier in the Juvenile a move. The Empire Maker colt has made just one start, but he was impressive, breaking his maiden by 4 four lengths Oct. 24 at Santa Anita. Baffert and the ownership group of six partners elected to try Classier, in the Juvenile, which has never been won by a horse in its second career start. Two weeks after his facile 6 ½f victory, he will be trying two turns for the first time at 1 1/16m. “He’s lightly raced, but he could be a superstar,” Baffert said. “It’s a tough race.” Classier shipped from California with the rest of the Baffert runners Tuesday. He galloped 1m Wednesday morning under exercise rider Erick Garcia. Bred by Mary Sullivan, who rarely sells her young horses and races as Sullimar Stable, she decided to offer this colt out of Class Will Tell at the 2019 Keeneland September yearling sale. He was acquired for $775,000 by the partners SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables. Three other investors have since come on board: Golconda Stables, Siena Farm and Robert Masterson. Classier and jockey Florent Geroux will leave from Post eight in the 14-horse field. Baffert has won the Juvenile four times, one shy of the record held by D. Wayne Lukas. Baffert’s most recent win came in 2018 with Game Winner.

Dreamer’s Disease/Keepmeinmind – Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith’s Dreamer’s Disease and Keepmeinmind have brought trainer Robertino Diodoro back to the World Championships for the first time since his initial starter Broadway Empire finished ninth in the Dirt Mile at Santa Anita. Both runners are listed at 30-1 on the morning line with Keepmeinmind breaking from post six under Jose Ortiz and Dreamer’s Disease from post 10 with David Cohen. “The six is perfect for Keepmeinmind,” Diodoro said. “The 10 for Dreamer’s Disease; I don’t mind that. All the speed is to the inside of us and I like that better than having it to the outside.” Keepmeinmind is winless in two starts, the first in an off-the-turf race at Churchill Downs and then a runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Futurity Oct. 3 at Keeneland. Dreamer’s Disease has won two of four starts with one victory each on dirt and turf. “Dreamer’s Disease does both,” Diodoro said. “He loved Ellis Park but didn’t care for that course at Kentucky Downs. With Keepmeinmind, the way he is training on dirt, turf is not in the near future as we plan to go to Oaklawn (which does not have a turf course) in the spring.” But that is down the road. First things first on Friday. “I’d like to see Dreamer’s Disease at the half-mile pole a length in front,” Diodoro said. “We are going (to the lead) at all costs. Keepmeinmind … I’d like to see him get a good trip.” The competition is one thing Diodoro is not concerned about. “You start studying too much and you start second guessing yourself,” Diodoro said. “With two horses, I just worry about them feeling good and staying happy. I know what our strategy is and I can’t change that.”

Essential Quality – Godolphin LLC’s undefeated schooled in the gate and galloped 1 ½m and he continues to impress his trainer Brad Cox heading into Friday’s Juvenile. “He was great (this morning),” Cox said. “He was very professional. I couldn’t ask for him to be doing better.” Essential Quality enters the Juvenile off his maiden victory and a win in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. Cox feels he’s capable of more. “I really do believe he’s maturing all the time,” Cox said. “When (jockey) Luis (Saez) came back after that last race, he said ‘he’s a machine, but he has a lot to learn.’ I do think he’s continuing the education process. I do think he’ll move forward and he’ll need to move forward. It’s a solid race, deep field. He does have the experience here and he’s a very talented horse.”

Jackie’s Warrior/Calibrate – J. Kirk and Judy Robison’s Jackie’s Warrior, the 7-5 favorite, continues to make a favorable impression as he attempts to extend his unbeaten record to five. “Very happy with him,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He’s training wonderfully. It’s a race with 14 2-year-olds, so we’ll see what happens and go from there. Jackie’s Warrior got a good post (post seven), but I was disappointed with Calibrate’s draw (14).”

Next – Silverton Hill Farm’s Wesley Ward-trained Next has raced on three surfaces in as many starts. A son of 2016 Juvenile runner-up Not This Time, he was sixth on debut over Woodbine’s all-weather in June before winning a Kentucky Downs turf maiden Sept. 16. He returned on Oct. 24 at Keeneland and manhandled an allowance field by 11¾ lengths. A good-looking gray colt, he wheels back on 13 days’ rest and drew post 11 of 14. He will also be jockey Gerardo Corrales’ first Breeders’ Cup mount. “He’s coming back on short rest, which is always a negative for me, but he’s feeling really good and I see no reason not to go,” Ward said. “Looking at the numbers, he fits, plus it’s our home track, so we’re going to take a shot.” Not This Time is currently the second-leading freshman sire, narrowly trailing 2015 Juvenile winner Nyquist.

Reinvestment Risk – A breakout winner this summer on debut at Saratoga, Klaravich Stables’ Chad Brown-trained Reinvestment Risk enters the Juvenile as one of the key contenders challenging heavy favorite Jackie’s Warrior. The son of Upstart—who was third in the 2014 Juvenile—has literally chased Jackie’s Warrior in two subsequent Grade 1 starts, finishing second in both the Hopeful and Champagne over 7f and 8f. He steps up to 1 1/16 m and stretches out to two turns in another rematch on Friday, while breaking from post three of 14. “I think this horse is looking for just a little more distance and some pace,” Brown said. “Additionally, I don’t think he handled the Belmont track well in the Champagne. He wasn’t moving the same on it, although he has come back and worked well on that track, when held together. I just think that moving forward, running in a big race like this and on a fresh track like Keeneland will serve him well.” Brown seeks his second Juvenile victory, having won with Good Magic in 2017, while Klaravich Stables won the 2018 Juvenile Fillies Turf with Newspaperofrecord and 2019 Longines Turf with Bricks and Mortar.

Rombauer – John and Diane Fradkin’s Rombauer, who has been galloping on the main track at Keeneland for the past three mornings under Osman Cedeno, punched his ticket to the Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance with a runner-up effort in the at Santa Anita. “I thought the American Pharoah came up a little light numbers-wise,” trainer Michael McCarthy said of moving Rombauer from the turf where he made his first two starts to the dirt. “He had trained well and eaten some dirt behind horses in the morning. He had a wide trip (in the American Pharoah) but finished well.” Rombauer drew post 13 for the 1 1/16m Juvenile, the same distance as the American Pharoah. Javier Castellano has the mount. “Thirteen of 14 … he’s not going to be part of the pace early anyway,” McCarthy said.

Sittin On Go – Albaugh Racing Stables’ Sittin On Go was not exactly impressive when he first arrived at trainer Dale Romans’ barn but that changed as his training advanced. “He was under the radar until we started breezing him further distances at Churchill Downs,” Romans said. “He is a big, long striding horse and he just never gets tired.” The son of Brody’s Cause confirmed his ability by winning his career debut at Ellis Park on Aug. 16. He took his unbeaten streak to two by winning the Iroquois at Churchill Downs on Sept 5. Albaugh Family Stables also campaigned Brody’s Cause, who finished third in the 2015 Juvenile at Keeneland. The outfit purchased Sittin On Go for $65,000 as a weanling at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. They offered him the following year at Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale but he was listed as not sold on a final bid of $62,000. Sittin On Go galloped 1 ½ m at Keeneland Wednesday morning.

Juvenile Fillies

Dayoutoftheoffice – The unbeaten daughter of Into Mischief headed back to the track Wednesday after having a walk day and galloped twice around the Keeneland main track. Though trainer Tim Hamm is hoping Dayoutoftheoffice gives him his first Breeders’ Cup win as a conditioner, Hamm has been part of the World Championships previously as part owner of multiple graded stakes winner Too Much Bling, who finished sixth in the 2006 Sprint. The Ohio native also owns Dayoutoftheoffice along with Siena Farm, a relationship that first got its roots a handful of years ago. “Jeff Hazlett from Taylor Made Farm introduced me to Nacho (Patino) and David Pope and Anthony (Manganaro) and they are just the easiest to work with,” Hamm said. “We did a couple yearlings together probably going back five or six years ago and one of them was a 2-year-old filly named Velvet Mood who was undefeated at 2 and, though she didn’t reach this level, she broke her maiden and won a stakes in Canada. We ended up selling her privately and I think that got the relationship off to a good start. Each year we’ve done one or two yearlings together and of course, we have Dayoutoftheoffice now.” Dayoutoftheoffice has won each of her three career starts including scores in the Schuylerville and Frizette.

Girl Daddy – Girl Daddy thus far has lived up to the high expectations of her connections as she seeks to extend her undefeated record to three in the Juvenile Fillies. The Albaugh Family Stables was among those recognizing her untapped talent and purchased her for $500,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September yearling sale. “She was on everybody’s top list since the day they put a saddle on her,” trainer Dale Romans said. “From Day One, I heard from the people breaking her how good she was. And when she came to my barn and she worked, it was obvious that they were right. She is pure, natural talent.” Girl Daddy jogged at Keeneland Wednesday morning while Romans’ other Breeders’ Cup entrants – Sittin On Go (Juvenile), Mr Freeze (Dirt Mile) and Sally’s all galloped 1 ½m.

Princess Noor – Unbeaten Princess Noor has barely been challenged while winning her three career starts by a combined 17¼ lengths and is in position to claim the 2yo filly title in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. The daughter of Not This Time shipped from California with her Bob Baffert stablemates Tuesday and went to the track Wednesday morning. She galloped 1m under exercise rider Humberto Gomez. Princess Noor was purchased in April for $1,350,000 the sale-topper at the OBS 2yo sale, by Amr Zedan, who operates Zedan Racing Stables. She is named after Zedan’s wife, Princess Noor bint Asem of Jordan. The filly is out of the Grade 3-winning Wilko mare Sheza Smoke Show. Regular rider Victor Esponiza will be aboard the 9-5 morning line favorite, who will leave from the outside post in the field of seven.

Vequist – As has been the case during their time at Keeneland, assistant trainer Ginny Reid was left beaming Wednesday morning as she watched Grade 1 winner Vequist much vigor as she galloped twice around the Keeneland oval under exercise rider Teresa Hagemeier. “Teresa said she was very tough when a horse came by her the first time around, she wanted to go with her,” said Reid, who is overseeing Vequist for her husband and trainer Butch Reid while he tends to their string at Parx this week. “She’s training excellent. I couldn’t be any happier. The first two days, the exercise rider came back and said, ‘She loves this track.’” Vequist broke her maiden with a 9 ½-length win in the Spinaway on Sept. 6 and was second last time out to Dayoutoftheoffice in the Frizette.

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