Undefeated champion ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]) took a step closer to a much-anticipated date with the boys
“She went very well and everyone was pleased,” trainer John Shirreffs
Zenyatta worked in company with Green Cat (Stormin Fever), who was clocked in 1:13 3/5,
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The five-year-old mare is unbeaten in 13 starts and
would have to overcome two firsts if she goes in the Classic — facing males and
going the 1 1/4-mile distance. Zenyatta’s
workout can be seen by
clicking here.
On a picture-perfect morning at Santa Anita, three-year-old SUMMER BIRD
(Birdstone) covered five furlongs for the Classic in :59 2/5 under his “gallop boy,” Leo
Atempa, who weighs in at 120 pounds. The chestnut was clocked in fractions of :11 2/5, :23, :34 4/5 and :46 4/5
for his move.
“He galloped out strong,” trainer Tim Ice said of the Belmont
Ice is set on letting Summer Bird run his race and not get caught up in undue
“My horse will run according to how the pace scenario sets up,” Ice said. “He
“If we can get a head start on them (into the stretch), I know we can kick
Dogwood Stable’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) hopeful AIKENITE (Yes It’s True)
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“This was the colt’s best work to date, as far as his enthusiasm goes,”
Dogwood President Cot Campbell said Saturday morning. “In the past Aikenite
has been rather lethargic as a workhorse, but he has become enthusiastic for the
task at hand and has a spark that would indicate that he is coming up on a
gangbuster race.”
The Todd Pletcher-trained Aikenite will be part of a large draft of Breeders’
Cup-bound horses flying out of New York Tuesday afternoon, with an estimated
arrival in California set for 10:40 p.m. (EST). The bay colt will have plenty of time to get
used to his surroundings before Saturday’s big race.
“Aikenite has an easy-going character and I expect him to handle the flight
and his new surroundings with no problem,” Campbell added. “He’ll be able to
gallop over Santa Anita’s synthetic surface for several days, but we’re not
expecting any issues there either.”
Aikenite broke his maiden in his career debut at Saratoga by 2 1/2 lengths on
August 9, then was immediately sent to face Grade 1 company when running in the
Hopeful S. (G1) at Saratoga and Breeders’ Futurity (G1) over Keeneland’s
Polytrack in his past two. The two-year-old was third in the Hopeful and second
by just a half-length in the Breeders’ Futurity in his first try on a synthetic
track.
“If Aikenite
has run terrifically in the past off of ho-hum works — his usual pattern — then
the fact that he now has fire in his belly is definite cause for his connections
to be pumped!” Cox enthused.
Pletcher had five other Breeders’ Cup contenders work over the training track
INTERACTIF (Broken Vow), the likely favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
Also working at Belmont on Saturday was multiple Grade 1 hero GIO PONTI (Tale
Another multiple Grade 1 winner, DIAMONDRELLA (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]),
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In other Breeders’ Cup news:
Kentucky Derby (G1) winner MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone) galloped two miles Saturday
at Santa Anita and is
scheduled to work five furlongs Monday with Joe Talamo aboard.
Since his 50-1 shocker in the Run for the Roses, the bay gelding has finished
second in the Preakness S. (G1), third in the Belmont and West Virginia Derby
(G2), and sixth in the Goodwood S. (G1).
Godolphin Racing couldn’t be more pleased with how its candidates are coming
up to their Breeders’ Cup engagements.
“We have nine horses here and I’m very happy with all of them,” said Rick
Mettee, formerly a training fixture in Southern California. “Most of them came
out three weeks ago. Some of them came out last week, but they all seem to
be grabbing this track fine. We haven’t had any problems. The weather’s been
good here. It hasn’t been too hot, so everybody’s doing really well.”