Artigiano – see European report
Balance the Books/Noble
Tune – Trainer Chad Brown sent his colts out for a 1 1/2m gallop Thursday
in preparation for the $1 million Juvenile Turf.
Noble Tune has won both of his starts for Martin Schwartz
and Dell Ridge Farm. The Unbridled’s Song colt won the Pilgrim at Belmont Park.
Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence’s Balance the Books
showed quality during the summer at Saratoga with a win in the With
Anticipation Stakes. His victory in the Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland sent him to
the Breeders’ Cup.
“He’s got two wins in three starts and both of his wins are
in graded stakes,” Brown said. “So, for a 2-year-old grass horse you can’t do
any better than that. He’s a very talented horse, as is Noble Tune, who is
2-for-2. They are very similar. Both horses are coming into the race in good
shape.”
The charts show that Noble Tune has been a more convincing
winner, but Brown said that the black-type on paper doesn’t tell the whole
story.
“In fairness to Balance the Books, I think he’s been in
situations with bigger fields with some challenging posts, particularly in the
With Anticipation,” Brown said. “The Bourbon was a roughly run race. Balance
the Books has been in trickier situations than the other horse. However, the
other horse has been super impressive.
“You could dissect their short careers up to this point and
their running styles, but at the end of the day, when you shake everything out,
they end up right about on the line together for me. They have equal
opportunity to win the race.
“There are positives and negatives to each horse’s races.
But so far, these horses are both stakes-winning 2-year-olds already and I
think they’ve done it the right way.”
Dundonnell – see European report
Fantastic Moon – see European report
George Vancouver/ Lines
of Battle – see European report
Joha – The Mike Maker-trained Breeders’
Futurity winner stood in the gate and then galloped once around the Santa Anita
main track Thursday.
Assistant Lazzaro
Guerro remarked how different Joha, whom they call “Joe,” around the barn, is
compared to the barn’s 2011 Juvenile winner Hansen.
“Hansen was a big
nervous colt,” said Guerro. “This colt is very laid back.”
Trainer Mike Maker
was expected to arrive in California Thursday afternoon.
Know More – The
Lion Heart colt galloped 1 1/2m Thursday at Santa Anita under exercise
rider Antonio Romero.
Rising Legend – Rising
Legend walked the shedrow following Wednesday's 4f work on the turf. The status
of the lone also-eligible for the race will not be known until scratch time
Friday morning.