More than 100 horses worked at Santa Anita on another in a seemingly
unending skein of sun-drenched mornings, a week before the historic
venue starts its 24-day Autumn Meet highlighted by the 29th Breeders’
Cup World Championships Nov. 2 and 3.
Among the 124 recorded works, including three on the training
track, were 27 on the turf. Brother Francis, third in the Del Mar Derby,
went six furlongs under Victor Espinoza in 1:17.
“He’ll probably run in the Eddie D (at about 6 ½ furlongs on
turf on opening day),” trainer Jim Cassidy said, “but our long-range
goal is the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (Nov. 3).”
The 8-year-old California Flag, winner of the 2009 BC Turf
Sprint, worked six furlongs on grass in a bullet 1:14.40 for Brian
Koriner.
Ninety-four works were recorded on the main track, including
those by the Neil Drysdale-trained Amani, five furlongs in 1:00.60 for
the Zenyatta Stakes next Saturday; John Scott, trained by Carla Gaines,
also five furlongs in 1:01.60 for the Awesome Again Stakes the same day;
the Peter Miller-trained Miss Empire, six furlongs in 1:15 for the
Chandelier Stakes next Saturday; and Beholder, conditioned by Richard
Mandella, seven furlongs in 1:26.60 for the FrontRunner Stakes the same
day.