Ushba Tesoro Avoids Scary Situation During BC Training

Magnificent horsemanship was on display by Masakazu Fukami at Del Mar Oct. 28 as his skills in (and out) of the saddle kept Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) contender Ushba Tesoro  out of a dangerous situation while training.

While jogging up the stretch, the 7-year-old son of Orfevre  suddenly spooked and spun around. Fukami did not appear to be caught off guard and spun with the horse, sliding off and landing on his feet while keeping hold of the reins.

As Fukami came off, his left stirrup flew forward and somehow got lodged in Ushba Tesoro's mouth. Stuck in the bit, the stirrup essentially tied Ushba Tesoro's head to his left side as he continued to spin around trying to break free.

Fukami, who clearly knows his mount well, kept hold as the horse thrashed around and kept him from potentially running loose with his head stuck in an unusual position. Once the horse eventually calmed down and came to a halt, Fukami loosened the stirrup from the saddle and worked to remove it from his mouth. Outriders came to assist Fukami in putting the saddle back together, and Ushba Tesoro continued with the rest of his training as if nothing had happened.

Winner of the 2023 Dubai World Cup (G1), Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings' Ushba Tesoro will start in the $7 million Classic for a second straight year, one of three Japanese entries in the race. After finishing fifth at Santa Anita Park, he returned home to Japan to win the Tokyo Daishoten (G1) at Oi Racecourse to close out the year. He has finished second in all three 2024 starts, including the Saudi Cup (G1) and Dubai World Cup. He is trained by Noboru Takagi.

Thorpedo Anna, Pipeline Roughed Up By Travel

Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks, and Magdalena Racing's Thorpedo Anna  arrived at Del Mar Oct. 27 and was full of energy Monday morning after waking up in California for the first time.

"She's the most energetic horse I've ever been around," trainer Kenny McPeek told FanDuel TV. "When she walks, she looks at everything. She's taking it all in."

McPeek himself was walking the likely champion around the barn area, although he said it would be more accurate to say Thorpedo Anna walked him Monday morning.

Thorpedo Anna is full of life this morning at @delmarracing! pic.twitter.com/bxI3TC79Br

— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) October 28, 2024

Her characteristic enthusiasm was a relief to McPeek because the 3-year-old filly did not arrive from New York completely unscathed.

"She had a little nick on her hip from the travel," McPeek said. "Not sure how or when that happened, but it was a long day for her."

McPeek said it took about 14 hours to get the daughter of Fast Anna  from Saratoga Race Course to Del Mar. Otherwise, all signs were positive that she arrived ready to run. She will take her first spin around the Del Mar oval Oct. 29.

Thorpedo Anna was not the only Sunday arrival to show up with some new markings. John Gunther's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) hopeful Pipeline  hit his head on the van ride from Los Angeles International Airport.

"He's got some stitches and looks like he went a couple rounds with Mike Tyson," trainer Cherie DeVaux told FanDuel. "That's something we have to just monitor right now. We're well within the guidelines of medication rules; it needed some stitches. It looks fine, a little swollen, but we'll see how it progresses throughout the rest of the week."

Pipeline was listed as the fifth and final also-eligible for the $1 million Dirt Mile when pre-entries were unveiled Oct. 23. Since then, defections of National Treasure   and Dr. Venkman  moved him up two spots while Derma Sotogake  and Senor Buscador  had first preferences listed in the Classic.

The rest of DeVaux's Breeders' Cup starters—Vahva  (Filly & Mare Sprint), Pyrenees  (Classic), More Than Looks  (Mile), and Cagliostro  (Dirt Mile)—were scheduled to arrive Monday.

New York-Based Classic Contenders Make First Trip to Track

Repole Stable's Fierceness  also arrived at Del Mar Monday ahead of his start in the Classic Nov. 2. He and the other Todd Pletcher-trained Breeders' Cup runners started jogging in the chute for the regulatory veterinarians before galloping one mile.

"He handled the ship really well. Settled in good yesterday afternoon, rested overnight, seems unfazed by all of it," Pletcher said. "Like he normally does when he gallops, he kind of had his ears pricked looking around, taking it all in, but seemed very relaxed and happy."

Among those stablemates who completed the same routine was Whisper Hill Farm's Woodward Stakes (G2) winner Tapit Trice , a second Pletcher hope in the Classic.

"Probably a little more animated; he gets a little more amped up when he trains than Fierceness would," Pletcher said. "I thought he did very well."

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing, and Peter Brant's Sierra Leone  also made his first journey to the Del Mar track after traveling from New York for trainer Chad Brown. He and Klaravich Stables-owned stablemate Domestic Product  , a leading contender for either the Dirt Mile or $2 million Sprint (G1), walked a furlong back into the chute before turning around to begin a mile jog clockwise around the main track's perimeter.

"They all breezed on Saturday and had a long door-to-door ship yesterday, so I trotted them all today and they're all moving nice and square and fluid," Brown said. "(Sierra Leone) got around there very happy and looks like his energy is good after that work."