Gunnevera Tunes Up for Breeders' Cup

Multiple graded stakes winner Gunnevera stepped up his preparation for a scheduled start in the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar with a six-furlong breeze at Gulfstream Park West Oct. 14.

The 3-year-old son of Dialed In  was timed in 1:15 before galloping out strongly under jockey Edgard Zayas.

"It was a nice work. He went very well," trainer Antonio Sano said. "The track was heavy. It was not a fast track."

The six-furlong move was the colt's fourth since finishing second behind West Coast in the Aug. 26 Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

"He will have two more workouts here and then he'll be ready for the Breeders' Cup," said Sano, whose stable star is scheduled to fly to California Oct. 28.

Gunnevera will be the first Breeders' Cup starter for Sano, a prominent trainer in Venezuela who ventured to South Florida in 2009 for the safety of his family after being kidnapped and held for ransom twice. Prior to Gunnevera's Travers effort, the chestnut colt captured the Aug. 6 Tangelo Stakes at Gulfstream Park and also prevailed in the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) in March.

"This is so important for me and my family. I'm so proud to run a horse in the Breeders' Cup Classic. It's a great opportunity," said Sano, who has won several training titles at Gulfstream and Gulfstream Park West.

Gunnevera is scheduled to meet defending race winner Arrogate and grade 1 winners Gun Runner, Collected, and West Coast, among others, in the 1 1/4-mile Classic.

"It looks like there is a lot of speed in the race, which is good for me, but there are some very good horses in the race," Sano said.

Owned by Margoth, Gunnevera has won five of 13 starts, including the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) and $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (G3) last season, and has earnings of $1,507,200.