Stellar Wind, Abel Tasman Log Final Works for Distaff

Just seconds apart Oct. 28 at Santa Anita Park, the West Coast's top contenders for the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) put in their final works for the World Championships.

China Horse Club and Clearsky Farms' Abel Tasman got the 7:45 a.m. training session started Saturday morning with a six-furlong drill in 1:12 4/5. After she broke off about a length and a half behind Bob Baffert stablemate Leading Score, the four-time grade 1 winner tracked her workmate in the backstretch and in the turn, moved alongside in the stretch, and went by with ease in the final sixteenth to finish about a length and a half in front at the wire.

About a furlong behind in the stretch came Hronis Racing's Stellar Wind, who was working with John Sadler stablemate Kristo. Still behind her workmate late in the drill, the Curlin  mare got a left-handed encouragement with the whip from exercise rider Jose Contreras and went by Kristo in the final sixteenth.

The champion 3-year-old filly of 2015 was clocked in :59 4/5 for five furlongs, but Sadler was not concerned with the presence of the whip during the workout.

"She looked like herself. If somebody would have said, 'What do you want to see?' I would say, 'I want her to be herself' and she looked like herself, so I was pleased with that," Sadler said. "She's a little bit of a lazy work horse. That's kinda her. She needs company and she usually beats the company."

After watching the final work of her career—she'll be entered in the Keeneland November sale after the Distaff—Sadler said the sentimental feelings haven't shown up just yet.

"I'll deal with that after the race," the trainer said of the six-time grade 1 winner. "Because everything happens so fast. She runs Saturday, she leaves Sunday, she's going to the sale (the next) Tuesday, so it's all going to be zapping right around. I'm just trying to enjoy it."

Sadler also worked Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) contender Accelerate from the gate during the 7:45 a.m. session, which not only got a key training session into the Lookin At Lucky  colt, but also addressed some tactics for the race.

"He worked from the gate like that (before his frontrunning upset win over Arrogate in the grade 2 San Diego Handicap), and the break is going to be really key in (the Dirt Mile) this year," Sadler said of the 1:00 4/5 five-furlong drill under jockey Victor Espinoza.

Also on the tab for the session were Breeders' Cup workers Blackjackcat (Mile, five furlongs in 1:00 2/5), My Boy Jack (Juvenile Turf, 1:02 2/5), and Fatale Bere (Juvenile Fillies Turf, four furlongs in :48 4/5).