Free Drop Billy Shines, Hollywood Star Frustrates

The first portion of Dale Romans' morning Oct. 28 started off about as picturesque as the brilliant weather that greeted the Kentucky-based conditioner while he got situated at the Del Mar oval.

In final serious preparations for the Nov. 4 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), Albaugh Family Stables' Free Drop Billy added to his connections' confidence with a six-furlong drill in 1:14 2/5. The son of Union Rags  was already making a strong impression in the weeks that followed his victory in the Oct. 7 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and, in this last major tune up, flaunted his deceptively huge stride under veteran exercise rider Tammy Fox.

"He's not a big horse but for his size, his stride is bigger than what you would think," Fox said. "It's so fluid and he reaches. Every step he puts on that dirt is more of a reach for him. The other week, he worked great, believe me. But today, he was just stronger for me."

Nearly a hour after Free Drop Billy touted himself, his stablemate and fellow Juvenile contender Hollywood Star demonstrated just how much of a work progress he still remains. Equipped with blinkers for the first time during his five-furlong work, the graded stakes-placed Malibu Moon  colt seemed only casually interested as he covered the distance in 1:02—leaving Romans to declare the equipment experiment all but over.

Given that Hollywood Star can be lazy when asked to work by himself, Romans was hoping the addition of blinkers would inspire some added fire from the son of grade 1 winner Hollywood Story. Instead, the Albaugh Family Stables' other Breeders' Cup hopeful went about his business in average fashion.

"He didn't seem very interested today. I don't know if it was because the blinkers were on or not," Romans said. "He has been training so good, but there wasn't much there for the work today. He's not a good workhorse anyway by himself, so I was hoping with the blinkers that he'd drag (Fox) around there. Now we're back to square one."

Romans said Hollywood Star's disappointing work was not something that would make him reconsider his Breeders' Cup outing, but did reinforce the notion that the light bulb still hasn't come on for the regally-bred colt. 

Put him in company, and the runner-up in the Sept. 16 Iroquois Stakes (G3) behaves like a different animal. His three career starts have shown flashes of breakout potential with Hollywood Star breaking his maiden at first asking at Churchill Downs June 28 before running second in the Saratoga Special Stakes Presented by Coors Light (G2) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 13.

"He's still figuring things out but when he puts everything together ... he's probably going to be our most talented horse," Jason Loutsch, general manager of Albaugh Family Stables, said of Hollywood Star. "We're just waiting for that moment to happen. Who knows, it could happen next Saturday, it could happen down the line on the (Kentucky) Derby trail."

One who did not disappoint visually on the Del Mar work tab Saturday was multiple grade 1 winner and Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) hopeful Paradise Woods. 

With jockey Flavien Prat in the saddle, Paradise Woods rolled through a five-furlong work in 1:00 1/5, throwing her ears up around the turn and finishing with good enthusiasm under her own power. After finishing 11th in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) and sixth in the Torrey Pines Stakes (G3), the daughter of Union Rags  got her confidence back when she won the Sept. 30 Zenyatta Stakes (G1) by 5 1/4 lengths, utilizing the same gate-to-wire power that earned her a runaway victory in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1).

"I couldn't ask for anything to be better so far. She mentally seems good," Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said of Paradise Woods. "I think just too much, too fast caught up with her and we just needed to regroup. Now we're back in shape. She's a real star."

Mandella also sent grade 1 winner Avenge out for a five-furlong move in :59 3/5 in preparation for her slated run in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T).

Other Breeders' Cup contenders on the Del Mar tab Saturday included Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) contender Sharp Azteca (five furlongs in :58 3/5), Juvenile runner The Tabulator (three furlongs in :36 3/5), 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) contender Tell Your Mama (six furlongs in 1:13 3/5), Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) hopeful Encumbered (four furlongs in :49 2/5 on the main track), and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) hopeful War Story (five furlongs in :59).