Fast Anna, Little Alexis Post Swift Breezes
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Fast Anna and Little Alexis prepared for their trips to Santa Anita Park and the upcoming Breeders' Cup the morning of Oct. 11 at Gulfstream Park with quick five-furlong works that pleased both their trainers.
Frank Calabrese's Fast Anna prepped for the $1.5 million Xpressbet Sprint by breezing five-eighths under Nick Petro Jr., in a bullet :57.56 just after 7:30 a.m. EDT. The work was the quickest of 35 at the distance.
Fast Anna, a son of Medaglia d'Oro out of Calabrese's multiple stakes winner Dreaming of Anna, heads to the Breeders' Cup Nov. 1 after finishing second Aug. 23 in the Ketel One King's Bishop (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course. The lightly raced dark bay colt was most recently second Sept. 20 in the Gallant Bob (gr. III) at Parx Racing.
Fast Anna, who raced in blinkers in his first three starts but not in the Gallant Bob, worked with blinkers Saturday and will have them in the Breeders' Cup.
"He did it all on his own and he came back great," said trainer Kathy Ritvo, who saddled Mucho Macho Man to victory in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). "We worked him with blinkers on today and we will race him with blinkers on. I just think it keeps him a little more focused."
Ritvo said John Velazquez will ride.
Just after 9 a.m., Priscilla Vaccarezza's Little Alexis breezed five-eighths in :58.96 under Edgard Zayas in preparation for the $1 million DrafKings Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I). The clocking was the second best of the morning at the distance, behind only Fast Anna.
"I'm extremely pleased with the work," said trainer Carlo Vaccarezza. "Edgard said he loved the way she has another gear. He said she did it easy. We'll get a couple of works in her at Santa Anita and we'll be ready to go."
Little Alexis was third and beaten only a length in the Test (gr. I) Aug. 2 at Saratoga before stretching out to 1 1/16 miles and finishing fourth Sept. 20 in the Cotillion (gr. I) at Parx.
Vaccarezza said Joel Rosario will ride Little Alexis in the Breeders' Cup.
Both Fast Anna and Little Alexis are scheduled to leave Florida Oct. 12 for Santa Anita, according to the Gulfstream publicity office.