Flight Plan for BC Horses Slightly Altered
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A cracked windshield on a Tex Sutton plane caused minor shuffling in plans for the transportation of Breeders' Cup contenders in New York and Kentucky, but all runners are expected to be stabled at Santa Anita Park by Oct. 29.
"The plane picking up my horses had to land in Lexington last night because of a cracked windshield," Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said Oct. 27 from New York. "From what I've been told they installed a new windshield and everything is OK. Sounds like these horses will be leaving (New York) at around 2:30 (EDT) or so this afternoon."
Mott's horses on the flight are led by Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) contender Cigar Street and Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) starter Close Hatches.
The Tex Sutton charter is expected to return to Kentucky for a stop Oct. 28 and then will go to New York to drop runners off, returning to Kentucky to pick up the final Breeders' Cup horses and bring them back to Ontario airport in California.
Runners awaiting transportation in Kentucky include XpressBet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) contender Bourbon Courage and trainer Wesley Ward's quartet led by No Nay Never and Judy the Beauty.
On running in the Breeders' Cup, Mott said, "You get excited but you try to get everyone there in one piece; get them on the truck, on the plane, get them unloaded without having them stick a foot through something."
The last load of Breeders' Cup horses should arrive the morning of Oct. 29.