Kat’s Eye: Humming Along Approaching Marquee Event

When you get up to start work before 5 a.m., it’s something of a comfort to have so much company on the road, to be assured that you are not the only person up at such an early hour. 
That’s how I preferred to view my morning commute to Santa Anita Park for day one of my first Breeders’ Cup experience. 
Morning workouts had already begun when I got to the rail near the gap at the backside of the track. Mid-morning was reserved for Breeders’ Cup entrants, and the track with busy. 
The parade of talent flowed in a continuous stream, with saddle towels helping to identify horses preparing for races this Friday and Saturday.

While many top horses have yet to ship in from other states, Breeders’ Cup Distaff entry Unbridled Forever had arrived for trainer by Dallas Stewart. The 3-year-old filly, based at Churchill Downs, looked poised and confident as she walked onto the track and she galloped out smoothly.  

Unbridled Forever was followed by Valiant Emilia, a 5-year-old mare making her North American debut on Friday. A quick glance at her workout times shows the progress of her conditioning, and when trainer Gary Mandella passed me near Clocker’s Corner and I asked how she looked, he smiled, nodded and said: “Really good.” (A seasoned veteran of the track who was standing next to me joked that that’s always the answer when you ask a trainer about his horse - at least in public.)

Another Distaff entrant, Stanwyck, a 5-year-old mare trained by John Shirreffs, was led out by a pony and seemed to be enjoying the temperate climate after arriving from Belmont Park, where she is stabled and trains.

Private Prospect, entered in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile also was seen galloping — lithe and alert. He was kept company on the track by a broad array of 2-year-olds, each hoping to make their mark Friday and Saturday prior to stepping into their 3-year-old seasons. 

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’ve really got my eye on American Pharoah, who worked five furlongs yesterday in a minute flat. While I didn’t look in on him this morning, I assume that Pharoah was out earlier in the morning to stretch his legs.
Finally, I also caught up with several entrants for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on the track.  My friend, assistant trainer Alan Sherman, had California Chrome out for a jog before daybreak, but Imperative and V. E. Day also strode out in the Southern California sunshine. 

V. E. Day arrived yesterday from Belmont Park, where the 3-year-old colt is stabled with Jimmy Jerkins. He stood like a statue for a few minutes near the backstretch, taking in his surroundings, before embarking on a smooth gallop around the oval. 

Trainer George Papaprodromou took up position just inside the rail near the chute, then walked slowly up the stretch a few yards to meet his trainee, Imperative, after he finished his jog.

With morning exercise finished on the track, I walked to the backside, where the barns were still humming with the day-to-day activity that keeps this business running. 

There is laundry to do, tack to clean, and saddle towels to hang out to dry.

A steady line of horses and hot walkers circled the lawn outside Bob Baffert’s barn, and a farrier checked the reflexes and soundness of an unraced 2-year-old before tightening horseshoe nails and watching the colt trot up and back the shedrow.

Work continued on the front side of the track as well. 
Tractors and graders groomed the dirt surface, and aerators and trimmers worked on the turf.  Dozens of flats of gold and purple flowers - pansies and mums - were brought into the paddock and groundskeepers gave a friendly smile as we passed and complimented their work. 

Santa Anita is a beautiful park, and it’s being dressed to the nines for this sport’s most prestigious event of the year.