Kat’s Eye: Special Glow to Santa Anita Sunrise

There is so much activity and talent on the track at Santa Anita Park this week in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Friday and Saturday, it makes a horse lover’s head spin! 
From picture-perfect sunrises and surreal backdrops to horses, jockeys and trainers who are household names for those who follow thoroughbred racing, it’s all here.
If you read my other blog, Chrome Diaries, then you know my days begin before dawn with Sherman Racing and California Chrome. Today was no exception, and being out at the rail as the track opened after the first break at 6:30 a.m. put me in position to photograph some contenders in races that will feature top juveniles, females and Classic contenders.
Let’s start with the juveniles. Both 2-year-olds from trainer Todd Pletcher’s barn were seen stretching their legs - Daredevil and Carpe Diem. With American Pharaoh, Bob Baffert’s trainee, out of the race with an injury, these two horses are ones to watch on Saturday, and they both looked impressive. 

I also got a glimpse of Mr. Z, owned by the same Zayat Stables as Pharoah.

While taking in all the action on the track, I managed to chat briefly with my new friend, Sergio, from Gary Mandella’s barn. He let me know that his Irish filly, Living the Life, would be coming around the turn in a few moments, allowing me to capture this 4-year-old sprinter at a more leisurely pace than we can expect from her and the rest of the field in the Draftkings Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Saturday. 

I almost missed Little Alexis, the 3-year-old filly I first met in Pennsylvania when she occupied the same barn as California Chrome prior to competing in the Cotillion Stakes last month, but her rider slowed and gave me a smile as he passed.

Staying with the ladies for the moment, I got my first solid look at both Don’t Tell Sophia and Close Hatches, two of the top entrants for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Friday. 
DON'T TELL SOPHIA

CLOSE HATCHES

Most notable this morning was the number of entries on the track who will compete in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the marquee event on Saturday. With California Chrome and Tonalist training early in the morning (I wasn’t able to get a decent shot of the latter, and my diary on the former will run tomorrow), the shift that came out after the second break included Bob Baffert’s trainee Bayern, winner of the Pennsylvania Derby; Prayer for Relief, the longshot out of Dale Romans’ barn; the Chad Brown-trained Zivo, and the very flashy Cigar Street, who is out of the barn of Hall of Famer Bill Mott. Perhaps I’m just partial to horses with distinctive markings, but he was great fun to watch gallop.
BAYERN

PRAYER FOR RELIEF

ZIVO

CIGAR STREET

I ended my morning with Victor Espinoza, with whom I have had the pleasure of building a new friendship. This talented jockey was to have a total of six trips this Breeders’ Cup, but is down one with the withdrawal of American Pharoah. 
As I walked with him to meet his mount for the Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday, we talked about the demands of race day, and he relayed to me that he drops a lot of weight if he doesn’t drink enough water. 
Jockeys are amazing athletes, well-conditioned and possessing strength that ranks them, pound for pound, with any in professional sports. And, they are tasked with forming a partnership with an animal that weighs seven to eight times more than they do. 
With all of the demands and dangers involved in his job, Victor has a quiet humor and love for his work and his mounts that makes my job even more enjoyable.
His final exercise partner of the morning was on Sunset Glow, the morning-line favorite in her race. She is a beautiful 2-year-old filly trained by Wesley Ward, and as Victor was led to the track he fussed with his tack until it all finally felt right to him. He looked over his shoulder repeatedly to see that I was still keeping up with them.
SUNSET GLOW

With all entries in the championship races required to be at Santa Anita today, I expect things to kick up a notch or two tomorrow. And while it’s hard to imagine things getting any better, once all the players in this story arrive - horses, jockeys and trainers - things are bound to get even more interesting.