2009 Breeders' Cup

[Kasept]

LOOKIN AT LUCKY, ZENSATIONAL IN FAST PREPS FOR BREEDERS’ CUP

Lookin At Lucky and Zensational, favorites for their respective Breeders’ Cup races, worked with alacrity typical of Bob Baffert runners Thursday morning, recording bullet drills under former jockey Joe Steiner on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride main track.

Lookin At Lucky, an unbeaten 2-year-old son of Smart Strike prepping for the $2 million Grey Goose Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles at Oak Tree, went four furlongs in :46 seconds flat, in company with the filly Always a Princess, who was given :46.60.

Zensational, winner of three straight Grade I sprints, went six furlongs in 1:10.60, handily from the gate, in company with El Martillo, who was clocked in 1:11.80, also handily from the gate. In Zensational’s last nine published workouts dating back to July 22, seven have been of the bullet variety, the fastest at the distance. The 3-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song is working towards the $2 million Sentient Jet Sprint at six furlongs.

The Juvenile and the Sprint are on Nov. 7. They are two of 14 World Championships events worth $25.5 million, six on Friday, Nov. 6, and eight on Saturday, Nov. 7.

“The horses are right on schedule,” said Baffert, Oak Tree’s leader through 12 days with 10 wins from 32 starters, an average of 31 percent. He also has six seconds and three thirds, with purse earnings of $596,016.

“I worked Zensational from the gate because he drew the one hole twice down at Del Mar and want to make sure he’s comfortable,” Baffert said. “He flew out of there and cruised around the backside. I just wanted to wake him up.”


In other Breeders’ Cup news:

Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird had an uneventful coast-to-coast trip in quest of victory in the $5 million Classic. The 3-year-old son of Birdstone, who defeated older horses in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Oct. 3, arrived at Santa Anita Monday, galloped one mile Thursday, and is scheduled to work five furlongs Saturday.

“He shipped great, and so far, he’s been great,” trainer Tim Ice said on a picturesque Thursday morning filled with blue skies and sunshine. “It was about a six-hour flight, and he took the trip well. It didn’t take anything out of him. He ate up all his feed the night he got in and hasn’t been off of it since, so everything looks good.”

This is Summer Bird’s first extensive experience on a synthetic surface, but Ice has few, if any, qualms. “He seemed to handle the track fine,” Ice said. “He’s run every race on dirt, but he was out here from last October until I got him in January. He has nine workouts over this track as a 2-year-old, so it’s not totally new to him, but he’s never run on a synthetic.”

Defending Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint champion Desert Code worked three furlongs on Pro-Ride Thursday in :35.40. “He went nice and easy,” trainer David Hofmans said. “He’ll work five-eighths or three-quarters on the grass Wednesday with (Richard) Migliore.”

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird galloped his customary two miles Thursday.