Fierceness put in a solid final workout at Saratoga on Friday and will be among the New York contingent of horses headed Sunday to the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar in California.
Winner of the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and the Travers Stakes (G1) and the expected favorite for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 2, Fierceness breezed 4 furlongs in 48.98 seconds under exercise rider Danny Wright.
Fierceness. NYRA/Coglianese Photo.
Fierceness Signals He’s Ready for Breeders’ Cup Victory repeat
“It’s hard to imagine him training any better than he did from the Jim Dandy to the Travers, but I would say he has been every bit as good, if not better,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “It seems like he’s put on some weight and filled out a bit since the Travers as well — you always love to see that with a 3-year-old in the fall.”
Fierceness, the 2-year-old champion and winner of the 2023 BC Juvenile (G1), has logged six workouts since the Travers on Aug. 24.
In other Pletcher-related news, Futurity Stakes (G3) runner-up Gate to Wire drew into the Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) when Celandine was declared out … Grand Sonata, winner of the Kentucky Turf Cup (G2) on Sept. 7 is set for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) after working 4 furlongs in 51.55 seconds over the Oklahoma training track last Friday (Oct. 18)
Skippylongstocking BC Dirt Mile bound
Skippylongstocking breezed 4 furlongs in a speedy 47.93 seconds at Saratoga on Friday and is now set for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) rather than the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., told drf.com.
The 5-year-old was pre-entered in both races, with the Classic a first preference. Also, Irad Ortiz., Jr., is scheduled to ride ‘Skippy’ in the Dirt Mile.
Skippylongstocking
“I thought he worked good. We worked him in company with a decent filly (The Queens M G),’’ Washonn Rochester, assistant to Joseph said. “He did what we wanted to do and galloped out nicely.”
Skippylongstocking ran third in the Dirt Mile last year behind Cody’s Wish and National Treasure, and most recently finished a close second to Tapit Trice in the Woodward (G2) on Sept. 28 at Aqueduct.
National Treasure was declared out of the Dirt Mile with foot issues, which allows Skippylongstocking to move into the field and allows Classic also-eligible Pyrenees to get into the Classic field.
Busy day for Baffert with workers at Santa Anita
While several Bob Baffert-trained horses were declared out of the Breeders’ Cup (National Treasure, Dirt Mile (G1); Prince of Monaco, Sprint (G1); Fort Bragg, Dirt Mile also-eligible list), several others posted workouts at Santa Anita on Friday.
Getaway Car, prepping for the Juvenile (G1), went 5 furlongs in 1:00.60; Pleasant, set for the Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), worked 5 furlongs in 59.80.
Getaway Car ran second to stablemate Citizen Bull in the American (G1) on Oct. 5 at Santa Anita. He previously won the Best Pal (G3) at Del Mar and was fourth in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) going 7 furlongs.
The 4-year-old Pleasant recently returned from a 13-month layoff and won by five lengths in a 6 ½-furlong allowance on Sept. 22 at Los Alamitos.