Not the most upbeat first few days of Breeders’ Cup week at Santa Anita Park.
The news on Tuesday (Oct. 31) was disheartening:
Arcangelo during morning workouts at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California on October 28, 2023 as horses prepare for the 2023 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Alex Evers/Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders Cup
Practical Move, the talented Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner making a comeback after missing the Triple Crown races with a fever, collapsed while galloping and died “a sudden death,’’ according to trainer Tim Yakteen. He was a top contender in the BC Dirt Mile (G1) on Saturday.
A little later, BC Classic (G1) top contender Arcangelo, the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers (G1) winner was pulled out of the race due to an issue with his left hind foot.
Yakteen, a former assistant to Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, told drf.com: “We’re devastated. I’m devastated for the connections.”
Jena Antonucci, the first female trainer to win a Triple Crown race, tried to take the scratch of Arcangelo in stride. It was difficult.
At the end of an interview posted on the Breeders’ Cup X feed (formerly Twitter), Antonucci choked up after saying she didn’t want to get emotional.
“it’s about him. It’s his journey,’’ her voice breaking with each word. “I’ve said it from day one. It’s his journey. Whatever we accomplish is so cool and great. He’s gonna be OK, and we’ll make sure he’s OK.”
What’s next before the two-day, 14-race, $31 million Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 3-4? It’s the 40th edition of the races that usually determine year-end champions, but some of the leading contenders are not racing.
Breeder’s Cup 2023: Geaux Rocket Ride’s Fracture and Mage’s Fever Updates
Cody’s Wish, trained by William I. Mott, during morning workouts at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California on October 28, 2023, as horses prepare for the 2023 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Carlos J. Calo/Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders Cup
On Saturday (Oct. 28), Haskell (G1) winner and Classic contender Geaux Rocket Ride suffered a serious condylar fracture of his right front leg and underwent surgery a day later. On Sunday (Oct. 29), Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage was diagnosed with a slight fever and decreased appetite and did not enter the Classic.
That’s a trio of 3-year-olds, a Derby winner (Mage) a Belmont winner (Arcangelo) out of the Classic, and a Santa Anita Derby winner out of the Dirt Mile.
A full field of 14 was expected for the $6 million Classic; it’s down to 12 now, with Pacific Classic (G1) winner Arabian Knight – trained by four-time Classic winner Baffert – the favorite.
The Dirt Mile would have featured Practical Move taking on fan favorite Cody’s Wish – the defending champ – in the final race of his career. Cody’s wish gained national attention due to his relationship with Cody Dorman, now a 17-year-old who was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, and as a result uses a wheelchair and communicates with a tablet.
Racing industry groups have enhanced monitoring of the health of horses as they train up for races. After Practical Move’s death, the Breeders’ Cup issued the following statement:
“Every year, Breeders’ Cup works closely with its host track, state racing commission, and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) in the lead-up to the World Championships to implement stringent safety and integrity protocols. These processes are in place to protect the wellbeing of our human and equine athletes, and Breeders’ Cup is committed to continuously improving the ecosystem of care surrounding every horse.’’
A total of 205 horses were pre-entered for the Breeders’ Cup and 175 were officially entered on Monday (Oct. 30). With a few more days before the BC races, chances are there will be several more scratches for various reasons.