America’s Breeders’ Cup Problem Sequence got here to a detailed Oct. 6 as solely two races stay abroad at Ascot Oct. 19. Throughout the nation, trainers and house owners now fully shift their consideration towards ultimate coaching preparations and journey plans.
The solar had but to rise on this subsequent stage earlier than possible Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash (G1T) favourite Cogburn made his method out to the Churchill Downs grime monitor early within the morning Oct. 7 to file a “easy” half-mile exercise in :49 4/5 for coach Steve Asmussen.
#Cogburn after finishing his 4F breeze in :49 4/5 at @ChurchillDowns Oct. 7. The speedy son of #NotThisTime is on monitor for the @BreedersCup Turf Dash (G1T). pic.twitter.com/1hLPY686CS
— Sean Collins (@BH_SCollins) October 7, 2024
“We’re inside a month from the Breeders’ Cup, simply awfully joyful to see him touring nice, being contemporary,” Asmussen stated. “We’re enthusiastic about how good he is doing, enthusiastic about who he’s and we’re trying ahead to operating him within the Breeders’ Cup.”
The son of Not This Time is an ideal 3-for-3 this season, incomes $1,772,000 for house owners Clark Brewster and William and Corinne Heiligbrodt whereas clinching a breeding profession at WinStar Farm at 12 months’s finish. His stellar season has established the 5-year-old as a number one contender for honors as Eclipse champion male sprinter, a rarity for a turf horse, and champion male turf horse, a rarity for a sprinter. Relying how the Breeders’ Cup shakes out, he may also have a shot at Horse of the 12 months.
“He is run some wonderful races this 12 months,” Asmussen stated. “We bought a sharper horse spacing his races higher, extra to his liking. Hopefully, he will get away nicely (within the Breeders’ Cup) and exhibits all people how briskly he’s.”
Cogburn began his season with a 2 1/4-length win within the 5 1/2-furlong Twin Spires Turf Dash (G2T) at Churchill Downs Might 4 earlier than setting a North American file for the space within the Jaipur Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course June 8. The time of :59.80 is believed to be a world file for five 1/2 furlongs on grass.
Asmussen recalled the second he first noticed the ultimate time posted on the board whereas ready for Cogburn to return to the winners’ circle, stating his preliminary thought was to ensure it was a ultimate time and never a fraction.
“It was fairly apparent he had flown round there,” Asmussen stated. “For him to perform one thing like going 5 1/2 in underneath a minute—one thing I had by no means seen earlier than—is extraordinarily thrilling.”
Cogburn stored the velocity prepare rolling at Kentucky Downs Sept. 7 when he added a 3 1/4-length victory within the six-furlong Ainsworth Turf Dash (G2T), ending simply 0.27 off the course file over a area that included final 12 months’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash winner Nobals . Each the Jaipur and Ainsworth have been Problem Sequence races for the $1 million Turf Dash.
Cogburn wins the Ainsworth Turf Dash Stakes at Kentucky Downs
Cogburn may have yet one more work at Churchill Downs earlier than delivery with the remainder of Group Asmussen to Del Mar Oct. 22. Asmussen plans to breeze him as soon as on the Southern California monitor forward of the Nov. 2 race.
“We simply need the preparation to go easy,” Asmussen stated. “Hopefully the climate will smile on us and we’ll get on the market in pretty much as good a form as we’re proper now.”
Along with Cogburn, Asmussen plans to run Ballerina Handicap (G1) winner Society and Thoroughbred Membership of America Stakes (G2) winner Zeitlos within the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Dash. He additionally has a pair for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Dash (G1) in a number of graded stakes winner and grade 1-placed Skelly and Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) winner Gun Pilot .
“One with a number of tempo (Society and Skelly), one which closes (Zeitlos and Gun Pilot) so nevertheless the racetrack performs, we really feel like we have it lined,” Asmussen stated of the Sprints.
Asmussen can be contemplating the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Grime Mile (G1) for Further Anejo , a two-time allowance winner this 12 months. He labored 5 furlongs in 1:01 2/5 Monday at Churchill.
Seize the Gray, Jonathan’s Method Proceed Breeders’ Cup Preparations
Different Breeders’ Cup horses have been additionally out at Churchill early Monday morning, together with Preakness Stakes (G1) and Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner Seize the Gray and Iroquois Stakes (G3) winner Jonathan’s Method .
MyRacehorse’s Seize the Gray logged his first work for the reason that Sept. 21 Pennsylvania Derby on Oct. 3, when he accomplished a bullet 5 furlongs in :59. His Monday train for Corridor of Fame coach D. Wayne Lukas was good and straightforward with a one-mile jog across the grime oval earlier than taking a couple of jogging laps within the chute.
.@PreaknessStakes and PA Derby winner #SeizetheGrey jogging at @ChurchillDowns this morning. The son of #Arrogate labored 5F in :59 on Thursday, Oct. 3. @MyRacehorse pic.twitter.com/dmkq33n65c
— Sean Collins (@BH_SCollins) October 7, 2024
The three-year-old son of Arrogate is into account for each the Grime Mile and the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Traditional (G1).
Rigney Racing’s Jonathan’s Method recorded a half-mile in :47 Oct. 4, his second breeze since profitable the Iroquois Sept. 14, which earned him a $30,000 credit score towards entry charges to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) because of the Breeders’ Cup Grime Dozen Sequence. On Monday morning, he jogged a mile earlier than galloping one other mile.
“Jonathan is doing nice,” coach Phil Bauer stated. “You maintain your breath for the subsequent few weeks, however his two breezes since he ran have been what we requested for and I really feel like we’re proper on course.”
Iroquois winner #JonathansWay galloping at @ChurchillDowns Oct. 7. He’s pointed on the @BreedersCup Juvenile (G1) at @DelMarRacing Nov. 1. pic.twitter.com/EamL0o3DKr
— Sean Collins (@BH_SCollins) October 7, 2024
Bauer flirted with the thought of operating again within the Oct. 5 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, a Problem Sequence race, however determined to stay with the unique plan of coaching as much as the Breeders’ Cup.
“It was very tempting to strive, however the horse has a number of high quality so we’re pondering long-term with him,” Bauer stated. “Perhaps fewer begins this 12 months will result in extra subsequent 12 months.”
The Ohio-bred son of Vekoma is 2-for-2 to start out his profession, breaking his maiden by 4 1/4 lengths touring six furlongs at Saratoga Aug. 17 earlier than profitable the one-mile Iroquois by 2 3/4 lengths.
Jonathan’s Method wins the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs
All three of the Juvenile’s Problem Sequence races came about Saturday with East Avenue profitable the Breeders’ Futurity, Chancer McPatrick the Champagne Stakes (G1), and Citizen Bull the American Pharoah Stakes (G1). Nonetheless, Bauer stays assured that he is bringing a winner to California.
“It is onerous to gauge—totally different tracks, totally different states—however I believe after the weekend’s over, we’re nonetheless assured that we match proper in there,” Bauer stated. “(Jonathan’s Method) will fee, it simply depends upon the put up and then you definately work a plan from there.”
The Rigney and Bauer workforce even have a further rooting curiosity as they bred Chancer McPatrick in Kentucky, initially promoting him from the Denali Stud consignment for $260,000 on the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Choose yearling sale. The dam, Bernadreamy , was a homebred for Rigney, bred in partnership with Dreamkeepers, skilled by Bauer.
“A technique or one other it looks like we’ll have a superb piece of it,” Bauer stated. “I believe all the things is coming collectively for the workforce. Prime to backside the subsequent few years needs to be a number of enjoyable.”
Jonathan’s Method will stick with breezing weekly on Fridays because the Juvenile races on Friday. Bauer plans to ship on a Breeders’ Cup chartered FedEx airplane out of Cincinnati Oct. 28.
“I believe our horse will deal with (delivery) rather well,” Bauer stated. “He is a laid-back horse and he is dealt with all the things we have thrown at him thus far.”
