Hollendorfer: Wild Dude, Songbird ‘very good’ in final Santa Anita drills for BC

Edited Press Release

Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1) winner Wild Dude, pre-entered to the TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), and unbeaten Chandelier S. (G1) heroine Songbird, headed to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), worked five furlongs and four furlongs, respectively, on Saturday over the fast main track at Santa Anita Park.

Wild Dude was caught in 1:03.20 under Rafael Bejarano, while Songbird clocked a half-mile in :47.40 with Mike Smith aboard.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer termed the drills “very good,” and his two trainees are expected to depart California for Kentucky early Sunday.

Grade 1 winner and TwinSpires Sprint candidate Big Macher went five furlongs in company with multiple Grade 3 scorer Majestic City, getting a time of 1:01.60 to Majestic City’s 1:02.20.

“It was a little slower than I wanted,” trainer Richard Baltas admitted. “I got him galloping out in 1:27 and he finished good.”

Last-out Eddie D. S. (G3) victor No Silent readied for the TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) with a five-furlong move under Gary Stevens in 1:01.20. Trainer Gary Mandella called the work “perfect.”

Stevens was also aboard Grade 2 romper and TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) hopeful Taris for a five-furlong drill in a bullet :59 for trainer Simon Callaghan. It was the fastest of 84 works at the distance, the average time of which was 1:02.20.

Grade 2 scorer Kobe’s Back logged a half-mile ahead of the Sprint in :47 for Peter Eurton.

Swipe, runner-up in both the FrontRunner S. (G1) and Del Mar Futurity (G1) in his past pair, clocked five furlongs in 1:01.20 for trainer Keith Desormeaux. The trainer’s brother, Kent Desormeaux, has exclusively piloted Swipe thus far in his career but has opted to ride Grade 2 victor Exaggerator in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile instead of Swipe.

Agent Mike Ciani also reported that Kent Desormeaux will ride Landaluce S. winner Right There in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

In other Breeders’ Cup news, Southern California fans will have their last opportunity to see American Pharoah at Santa Anita Monday morning when the Triple Crown winner is scheduled to work a half-mile under jockey Martin Garcia at 7:45 a.m. (PDT) before leaving Tuesday for Keeneland and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on October 31, his final race before going to stud.

American Pharoah had his usual gallop on the main track Saturday morning. He worked six furlongs Tuesday in a bullet 1:10.80.

Wild Dude photo courtesy of Benoit Photos