The final contingent of Breeders' Cup runners, including Mile (gr. IT) favorite Wise Dan and Classic (gr. I) contenders Mucho Macho Man, Fort Larned , and Brilliant Speed , arrived at Santa Anita Park Oct. 31 after an eventful weekend of altered travel plans due to Hurricane Sandy.
The flight coming from New York to Louisville and then to California arrived at Ontario Airport at noon PDT, after which the Breeders' Cup horses were loaded onto Brook Ledge and Hubbard horse vans for an approximately one-hour drive to the track.
Among those also unloaded on the Santa Anita backside around 1:15 p.m. PDT were Ladies' Classic (gr. I) runner Grace Hall, Grey Goose Juvenile (gr. I) favorite Shanghai Bobby , Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) contenders Dreaming of Julia and Kauai Katie, FIlly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) runners Belle of the Hall and Turbulent Descent, Dirt Mile (gr. I) runner Jersey Town , and Marathon (gr. II) starter Not Abroad.
Wise Dan settled well into his new stall in Barn 36 after walking the shedrow for several minutes. Trainer Charlie Lopresti said the 5-year-old son of Wiseman's Ferry would either take his first trip over the California oval's main track around 7:30 a.m. local time on the dirt, or would wait until 10 a.m. to go out on the turf under exercise rider Damian Rock.
