Southern California trainers re-group after Breeders' Cup

Richard Mandella reported all was well with his Breeders' Cup trio Sunday morning and that they all had earned a bit of vacation. Beholder captured the Juvenile Fillies while stablemates Jimmy Creed ran ninth in the Sprint and Rumor filled the fifth spot in the Filly & Mare Sprint.

"They'll all get some time off, one way or another," Mandella said. "I'd expect you'd probably see them all at the Santa Anita big meet after Christmas.

"Jimmy Creed and Rumor will stay with me at the track. Beholder probably will, too. Sometimes with young fillies you need to take them away (from the track) and give them a break. But she's big and strong and I'm thinking she'll probably stay here with us. If I see in a few days if she maybe needs it, I've got several farms around here where I could send her."

The trainer was especially proud of his two-year-old filly Beholder, who took her field wire-to-wire in Friday's Juvenile Fillies at 1 1/16 miles. He has hopes of an Eclipse Award for her and thoughts of a three-year-old filly prize like the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.

In the case of four-year-old Rumor, he noted that she is lightly raced with just 12 starts to her credit and that he has further plans for her next year. Mandella thought three-year-old Jimmy Creed's Sprint effort was an additional educational vehicle for all involved.

"(Jimmy Creed) was down inside (post 2) and that dirt started coming back and hitting him in the face again," Mandella said. "When that happened last time (when he finished third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship [formerly Ancient Title] on October 6), he started to back up. I thought that experience would suit him this time, but he got even more dirt in his face Saturday and he just hated it.

Trainer Ron Ellis was also happy with his Breeders' Cup threesome after Rail Trip ran second in the Dirt Mile, Include Me Out took third in the Ladies' Classic and Teddy's Promise crossed under the wire in eighth in the Filly & Mare Sprint.

"I was pretty proud of all three," the trainer said from Hollywood Park, where he awaited the trio to be shipped from Santa Anita.

"It wasn't Rail Trip's game getting behind all that dirt, but he battled his way through it and ran a really good race. Include Me Out ran her guts out and was not quite good enough. I was proud of the way she ran against a great field and only got beat by two champions (Royal Delta and My Miss Aurelia.)"

Ellis said the number 1 post compromised the chances of Teddy's Promise in the seven-furlong Filly & Mare Sprint.

"The rail took away her options," he asserted. All three are expected to return to the races in 2013.

"Include Me Out will get a little vacation," Ellis said. "She will get a couple of months off, but I know that (owner) Samantha (Siegel) wants to race her again next year.

"Rail Trip and Teddy's Promise will also stay in training."

Fellow Southern California conditioner Doug O'Neill sent out six runners over the two-day championship, with the best finish being recorded by He's Had Enough, who just missed by a head to Shanghai Bobby in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The trainer also saddled Richard's Kid and Handsome Mike to respective fifth and ninth-place finishes in the Classic, Know More to a 13th-place run in the Juvenile Turf, Cogito to seventh in the Turf and Boxeur des Rues to a 13th-place finish in the Sprint.

"I thought Richard's Kid ran a good race," O'Neill added after talking with Mark Verge, co-owner of the seven-year-old horse and CEO of Santa Anita, in a visiting golf cart. "He had to make up a ton of ground on a dirt track against those kind of horses. He'll live to fight another day. Like fine wine, he's getting better with age."

O'Neill said he had not yet spoken with Paul Reddam, owner of his other five starters, before making any further plans.

"I need to huddle up and take a deep breath," he said of future decisions. "He's Had Enough ran a dynamite second and Know More had a rough post and a rough trip. I still have to talk Paul, but I'm guessing that one will be pointed to the (Grade 1) CashCall Futurity (at Hollywood Park on December 15.)"

While O'Neill was already thinking ahead for his runners, trainer John Sadler faced an empty stall in his Santa Anita barn Sunday morning.

"It's sad to see her leave," Sadler sighed. "I'll just remember what a good honest horse she was. She was a multiple Grade 1 winner and took us to Kentucky and Oaklawn Park."

Sadler reported that Capo Bastone and Monument both bled in the Juvenile, where they finished third and ninth, respectively.

"Capo Bastone ran a real good third, but he bled a little," the trainer said. "I'm not sure what's next but he will probably wait until the winter meet here. Monument will go back to state-bred races.

"Lady of Shamrock finished fifth, beaten two lengths (in the Filly & Mare Turf)," Sadler concluded. "She had to take up a little at the eighth-pole or I think she would have been second. We will look at the (Grade 1) Matriarch (on November 25 at Hollywood Park) or wait until the winter meet."

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer didn't give any indication of what be next for his Breeders' Cup duo, Nonios and Chosen Miracle. Nonios ran sixth in the Classic on Saturday while Chosen Miracle crossed under the Turf Sprint wire in 12th.