Edited from Breeders' Cup reports
Eliciting a "beautiful" from trainer Craig Dollase, J. Paul Reddam's Elloluv turned in a three-furlong work in :36 3/5 before sunrise Tuesday at Santa Anita, completing her serious work toward Saturday's Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I). "That is the way you want to see them do it," said Dollase, who became the youngest trainer, at age 27, to win a Breeders' Cup championship race when Reraise won the 1998 Sprint (gr. I). The trainer said he caught the filly going the final eighth of a mile in "11 [seconds] and change." The filly's regular rider, Corey Nakatani, was in the irons for the work, and said afterward, "I wouldn't trade places with anybody." A 3-year-old daughter of Gilded Time -- Currency Quest (by Cryptoclearance) has won four of nine lifetime, including the Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland earlier this year.Asked if Elloluv is going to have to improve dramatically from her Lady's Secret Handicap (gr. II), in which she crossed the line second but was disqualified to fourth for interference in deep stretch, Dollase said, "Oh, yes, she sure has to." But the morning's workout moved him to confidence in what's ahead for her in the Distaff. Recalling the Sept. 28 race at Santa Anita, Dollase said, "She was able to rate off of horses, and that's going to be a key on Saturday, with the extra distance. With Azeri out, that should open the door a little more. "She's very versatile, and going a mile and an eighth, you have to be able to rate a little." Physically, he said, "She's small but mighty." Also working toward the Distaff Tuesday was Got Koko, who worked five furlongs in 1:03 under regular rider Alex Solis at 4:45 a.m. Tuesday. "Perfect," said trainer Bruce Headley. "It was just a little tune-up, nice and easy." Headley said he likes to train horses that early. "The track is absolutely perfect at that time, when they open it," said Headley. "The air is nice and crisp, and it's nice and quiet. "She does everything early," continued Headley of Got Koko's training schedule. "It's calm, cool and collected then. I like to work early, in style for times gone by." Got Koko has won seven of 13 starts but never been favored in her career. The Texas-bred filly swept the La Canada Series for 4-year-old fillies here last winter, defeating three different favorites saddled by Bobby Frankel in each leg. In the La Canada Stakes (gr. II) at 1 1/8 miles, Got Koko upset favored Sightseek, the probable Distaff favorite.Got Koko, a 4-year-old daughter of Signal Tap -- Baby North (by Northern Baby) owned by Aase Headley and Paul Leung, has seven wins in 13 starts.In another development Tuesday, Breeders' Cup officials said trainer Michael Dickinson had told them Anstu Stables' Deeliteful Irving has been declared out of the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT).Dickinson said the decision to take the 5-year-old son of Afternoon Deelites -- Irving's Girl (by Badger Land) was made after Dickinson did not like how he came out of a six furlong breeze in 1:15 at the trainer's Tapata Farm in Maryland last Friday.
