Breeders' Cup Works from Coast to Coast; Desormeaux on Clock Stopper

By Margaret Ransom
Amerman Racing's Adoration, gearing up for her next start in the Breeders' Cup Distaff - Presented by Nextel (gr. I), worked seven furlongs in 1:26 over a fast main track at Santa Anita Thursday morning. The 4-year-old daughter of Honor Grades -- Sewing Lady, by Key to the Mint had jockey Patrick Valenzuela aboard for the move, which was one of only two at the distance on the day.

"She worked fine," trainer Dave Hofmans said. "It was a nice, long work; I wanted to put a lot of air into her because I feel she'll be on the lead in the race, or right up on it."

Adoration finished fourth in the Sept. 28 Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II), but was bumped up to third after the disqualification of Elloluv from second to fourth. Previously the bay filly won the Piedra Foundation Handicap at Del Mar and won the Senorita Stakes (gr. III) and Hollywood Oaks (gr. II) as a 3-year-old. Overall, she's earned 373,856 from a record of 13-4-1-1.

Hofmans said Adoration will walk on Friday and return to the track Saturday to resume regular training. She will get her final pre-Breeders' Cup blowout on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Billy and Carol Tucker's Private Horde, winner of the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (gr. I) at Saratoga, zipped a sharp four furlongs in :47 3/5at Churchill Downs on Thursday in preparation for a run in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Oak Tree at Santa Anita on Oct. 25.

Jockey Terry Thompson, who had ridden Private Horde to his most recent win in the Marfa Handicap at Turfway Park, was in the saddle as the 4-year-old homebred son of Brunswick covered the distance in :46.20 over a "fast" track. The work followed a van ride from trainer Joe Cain's farm in Russell Springs, Ky., which is located about 115 miles southeast of Louisville.

The move by Private Horde was the fastest of 37 works at the distance, with a :47 3/5 clocking being the next fastest work. The colt's furlong splits were :11 3/5, :23 3/5, and :34 4/5. He galloped out five furlongs in :59 4/5, a time that was faster than any of the 24 works at that distance.

"I had a real long hold on him and you just kind of sit on him like
that for the morning works," said Thompson. "He lays his body down and
tries pretty hard, you don't have to ask him for it."

"He worked real good and he did it in hand," said Cain. "I was expecting a pretty good time because good horses are supposed to work pretty fast."

The colt was bouncing as he came off the track and appeared full of energy after the work.

"That's what you look for," he said. "I never look at the clock. I always pay attention to what the horse does and what I've got left when I get back to the barn."

Private Horde is scheduled to fly to California out of Louisville, Ky. on Thursday, Oct. 23. When asked if he was excited about the Sprint bid, Cain responded that he had been "excited all summer" by Private Horde.

"I'm just a country boy," said Cain, "and to have a horse like this is a lot of fun."

Private Horde has won nine of 23 races, but blossomed into a star this year as he compiled a record of 6-2-0 in eight races and earned $411,582. His career earnings now stand at $487,827. Along with his wins in the Vanderbilt and the Marfa, Private Horde won the Waterford Park Handicap at Mountaineer Park and finished second to Breeders' Cup Sprint contender Shake You Down in the Smile Sprint Handicap (gr. III), which was part of Calder Race Course's "Summit of Speed."

Jason Lumpkins will ride Private Horde in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

At Keeneland, Charles Fipke's Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) victor Perfect Soul worked a half-mile on the Keeneland turf course Thursday morning, preparing for the NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT). The 5-year-old son of Sadler's Wells, trained by Roger Attfield, broke off easily from the pole, traveling the first quarter-mile in :27. he picked it up the last quarter, stopping clocker Tom Bridges' watch in :50 1/5.

Trainer Donnie Von Hemel sent Kristine and John Richter's WinStar Galaxy (gr. IIT) winner Bien Nicole out for a five-eighths drill with jockey Frank Lovato, Jr. subbing for Donnie Pettinger. The chestnut daughter of Bien Bien, who is getting ready to run in the Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT), went steadily around the dogs, posting a final clocking of 1:01 4/5.

In another Sprint development, trainer Dallas Stewart said that jockey Kent Desormeaux would ride Overbrook Farm's Clock Stopper if the 3-year-old gelded son of Gilded Time makes it into the field.

The Sprint is limited to 14 runners and 15 horses were pre-entered in the race. Clock Stopper was the only horse not selected for the field of 14 by the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel, but he would draw-in to the field if one of 14 entrants listed on the panel's order of preference should drop out of the race. The 14 on the Sprint list include Congaree, who has also been entered in the Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I). Trainer Bob Baffert has said there is a strong likelihood Congaree will go in the Sprint and was cross-entered only as a precautionary measure after he was detected with a slight quarter crack.

Because of the uncertainty over whether Clock Stopper would get into the race, Stewart said the colt has been booked on the last flight out of Louisville on Thursday, Oct. 23.

Clock Stopper earned a trip to the Sprint with a sharp victory in the Perryville Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 8. Before that he finished a close second to Breeders' Cup Sprint contender Cajun Beat in the Kentucky Cup Sprint (gr. III) at Turfway Park and turned in a pair of strong efforts in allowance races at Saratoga. He won a six furlong sprint on Aug. 16 and was a close second to eventual Vosburgh (gr. I) winner Ghostzapper in a race on July 26.

"His last four races have been very impressive," said Stewart. "He hasn't regressed at all."

Stewart, who saddled Unbridled Elaine to win the 2001 Breeders' Cup
Distaff (gr. I), said Clock Stopper would not work in the days leading up to the Sprint because he ran so recently.

"This is the first time we've run him back so quickly," said Stewart. "He's going to be back in 16 days, so you just don't know. But he's acting good, he's eating good, and acts like he's training good. He hasn't showed us anything negative."

Clock Stopper has a career record of 3-3-0 in eight races and has
earned $122,215.

With additional information from Churchill Downs, Keeneland reports