Travel Plans Set for West Coast Breeders' Cup Horses

Barn Notes from Churchill Downs

The bulk of Southern California-based Breeders' Cup aspirants will be flown east on two H.E. Sutton charters Monday and Tuesday, according to regional manager Mary Knight.

Equine cargo Monday will include Tiznow, Ladies Din, Tranquility Lake, Speaking Of Time, Jetin Excess, Elaborate, Walkslikeaduck and possibly Lexicon, second alternate in the Sprint. The passenger list Tuesday includes the Bob Baffert-trained sextet of Captain Steve, Caffe Latte, Flame Thrower, Arabian Light, Point Given and Notable Career, the Bobby Frankel-trained trio of Honest Lady, Boatman and Spanish Fern, Sprint favorite Kona Gold, and Tout Charmant.

The three-and-one-half-hour direct flights are scheduled to leave Ontario Airport at 5 a.m. Pacific time and arrive in Louisville between 11:30 a.m. and noon, Eastern time. Two previous flights transported six other Breeders' Cup horses during the past ten days.

Tiznow, supplemented to the Classic for $360,000, worked six furlongs in an unofficial 1:12 3/5 before the first race at Santa Anita Thursday under regular rider Chris McCarron. Overnight rains decimated the morning work tab. Trainer Jay Robbins caught the three-year-old colt in splits of :12 2/5, :24 2/5, :36 3/5, :48 4/5 and 1:01 and said he went very easily. Tiznow won the Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap in his last start here Oct. 15. He is a full brother to Budroyale, runner-up in the 1999 Classic.

Honest Lady worked a bullet five furlongs in :57 4/5 Thursday morning for the Sprint at Hollywood Park for trainer Bobby Frankel. The time was nearly three seconds faster than any of 20 other works recorded at that distance. The second fastest-time of the morning, 1:00 2/5, was turned in by 1998 Sprint winner Reraise, on the comeback trail for trainer Craig Dollase.

Elaborate, third-place finisher behind Kona Gold in the Ancient Title Breeders' Cup Handicap at Santa Anita Oct. 14, is primed for a big effort in the Sprint. "He will work five furlongs here Saturday and go back Monday," said trainer Paco Gonzalez of the stretch-running Triple Bend Handicap winner. "I think he will run pretty good. The Santa Anita track favors speed. He should like the longer stretch at Churchill Downs, and it looks like there will be a lot of speed in the race." Victor Espinoza will ride.