Ed Golden
Oak Tree at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. – Champion Zenyatta took a step closer to a much-anticipated date with the boys in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Oak Tree a week from today, Saturday, Nov. 7, when she worked six furlongs at HollywoodPark this morning in 1:12.40, breezing, under regular rider Mike Smith.

“She went very well and everyone was pleased,” said trainer John Shirreffs. “We’ll discuss whether she will run in the Classic (or the Ladies’ Classic at 1 1/8 miles on Friday, Nov. 6) as soon as we sit down with Mr. and Mrs. Moss (owners Jerry and Ann Moss). We’ll see how she comes out of the work and make a decision.”

Zenyatta, who worked in company with Green Cat, had fractional times on the Cushion Track surface of :24.60, :36.60, :48.40 and 1:00.20, with a seven-furlong gallop out time of 1:25.20. Green Cat was timed in 1:13.60.

A 5-year-old daughter of Street Cry, Zenyatta is unbeaten in 13 starts and would face males for the first time in the Classic at 1 1/4 miles. Zenyatta’s workout can be seen on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi6Pz-Pdtb8

On a picture-perfect morning at Santa Anita, male 3-year-old leader Summer Bird worked five furlongs for the Classic in :59.40 under his “gallop boy,” Leo Atempa, who weighs in at 120 pounds.

“He galloped out strong,” trainer Tim Ice said of the Belmont, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner. “I got him in 1:12.”

Ice is set on letting Summer Bird run his race and not get caught up in undue pre-race strategy.

“My horse will run according to how the pace scenario sets up,” Ice said. “He definitely can lay up close, and I also think he can be four or five (lengths) off of it. I think it’s just a matter of seeing how the race sets up, let ‘em break and see where you’re at.

“If we can get a head start on them (into the stretch), I know we can kick away, and my colt, he doesn’t stop until the wire comes. If they head him, he’s going to have a lot of fight.”

In other Breeders’ Cup news:

Saturday’s work tabs were replete with horses going through their final major preps. Among them, on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride, were: Beautician (Juvenile Fillies), four furlongs in :49.40 for Ken McPeek; Zilva (Juvenile Fillies Turf), four furlongs in :48.80 for Graham Motion; Cocoa Beach (Ladies’ Classic), five furlongs in :59.40 for Saeed bin Suroor; Fatal Bullet (Sprint), five furlongs in :59.20 for Reade Baker; House of Grace (Juvenile Fillies Turf), five furlongs in 1:02.80, breezing, for McPeek; La Nez (Juvenile Fillies Turf), five furlongs in 1:01.80 for Eric Kruljac; Neko Bay (Dirt Mile), :59 for John Shirreffs; Evita Argentina (Filly & Mare Sprint), six furlongs in 1:11.40 for John Sadler; Get Funky (Turf Sprint), six furlongs in a bullet 1:10.60 for Sadler; Lord Shanakill (Turf Sprint), six furlongs in 1:11.80 for Richard Mandella; Smart Seattle (Juvenile Fillies Turf), four furlongs in :48.80 for Motion; and Square Eddie (Sprint), six furlongs in 1:13.40 for Doug O’Neill.

On turf, Yellow Ribbon Stakes winner Magical Fantasy (Filly & Mare Turf) went five furlongs under regular rider Alex Solis in 1:00.80 for Paddy Gallagher, while Noble Court (Turf Sprint) went the same distance in 1:00.20 for Sadler. Tapitsfly (Juvenile Fillies Turf) went five furlongs under Aaron Gryder in 1:00.60 for Dale Romans.

Oak Tree clocker John Malone recorded the following fractional times: Evita Argentina, :12 2/5, :24 2/5, :35 4/5, :47 3/5 and :59 2/5; Lord Shanakill, :36 and :59 3/5; Smart Seattle, :24 4/5, :37, :48 4/5 and a gallop out of 1:01 2/5; Summer Bird, :11 2/5, :23, :34 4/5 and :46 4/5; Neko Bay, :24 and :35; Cocoa Beach, :12 2/5; :25, :37 1/5, and :48 2/5, with a gallop out of 1:13; and La Nez, :12 4/5, :25 2/5, :37 3/5 and :50 3/5.

Turf workers’ fractions were: Noble Court, :13 2/5, :25 3/5, :37 4/5 and :49 3/5; Tapitsfly, :12 1/5, :24 1/5 and:36 1/5; and Magical Fantasy, :13, :24 4/5 and :36 3/5.

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird galloped two miles Saturday and is scheduled to work five furlongs Monday with Joe Talamo aboard.

Godolphin Racing couldn’t be more pleased with how its candidates are coming up to their Breeders’ Cup engagements.

“We have nine horses here and I’m very happy with all of them,” said Rick Mettee, formerly a training fixture in Southern California. “Most of them came out three weeks ago. Some of them came out last week, but they all seem to be grabbing this track fine.  We haven’t had any problems. The weather’s been good here. It hasn’t been too hot, so everybody’s doing really well.”

HRTV TO AIR BREEDERS’ CUP DRAW ON TUESDAY

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, beginning at 12:30 p.m., HRTV will offer exclusive live coverage of the post position draw for the 26th edition of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships from Santa Anita next Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7.

The two-day racing extravaganza encompasses 14 championship races and $25.5 million in total purse money.

HRTV’s coverage will unveil the fields for two of the sport’s premier racing days, and the network’s on-air talent will provide in-depth assessment of each division. HRTV’s “Pursuit of the Cup” team of Laffit Pincay III, Gary Stevens, Jeff Siegel, Millie Ball, Scott Hazelton and European reporter Fanny Salmon will anchor the network’s coverage of the draw, which will be  hosted by ESPN’s Joe Tessitore.

Tessitore also will announce the rider’s line for all 14 races, along with the morning line from HRTV’s Jon White, who also is Oak Tree’s odds maker. For the first time, there will be pari-mutuel betting on which jockey will win the most Breeders’ Cup races.

In addition, ESPN360 will pick-up HRTV’s coverage, beginning at 1 p.m. This is the second joint venture for the two entities, the first coming with the draw for this year’s Preakness Stakes.

A total of 203 overall pre-entries were announced on Wednesday, with 37 horses cross-entered in different races.  Among the most-anticipated decisions will come regarding super filly, Zenyatta.