ARCADIA, Calif. — Trainer Aidan O’Brien had trouble restraining himself after Rip Van Winkle went for an easy gallop Wednesday in preparation for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“I have to be careful talking about him,” the Irishman said. “The feeling that he gave me this morning makes you say too much.”
Rip Van Winkle is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line behind Zenyatta, the undefeated mare, in the Classic on Saturday, the richest of the 16 Breeders’ Cup races contested over two days at Santa Anita.
The low-key and soft-spoken O’Brien was clearly at ease after Rip Van Winkle, one of the top horses in Europe, took his first tour over Santa Anita’s synthetic surface. The 3-year-old colt has battled foot issues. O’Brien was also concerned about the trip and the transition to sunny Southern California.
Seeing the horse work up a good sweat convinced O’Brien that Rip Van Winkle was coming around.
“I liked to see him have a good sweat after traveling,” O’Brien said. “You like to see their systems clear. The journey took a little more out of him than the rest of the horses. He was bushed. I was very worried until this morning, but I was very happy after this morning.”
More important, there were no issues with the right hind foot.
“He got a very bad infection in his heels over the winter and it went down into his feet,” O’Brien said. “The walls of his feet were left weak. It’s amazing that he’s raced at all. I’ve never seen a horse that’s been through as much as him and kept going.”
On the loose.
California Flag threw a scare into trainer Brian Koriner, and everyone in his path, when he dumped his exercise rider and ran off.
A schooling session at the starting gate ended abruptly when California Flag unseated Colleen Hartford, taking off in a full-tilt gallop back to the barn area. Alert work by jockey Aaron Gryder, who was on foot, corralled the horse without incident.
California Flag is the 7-2 favorite in Saturday’s $1 million Turf Sprint.
On a less tumultuous note, Free Flying Soul (Filly & Mare Sprint), Rainbow View (Ladies’ Classic) and Chocolate Candy (Dirt Mile) had their final workouts Wednesday.
Going 3 furlongs, Free Flying Soul clocked 38.20 seconds, while Rainbow View ran it in 36.80. Chocolate Candy zipped 5 furlongs in 1:00.40.
