by Mike Curry
Not to be overshadowed by unbeaten champion Zenyatta’s dazzling workout at Hollywood Park, Summer Bird tightened the screws for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) with a strong workout of his own on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.
The three-year-old Birdstone colt drilled five furlongs in :59.40 handily under exercise rider Leo Atempa. The workout ranked fourth of 72 timed moves at the distance for trainer Tim Ice.
"He galloped out strong," Ice said. "I got him in 1:12 [for six furlongs]."
Summer Bird is the leading contender for the Eclipse Award as champion three-year-old male following victories in the Belmont Stakes (G1), Shadwell Travers Stakes (G1), and Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1), a sweep last completed by Easy Goer in 1989.
Ice said he plans to let Summer Bird run his race in the Classic and not get caught up in undue prerace 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."
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Mine That Bird galloped two miles Saturday and is scheduled to work five furlongs on Monday under Joe Talamo.
Also breezing on a busy Saturday morning at Santa Anita were last year’s Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) runner-up Fatal Bullet and Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) runner-up Cocoa Beach (Chi).
Last year’s Canadian Horse of the Year, Fatal Bullet drilled five furlongs in :59.20 handily, which ranked third of the 72 workouts at the distance. The four-year-old Red Bullet gelding enters off a win in the Phoenix Stakes (G3) on October 9 at Keeneland Race Course.
Cocoa Beach covered five furlongs in :59.40, the same time as Summer Bird, in preparation for the Ladies’ Classic.
Yellow Ribbon Stakes (G1) winner Magical Fantasy has a four-race winning streak entering the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1). The four-year-old Diesis (GB) filly drilled five furlongs on Saturday in 1:00.80 handily on firm turf.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor