Catalano Looks Ahead With Breeders' Cup Winner She Be Wild … Emigh Could Return Sunday … McPeek Eyes California Cash

Nov 12, 2009 Gary Yunt

CATALANO LOOKS TO 2010 WITH BREEDERS’ CUP WINNER SHE BE WILD – Trainer Wayne Catalano was back at Churchill Downs on Thursday morning, reunited with Nancy Mazzoni’s She Be Wild, winner of last Friday’s $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade I) at Santa Anita.

“Everything had to go right and it did,” said Catalano, who spent a few days in Chicago before returning to Churchill Downs. “When they put that other horse (Connie and Michael) in there, I knew there would be some speed to run at.”

Now a winner of four of five career starts, She Be Wild will spend the winter in Florida. Catalano has not mapped out a 3-year-old campaign yet for She Be Wild, who has done all of her racing on all-weather tracks.

“I have no concern about her running on the dirt, because she has a dirt pedigree and she won on Polytrack,” Catalano said of the daughter of Offlee Wild out of a Seeking the Gold mare.

It was the second Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies victory for Catalano, who also saddled Dreaming of Anna to score here in the 2006 World Championships.

“She was a grass horse who won on the dirt,” Catalano said.

McPEEK EYES MORE CALIFORNIA CASH WITH BREEDERS’ CUP RUNNERS – Trainer Ken McPeek started five runners in last weekend’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita and four of them brought home checks for a combined haul of $837,000.

For the time being, the quintet is remaining in California, along with Teamgeist (Arg) who ran sixth in the Grade II Las Palmas on Friday.

“The stakes program at Hollywood Park is the main reason, and some of them may stay out there through the winter,” McPeek said.

“Beautician (second in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies) needs more time than three weeks,” McPeek said of the decision to point for the Dec. 20 Hollywood Starlet over the Nov. 28 Golden Rod here.
“Noble’s Promise (third in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile) will probably be 2-1 or less in the (Dec. 19) CashCall Futurity and that is $750,000.”

Bridgetown, who ran second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, and House of Grace, who was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, most likely will resurface Thanksgiving Weekend at Hollywood Park.'

Bridgetown is a one-mile max 2-year-old now and the Generous (on Nov. 28) is a mile and the race here (the Grand Canyon) is a mile and a sixteenth,” McPeek said. “With House of Grace (pointing for the Nov. 29 Miesque), it’s the same thing and those races out there are for $100,000 and the ones here are $60,000.”
Connie and Michael, who finished eighth in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, is slated to test allowance company at Hollywood and Teamgeist is being pointed to the Bayakoa Handicap (GII) on Dec. 5.

“Connie and Michael needs the Polytrack the way she goes,” McPeek said. “With Teamgeist, why bring her back here and then turn around and ship her back out?”

EMIGH OK AFTER FALL; MAY RETURN SUNDAY – Journeyman rider Chris Emigh is expected to return to the races on Sunday after being involved in a spill in Wednesday’s sixth race.

“They released him from the (Norton Audubon) hospital last night and I dropped him off at his hotel about 9,” said Terry Miller, agent for Emigh. “He had a slight concussion and was real sore. I think he will be off all mounts for a couple of days and possibly be back Sunday.”

Emigh’s mount, Silent Candy, appeared to clip heels with Dreaminofjosephine in the far turn of the one-mile grass race causing Emigh to be unseated. Silent Candy did not go down and was caught by outriders in the upper stretch.

McGEE JUVENILES STRUT THEIR STUFF – For the second time in two racing days, trainer Paul McGee visited the winner’s circle with a stylish 2-year-old. On Sunday, it was Worldly, who fought back after being headed to win by a nose. On Wednesday, it was Pick and Pray, a 9 ¾-length winner.

Worldly, a full brother to millionaire runner Suave, won at a mile and a sixteenth in his third start rallying to edge Colizeo after that rival ran by Worldly and opened a half-length lead in the stretch. “The heart, that part you can’t teach,” McGee said.

Pick and Pray was making her dirt debut on Wednesday. “That is why we skipped Keeneland,” McGee said. “Before her first start at Arlington (on Polytrack), I told Sam (owner Samantha Siegel) that I really liked her and then she runs eighth, beaten 20 lengths,” McGee said. “Her second start was much better, but when she worked here on the dirt, she smoked it. She worked very, very well.”

Both juveniles likely will return to the races at the Fair Grounds in the winter.

Worldly is nominated to the (Nov. 28) Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), but we are leaning against that,” McGee said. “We have a filly named Rapid Racer, who won a straight maiden race at Keeneland (on Oct. 15), pointed for an allowance race closing weekend and we don’t want to run the two against each other.”
 
BARN TALK — Jockey Julian Leparoux, winner of the past two riding titles here and five overall, will be out of town Saturday to ride in seven stakes at Calder on Florida Million Day. A winner of five races the past two racing days to move into a five-way tie for second with six victories, Leparoux has six mounts for trainer Marty Wolfson and one for trainer Tom Proctor. … Leandro Goncalves, currently the leading rider at the meet with seven victories, will ride this winter at Oaklawn Park according to agent Steve Elzey.

WORK TAB – West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again, prepping for an expected run in the Nov. 27 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GII), worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 over a “fast” track after the renovation break for trainer Dallas Stewart. The move was the third fastest of 28 at the distance. … Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image, winner of the Nov. 1 Pocahontas (GIII), worked a half-mile in :48, the second fastest of 36 at the distance, for trainer Dale Romans. Sassy Image is being pointed to the closing-day Golden Rod (GII). … Tom McCarthy’s General Quarters, winner of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) and 10th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), worked a half-mile in :49.40, 12th fastest of 36 at the distance.