BloodHorse.com

Rip Van Winkle visits track, satisfies O'Brien

Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) contender RIP VAN WINKLE (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]) has been the subject of rumors surrounding his problematic feet in recent days, but trainer Aidan O'Brien said that some questions he had about the three-year-old's condition vanished after Rip Van Winkle went to the track Wednesday morning. He said the multiple Group 1 winner showed him he is ready for the Classic.

"It's his movement and his enthusiasm," O'Brien explained. "The way he was when he came over, he was a bit quiet and maybe a little bit lethargic after the long journey. So it worries you. But the moment he stepped out here it all came rushing back. That's what makes him different.

"Whatever kind of a mind he has everything else just goes away. He must get a massive rush of adrenaline and then he has the movement to go with it. It's very unusual."

Rip Van Winkle has not competed since winning the Queen Elizabeth II S. (Eng-G1) at Ascot on September 26, where he edged Zacinto (GB) (Dansili [GB]) and Delagator (GB) (Dansili [GB]), both of whom are entered in the Mile (G1). The Irish-bred has had some foot problems in the interim, and O'Brien didn't like the way he looked after the flight from Europe. But his opinion changed once the colt left the quarantine area went to the track.

O'Brien is confident that Rip Van Winkle has completely recovered from problems with his right rear foot.

"This morning going around the track I was very happy," O'Brien said. "You get that feeling. He won't do much the next few days and you won't really know until you run. Listen, I was really happy with him and I'm really looking forward to seeing what's going to happen."

Rip Van Winkle is the 7-2 second choice on the Classic morning line behind 5-2 favorite ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]), who settled into her quarters at Santa Anita Wednesday morning after traveling cross-town from trainer John Shirreff's Hollywood Park base.

In other Breeders' Cup news:

Twice Over earned a spot in the Classic when capturing the Champion S.  (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com) Veteran trainer Henry Cecil watched Classic contender TWICE OVER (GB) (Observatory) make his first visit to the track early Wednesday morning. A Juddmonte Farms homebred, the four-year-old colt exits a half-length victory in the Champion S. (Eng-G1) at Newmarket on October 17, the biggest victory of his 15-race career. Cecil said the Classic was not a target for Twice Over prior to the Champion. "In the back of my mind I always hoped that he was up to doing that, but having won the Champion S. and come back in very good form, I think he's entitled to take his chance," Cecil said. "Take a look at the betting. If he's fourth or fifth favorite, he's entitled to run, isn't he? There's nothing to lose and hopefully everything to gain." Regular rider Thomas Queally will be up on Twice Over, who will be competing over a synthetic surface for the first time. Multiple Grade 3 scorer CALIFORNIA FLAG (Avenue of Flags), the 7-2 morning-line favorite for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Saturday, lost his exercise rider following a schooling session at Santa Anita's starting gate near the three-quarter pole and ran off the wrong way on the track before being caught near the entrance to the barn area at the quarter-mile chute by jockey Aaron Gryder on the ground.

Exercise rider Colleen Hartford and California Flag both returned none the worse for wear from the incident, according to trainer Brian Koriner, who called the incident "just a big heart-beater."

"We had been standing in the gate and then when we came out another horse crossed in front of us and he got spooked," Hartford explained.

The unflappable Koriner called out when he came back to the barn aboard his pony, "Well, we've been breezing him too slow, anyway. He probably needed that little sprint with no weight on him. He was probably having some fun out there."

Spanish Moon's gate problems seem to be a thing of the past (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com) Levity aside, Koriner was happy to report that he didn't think the episode harmed the five-year-old's chances in the Turf Sprint. California Flag was last seen successfully defending his title in the Morvich H. (G3) on September 30. SPANISH MOON (El Prado [Ire]), who got himself banned in Britain this year after several starting gate incidents, schooled in the gate Wednesday morning with jockey Kieren Fallon aboard. Spanish Moon, who comes into Saturday's race off two wins in France, has definitely improved his gate manners, Stoute said. "He's been fine in France this year and this morning he had no problems at the gate." CONDUIT (Ire) (Dalakhani), who will seek a repeat in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), came out of the quarantine barn Wednesday morning snorting and making a show as he headed to the turf course for a gallop in company with stablemate Zacinto.

"He acts like that at home, too," trainer Sir Michael Stoute said. "Likes to let them know who's the boss."