Download - Breeders' Cup Limited Breeders' Cup World Championships … · 2020. 1. 1. · 4 well, let's train him Breeders' Cup Limited – Breeders' Cup World Championships Teleconference,

Breeders' Cup Limited

Breeders' Cup World Championships Teleconference

October 23, 2019

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Breeders' Cup Limited – Breeders' Cup World Championships Teleconference, October 23, 2019

C O R P O R A T E P A R T I C I P A N T S Tom Robbins Jim Gluckson C O N F E R E N C E C A L L P A R T I C I P A N T S Bob Baffert Chad Brown Richard Mandella Shug McGaughey Bill Mott P R E S E N T A T I O N Operator: Good day, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Breeders' Cup World Championship Pre-entry Teleconference. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. Following the presentation we will conduct a question and answer session. At that time, participants are asked to press star one to register for a question. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. It is now my pleasure to introduce your host for today, Mr. Jim Gluckson, please go ahead, sir. Jim Gluckson: Operator, thank you. Thank you very much. Good day, everyone, and welcome to the 2019 Breeders' Cup Pre-entry Teleconference for the 36th Breeders' Cup World Championships, taking place for a record 10th time at Santa Anita Park on November 1st and the 2nd. Today, we'll be joined on our call with trainers Bob Baffert, Chad Brown, Richard Mandella, Shug McGaughey, and Bill Mott. Also, here with us today is Tom Robbins, the Chairman of the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel, to answer any questions regarding fields. Before we begin, and bring in our first guest, just a few facts and figures for pre-entry today. There are 188 horses, individual horses pre-entered for this year's Breeders' Cup. Seven of the 14 races are at capacity or oversubscribed. 47 of those pre-entered are international horses. There are 50 Breeders' Cup Challenge winners in the field. We have three returning champions or former champions, in Sistercharlie, Line of Duty and Stormy Liberal. At this particular time, I'm going, as we usually do on these calls, to ask a couple of questions of each guest, one at a time, and then we'll open it back up for questions. So, at this time, we can now have our first guest, who is Shug McGaughey. Shug has won nine Breeders' Cup races in his career and will be trying to win the Classic this year with William S. Farish's Code of Honor. Operator:

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We now have Mr. McGaughey on the line. Jim Gluckson: Shug, good afternoon. This is Jim Gluckson here in California, how are you today? Shug McGaughey: Very good, Jim. Jim Gluckson: Thank you very much. Shug, outstanding second part of the year here for Code of Honor. We'd like to talk about him and his pre-entry here into the Breeders' Cup Classic. He’s had two excellent races in the Travers and in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and I know you've been patient with him this year. But what was the turning point that you felt so confident about him to decide to pre-enter him in the Classic? Shug McGaughey: Well, I think just the way he's come along since he ran the Derby. There's been a little time he had in between there to get into the Dwyer, and race there, and then had a little time – or we just trained him up to the Travers. I think it gave him a lot of time to develop, not only mentally, but physically also. And I was just – I've been impressed with the way he's come out of his races, especially the Travers, and his Gold Cup. I had a lot of confidence going into the Travers. I had a lot of confidence going into the Gold Cup, I just didn't know how – if he was going to be able to step up against the older horses. And the way he did it and the way he came out of it, I thought he deserved a chance. Jim Gluckson: All right, well, Shug, on Monday, we know that Code of Honor worked[?] five furlongs in 1.26 minutes over a sloppy track at Belmont. Can you comment on the workout and just your – and future workout plans for him before coming to California? Shug McGaughey: Well, I thought he worked excellent, Jim. You know, he run – I was just waiting. Johnny[Velazquez] was in Kentucky on Sunday morning. And so we waited until Monday and then it rained, but they had the track sealed down good and I thought his work was excellent. My dream would have been in between a minute and 1.01 and the galloped out in 1:12 or 1:13. He went in a minute and a couple, galloped out in 12 and a couple and, kind of, pulled off a mile between 38 and 39, depending on who you talk to. And I thought was an excellent work and I think he came out of it very well. Jim Gluckson: All right, well, very good. Thank you. Well, Shug, I think we have some media on the line that would like to ask some questions. So, Operator, why don't we put that together, please? Operator: Yes, sir. If you would like to ask a question, please signal by pressing star one on your telephone keypad. If you are using a speakerphone, please make sure your mute function is turned off to allow your signal to reach our equipment. Again, press star one to ask a question.

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We have no questions in the queue at this time. Jim Gluckson: All right, so I have some other questions for Shug. I wanted to talk about Johnny and how he has done so well with the horse this year. Shug McGaughey: Well, I think that he's had a lot of confidence in the horse. He worked him in between Champagne last year as a two-year-old and when we went to the Breeders' Cup, and he just came back with a lot of confidence and we started at [inaudible] was a puzzling race and a Mucho Macho. But then I think we all started learning about him and I think he – I learned about him a little bit that maybe he wanted to be trained a little bit more than I was. And I think Johnny (Velazquez) learned that he needed to be just a little bit more patient with him and not trying to rush him. And that's the way we've been going along and the Fountain of Youth worked out really well. And then I think he really – we all really learned in the Dwyer when they outran the first part of it and he just sat there patient with him and cut between horses and finished up well. And that was exactly the way he rode him in the Travers, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and I think that's made a big difference. Jim Gluckson: All right. Operator, let's just check again. If there are no more questions, we can have Shug depart. Is there anything else in the queue? Operator: Yes, sir. Just a reminder, if you would like to ask a question, please press star one now. We do a question from Tim Wilkin, Albany Times Union. Tim Wilkin: Hey, Shug. You said you had a lot of confidence going into the Travers and into the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Do you have that same kind of confidence going into the Breeders' Cup? Shug McGaughey: Well, with the way he's training and stuff, I've got the confidence that he'll – in the next 10 days if everything goes right -- he'll go over and run his race. Now, we're traveling to California, we're running over a different race track than we probably are used to. And, so we're going to have to take some of things into granted. A lot of times, going from east to west on the dirt hasn't had worked out. But, this horse seems to adapt pretty well. And, so we just have to see but it is little bit of a different ballgame. Tim Wilkin: You weren't totally committed to going to this after the Jockey Club. What changed the minds of everybody saying, 'Yes, let's go to this race?' Shug McGaughey: Well, I think just the way that he ran. I didn't – I didn't know – as I said, I had confidence going into the Gold Cup that he would run well, but I didn't know – it was his first time against older horses and how that was going to work out. But, then to see the way that he ran and the way that he came out of it I just thought,

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well, let's train him – let's go on and commit. And one of the reasons I committed early was to try to keep any conflict with Johnny because I knew some other guys were looking for him too. And I didn't want him to have to be sitting in the middle and me sitting in the middle and the other people sitting in the middle. So, I committed a little bit earlier than I probably would have if there hadn't been that. But, I was just saying, we'll just train him up to it and if everything goes right, we'll go. But as I say, I think that he's come out of his races so well and his work since the Gold Cup has proved that and we're looking forward to the opportunity. Tim Wilkin: Thanks, Shug. Operator: Again, if you would like to ask a question, please press star one now. There are no questions in the queue at this time. Jim Gluckson: All right, well, Shug, thank you for taking the time to join us here today. And we wish you best of luck in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Shug McGaughey: Okay, Jim, thanks a lot. Jim Gluckson: Thank you. I would like to come in with our second guest now. Let's dial out for Chad Brown, please? Operator: Okay, we now have Mr. Brown on line. Jim Gluckson: Chad, good afternoon. Jim Gluckson here in California. Thanks for joining us today. Chad Brown: Thanks for having me. Jim Gluckson: Great. Chad has 12 Breeders' Cup wins in his career and he has excellent chances once again to add more with Bricks and Mortar in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, and defending champion Sistercharlie in the Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf, both of them undefeated this year. Chad, first on Bricks and Mortar. Five wins this year at five different tracks, four grade ones. What's been the difference this year in turning the corner into greatness during this five-year-old season? Chad Brown:

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Well, after giving him a lengthy break, he was finally 100% healthy and stayed healthy through this campaign and he's also matured quite a bit physically and mentally. And, I've just been extremely pleased and impressed with his durability and consistency this year. Jim Gluckson: And your decision not to race, as far as mapping out the season, after the Arlington Million? Chad Brown: Yes, I thought that he had had a pretty solid campaign. He shipped around a lot, hit a lot of works in between those races. And I thought it was the right time to just freshen them a little bit for his big finale in the Breeders' Cup. I think he deserves that. And my feeling was, he'd run his best race doing it that way, and we'll see if that turns out to be true. Jim Gluckson: All right, putting you on the spot here a little bit. This has been an outstanding year, another win in the Breeders' Cup. We're having Bricks and Mortar in the conversation for Horse of the Year. Is that correct? Chad Brown: Yes, I think that's fair. I think he's earned that right to be in that conversation. He's had a really remarkable campaign. One of the best I can remember in recent years for male turf wars, and I think he deserves to be there. Jim Gluckson: Very good. Switching over to Sistercharlie. She is 10 of 14 lifetime and has won her last six starts. You said after the Flower Bowl that we may not have gotten to the bottom of her yet, which is pretty scary. Can you talk about her attributes that has made her such a great race mare? Chad Brown: Yes, she's another one, she's super consistent and very durable. She's been a real pleasure to train. A really easy straightforward horse to train. She takes good care of herself in the morning. And we just try to keep her happy and healthy all along, and she's doing the rest. Jim Gluckson: And just talk about her breeze, four furlongs on Sunday at Belmont. What are her plans before coming out here? Chad Brown: She's scheduled to have her last workout on Sunday and then ship out on Monday with the rest of our horses. She exited the Flower Bowl in good shape and her first work back was excellent. Jim Gluckson: All right, very good. Well, Chad, I think we have some media on the line that will have a question or two. So, Travis, let's line that up, please? Operator:

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Yes, sir. If you would like to ask a question, please press star one now. Again, that's star one We have a question from Ron Flatter, Vegas Stats and Information Network. Ron Flatter: Hi, Chad, what was the thinking that made you go first preference Turf versus first preference Mile, and have you gone back and forth on that during the summer? Chad Brown: Thanks, Ron, good question. Yes, I have gone back and forth. Initially, I was thinking about the Mile and when I first committed him to have a little freshening between Arlington Million and the Breeders' Cup, thinking, with the layoff and such, bringing him back on the shorter of two races would be better. But the more I've watched him train, I've been very pleased with how he stayed and the way he's relaxed in his works and finished. So, I decided to go to the mile- and a half race and my hope is that his layoff won't bother him. Last year we didn't run Sistercharlie from the Beverley D. to the Breeders' Cup at a 1 3/8th miles and she was able to do it. So, that started to enter my mind as well. Ron Flatter: Okay, thank you, Chad, safe travels. Chad Brown: Thank you. Operator: The next question comes from Jonathan Lintner with Horse Racing Nation. Jonathan Lintner: Hey Chad, thanks for taking a few minutes to do this today. Was just interested in seeing what your thoughts were about Princesa Caroline –I don't know if you've been thinking all along, pre-entering her into the Juvenile Fillies Turf. But just given her family there and the connection with Lady Eli, what put her over the top to get her into this position off a debut win? Chad Brown: She was a little late to come around, so we didn't get her started as early as we'd hope but we just let her decide when she was ready. And finally, she was ready at Belmont in the fall and obviously, she ran, first time out. So, I started to think about it more about a week ago. I breezed her this past week, and she really worked great. Twice now since her debut, she's worked great. And on the last minute, I just thought, based on my experience in this race, I feel she really fit. So. I know it's a long shot for us to get in and it still looks that way, but, if she can get into the field I would like to run her. Jonathan Lintner: At this point, do you plan to ship her out there and wait, or does that come down to the last minute?

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Chad Brown: No, I'm going to enter her in a stake race on Sunday at Belmont, the Chelsea Flower. And I'll need to know by Sunday or at least have a good idea if I think she'll get in or not, to take her out of that race and ship her out. So, if it's not – if it doesn't look like we have a very good chance to get in, then I'll probably just run her in the stake race at Belmont and go on from there. Jonathan Lintner: Okay. Any similarities between her and the Lady Eli? I know it's the cliché question. Chad Brown: That's a good question, though. Not really. Physically, they don't look the same. They're both big horses but a different color and have a different look about them. This filly is a little more easier going around the barn. Lady Eli was a little bit of a handful, especially as a two-year-old. I find this filly to be a little bit more relaxed at this time. And this filly, Princesa Caroline, probably doesn't possess the turn of foot that Lady Eli had, win from anywhere. However, I really liked her debut where she put herself into the race and she finished it off well. Trains differently. They're just different altogether, but one thing they have in common is they both have a lot of ability. Jonathan Lintner: Alrighty, thank you. Operator: The next question comes from Terry Keith, City News Service. Terry Keith: Chad, there's been a lot of media coverage about horse death at Santa Anita; can you talk about whether it gave you any kind of pause about sending any of your horses out here? Or whether you had to reassure your owners that this was the right thing to do? Chad Brown: It's been concerning, for sure, watching from afar, from the East Coast. I've been keeping a close eye on it and reaching out to different people I trust out on the West Coast, their view on it as things come up. Ultimately, I didn't avoid running any horses in the Breeders' Cup due to this issue. I did have a lot of questions from clients throughout the summer and right into the fall here about our plans, individual horses, about my opinion on it. But ultimately, we feel confident in Santa Anita's management that the track will be safe and I support everything they've been doing to try to improve the situation. And we decided to go with any of the horses that we were thinking about going with. Terry Keith: Okay, thanks so much. Chad Brown: Thank you.

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Operator: The next question comes from David Grening, Daily Racing Form. David Grening: Hey Chad, I was wondering what the presence of Magical in the Filly & Mare Turf, how does that change the [inaudible]? Chad Brown: Well, it certainly makes the race more competitive. She's a wonderful mare and she's going to be a formidable foe, for sure. Among some other horses I saw that were entered, I think it's going to be a real strong race and Sistercharlie's going to need to run another one of her A races, which she's been doing time after time, and get a clean trip and all, so. Yes, I didn't expect this race to come up easy and in the end, it didn't. David Grening: Thank you Operator: The next question comes from Tracy Gantz, BloodHorse. Tracy Gantz: Hi Chad, I was going to ask you about the Juvenile Filly's Turf as well. The other person asked my question, but you've done such a great job in that race. How do you prepare your horses and get those – how have you done so well at that? Chad Brown: Well, the first key's really been having the right horses and fortunately, over the years we've had a lot of different fillies, all a little bit different individually, but horses that really fit that race. And, if we start to see some traits that they might have early on in the summer, potentially even make this race, we start working backwards from there. And like I said, fortunately, there's been a handful of them that have gotten there and had success. And this year we had a couple horses come together later than usual in Selflessly and Princesa Caroline but, nevertheless, they're there and I believed the two of the better fillies in this division right now, at least in this country Tracy Gantz: Well, best of luck in it. Thank you. Chad Brown: Thank you Operator: Our next question comes from Larry Stumes, San Francisco Chronicle. Larry Stumes:

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Hi, Chad. Even though you've had some great wins on the dirt, the bulk of your career has been with grass horses. What is it about grass horses and your success in training them? Chad Brown: I learned from a great guy, Bobby Frankel. I mean, he's known to also win on both surfaces but particularly very dominant on the turf. And I learned quite a bit from him and it is comes down to patience. Having the right horses, but really – I mean, with the turf horses, you just have to be extra patient with them in their training and management. And that's really the centerpiece of our programme. Larry Stumes: Thanks. Thank you Operator: We have no further questions in the queue. I'm sorry, we do have a question from Brad Free, Daily Racing Form. Brad Free: Hey, Chad, good morning, it's Brad Free in California. I was wondering if you could comment on Dunbar Road's effort in the Spinster. She finished third behind Blue Prize and Elate, and also Wildcat who's finished behind Midnight Bisou a couple times. I wondered if you could give us some insight on those two starters of yours in the Distaff? Chad Brown: Yes, they're both training really well coming off excellent work this past week at Belmont. With Dunbar Road, the Late Bloomer, she's had a really good season after getting started a little later and she, I thought, was on really the wrong part of the track at Keeneland last time down on the fence. It really wasn't the place to be and she had an inside post, so Javier was a little stuck there and it just didn't really work out for her down there. I think that maybe with a different setup at Keeneland, it potentially could have been a different result. But that's racing and she's come out of the race well, and I'm really looking forward to run her in this race. She's training particularly well. With Wow Cat, she got started a little later in the year than we would have liked after resting her off a really solid effort in the Distaff last year. We had to start her up at Saratoga. It's not her favorite track. Look at her record. She just hasn't liked that track. All the other tracks she's been at, she's run well. And when we got around the Belmont, we saw her rounding into her old form, the Wow Cat we know, and putting a really good effort in against Midnight Bisou. To turn the tables on her after that last race where she had [inaudible], she's really going to have to improve a few lengths, for sure. And we're hoping that now that she's rounding back into form, there's a forward move left in her. Brad Free: Excellent. Thank you. I'll see you next week. Chad Brown: Thank you.

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Operator: Just a reminder, if you'd like to ask a question, please press star one now. There are no questions in the queue at this time. Jim Gluckson: All right. Well, Chad, thank you very much for joining us today and taking the time to be with us answering questions. Best of luck to you, and we'll see you out here in California. Chad Brown: Thanks a lot. Thanks for having me. Take care. Jim Gluckson: Thank you. All right, Chad Brown, everyone. Now, we're going to move on to our next guest. Let's bring in Bill Mott, please. Operator: Working on getting him connected now. Jim Gluckson: Thank you. Operator: We now have Mr. Bill Mott on line. Jim Gluckson: Great. Hi, Bill. Good afternoon. Jim Gluckson here in California. How are you today? Bill Mott: Hi, Jim. Good morning out here. How are you doing? Jim Gluckson: I'm great. You're here, okay. Great. Good to hear from you, Bill. Jim Gluckson: So, you're in New York. All right, fine, great. Bill, thanks for joining us today. Bill Mott has 10 Breeders' Cup wins in his career, including Breeders' Cup Classic victories with Cigar in 1995 and then with Drosselmeyer in 2011. He has pre-entered for this year's Classic, the five-year-old mare, Elate, and the five-year-old horse Yoshida. Bill, the Classic has been on your mind and your owner's minds for Elate for some time this year now. She's won three races at the one-and-one-quarter mile distance of the Classic against her gender. But what is giving you the confidence that you'd like to move forward here and made the move to pre-enter her for the Classic and as your first choice?

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Bill Mott: Well, I think there's a lot of upside for her to run in the Classic. I mean, she's 3 for 3 at the distance. She's never been beaten at a mile and a quarter. And, I think we're just – we just want to give it a try. I mean, she's run well against the girls and we want to – we're willing to take on the challenge of running against the boys, particularly at that distance. Jim Gluckson: Can you comment on her progress since the Juddmonte Spinster? Bill Mott: She's done well. She had a good blow-out before she left Churchill. Very quick, looked very good. It sounds like – my son Riley says it looks like she shipped out to California. Well, she's been – we've galloped over the track three days and she's been doing fine. Jim Gluckson: All right. Before we turn over for questions, I'd like you to just have a comment on Yoshida and his progress. He's not started since the Woodward. Bill Mott: Right, after the Woodward, I mean, we planned on skipping the next race. I mean, we did – we basically made that decision right after the Woodward. We thought what we would do would be to try to bring him in fresh as we could into the Breeders' Cup Classic. He's done very well. I mean, I think he looks great. And in the course – I always like a fresh horse and he seems like he's doing very well right now. He's run – he ran a very good race in the Whitney, going a mile and an eight. He's proven that he can get a mile and a quarter. He ran well in the Breeders' Cup Classic last year. I think he only got beat a length and a half for the whole thing. So, I mean, he was in the hunt and we're looking forward to running him as well. Jim Gluckson: All right, very good. Bill, we're now going to see we have some questions from the media on the line. So, Operator, can you line that up, please? Operator: If you'd like to ask a question, please press star one now. We have a question from Robert Keickhefer, United Press International. Robert Keickhefer: Hey, Bill, how are you? Bill Mott: Good, thank you.

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Robert Keickhefer: Just wondering, plans for Yoshida after the Classic. Would he go on maybe at Pegasus, or even at that new race in Saudi Arabia? Bill Mott: We haven't gotten that far. I think there's a very good possibility that Yoshida is going to go to the Stud Barn[?] next year. Right now – I mean, I speak for myself right now, if he comes out of The Breeders' Cup Classic in good order, I'd actually like to take him back to New York and maybe give him a try in the Cigar Mile. But, those are things that have to be talked about after the race and naturally have to speak with the managers and the owners and that sort of thing. But I think he's doing well enough. It seems – it's something that's been on my mind anyway, but I don't know if I'll get that opportunity with him or not. Robert Keickhefer: But it's nice to have the versatility at your disposal, right? Bill Mott: Yes. Robert Keickhefer: Thank you. Operator: Our next question comes from Mike Spector[?], racingdudes.com. Mike Spector: Thank you, Mr. Mott, for taking the time today. With Yoshida, he has a running style to drop back and make one big late move. With the rider change to Mike Smith, is there any thought of trying to keep him closer to the early pace? And, recently he just doesn't seem to get up for the win. Always hitting the board but to get up for the win, do you think he needs to maybe adjust his running style at all? Bill Mott: Well, it's usually – with a type of horse like that, it's a matter of ground loss. Sometimes when you drop back you have to circle the whole field and that's probably – if you look and see what happened in last year's Breeders' Cup, he only got beat a length and a half, length and three quarters, whatever it was. And, he had the tip out and make his run, he came out around the turn and lost some ground. It would have been a little closer, but you can never count on saving ground. And, the main thing with him is let him get his feet under him and let him get into his stride and then make the one big run with him. And I think that we're probably not going to change tactics with him. I think sometimes when a horse develops a certain style, you've got to go with it and, do what the horse wants to do rather than try to change your style and adjust to the race track or, the way the race is coming up. Rob Keickhefer: Okay, great. Thank you. Mr. Mott. Operator:

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If you would like to ask a question, please press star one now. We have a follow-up question from Terry Keith, City News Service. Terry Keith: Good morning, Bill. Bill Mott: Good morning. Terry Keith: No mare since Zenyatta has won the Breeders' Cup Classic. What makes you confident that Elate could do it 10 years after she did? Bill Mott: Well, I mean, she's put in a few efforts that I think are equivalent to any of the boys in this race. She's 3 for 3 at the distance. I think that's always important. I mean, for me, I think it's always been important for any horse to try to figure out what their favorite distance is and naturally the favorite surface. And I think everything comes together for her with the main track, with the mile and a quarter. I think that's a great distance for her, and I think from a handicapper's point of view, I think if you're a numbers person or sheet person, if she repeats any of our two best races, I think it puts her right there. I mean, she's – we can't predict exactly if they're going to run their best race on Breeders' Cup day or not, but, if she would happen to run one of her best races, I think that puts her right there. Terry Keith: Okay. And a follow-up question about Santa Anita. I'm sure you've been watching or listening to the media coverage about the horse deaths at Santa Anita; did that give you any pause in sending anybody out here? Or do it give pause to any of your owners? Bill Mott: No, I don't think even any of our owners had any reluctance to go, and, from what I gather, I think they've done everything they can to make sure that they've got a safe racetrack out there. I think many of the – what's happened with the horses, I think could be a result of circumstances. And I know the majority of the problem was early in the year when they had torrential rain for two or three weeks. I mean, I wasn't there, but just watching from afar, it looked like they were up against it with the weather. And perhaps, maybe, that particular track doesn't do as well when they have a lot of rain like that. Maybe the best thing that could have happened – and it's all hindsight – is just not race for a couple of weeks till the weather gives up and gives everybody a shot to just regroup a little bit. But no, I'm sure that Santa Anita and the crew there has done everything they can do to make sure we have a safe track. Hopefully, it will be fair and fast and the weather will be good and it'll work out for everybody. Terry Keith: Thanks so much, Bill. Good luck. Operator:

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If you would like to ask a question, please press star one now. There are no questions in the queue at this time. Jim Gluckson: All right, then, well, Bill, thanks so much for joining us today. And good luck to you when you come out here to California. Bill Mott: Okay, thank you very much, Jim. All right. Jim Gluckson: Okay. Have a good day. Bill Mott, everyone, thank you. All right, let's now move on to our next guest and go ahead and bring in Bob Baffert. Operator: Working on getting him on. Jim Gluckson: All right. Operator: Okay, it's going straight to voicemail. Jim Gluckson: Okay, well, let's give it a couple minutes here and then we can move on. Operator: Okay. Jim Gluckson: Operator, do we have, Mr. Baffert? Operator: No, sir, still trying to get him on. Jim Gluckson: All right. Operator:

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Still trying to dial out. Jim Gluckson: Richard's next. Yes. If we cannot reach Bob here now let's move on and see if we can contact Richard Mandella, please? Operator: Okay. We now have Richard Mandella on the line. Jim Gluckson: Richard, good morning. Jim Gluckson here with the Breeders' Cup. How are you today? Richard Mandella: Good. Very good. Jim Gluckson: Thanks for joining us. Thanks for joining us for the call. Richard, of course, has nine Breeders' Cup wins is his illustrious career with the Breeders' Cup, including an unprecedented four wins in the 2003 event. Richard, of course, has pre-entered Omaha Beach for the Dirt Mile and the Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile. And I would say to you that this was an interesting decision between the Classic and the Sprint and the Dirt Mile here. What came down to the decision to go for the Dirt Mile? Richard Mandella: I was hung up between short and real long so I went in the middle. Jim Gluckson: That's – okay, that's pretty easy. Pretty easy way to explain it. You've been obviously very patient here with – Omaha Beach, the Kentucky Derby favorite who was scratched. He had other issues throughout the year. Can you talk about what it's like trying to get him back to where he was so excellent in that Santa Anita Sprint Championship? Richard Mandella: Well, the back and forth is pretty much what I do every day with training 40 horses. You get plenty of that. The difference is such a great horse to fund[?] to do what you ask him to do. Jim Gluckson: All right, all right, well, and what is the schedule for him as far as works are concerned between now and the Breeders' Cup? Richard Mandella: He just worked this morning, 59 and 3, and galloped out in 1.12[?] and 3. So, he's in pretty good shape. Had a great work.

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Jim Gluckson: Excellent. All right, let's see we have some questions from the media on the line, Richard. Operator? Operator: If you would like to ask a question, please press star one now. Again, that's star one. We have a question from Rory Carroll from Reuters. Rory Carroll: Yes, hi. Thanks for doing the call. This question was asked by another reporter to some of the other trainers. Just curious if you had any concern about the track at Santa Anita given the spate of horse death there since December? Richard Mandella: No, I think if anybody checks the numbers in California for the last, more than six months, I think our numbers are way below the rest of the world. The track has been very safe. There's been a couple of injuries, but you can't avoid all injuries. We're playing a pretty serious game here. So, I'd say the track's got to be the last concern of anybody. Rory Carroll: Okay, okay. Thank you. Operator: Again, press star one to ask a question. There are no questions in the queue at this time. Jim Gluckson: All right, well, Richard, I wanted to thank you for joining us today for this call, and wish you the best of luck with Omaha Beach. Richard Mandella: Okay, thank you. Jim Gluckson: Thank you. All right, let's see if we can now bring in Bob Baffert. Operator: Trying to get him on. Jim Gluckson: All right.

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Operator: We now have Bob Baffert on the line. Bob Baffert: Yes. Jim Gluckson: Excellent. We're joined by Bob Baffert. Bob has 15 wins in the Breeders' Cup and more than $28.8 million leading all trainers in earnings. He's won Breeders' Cup Classic consecutively from 2014 through 2016. And has an excellent chance again this year with McKinzie. Bob, Jim Gluckson, welcome today. Bob Baffert: Thanks for having me. Jim Gluckson: Great. Bob, let's just start right in on McKinzie's development since the Awesome Again. Bob Baffert: No, he's been training right along and he had a nice workout yesterday and I just feel like he hasn't lost a step. He came out of the work really well which is very important and he looks very healthy so, we just need some racing luck. Jim Gluckson: All right, well, I want to also get some comments – you have two, again, excellent chances for the Juvenile events, the TVG Breeders' Cup at Juvenile, with Eight Rings and the Breeders' Cup at Juvenile Fillies with Bast. Can you comment? We thought that Eight Rings was a courageous winner last time out. Can you comment on some of the attributes he's showing you already in his young career? Bob Baffert: Yes, I mean, he's – I think, looking over at the Juvenile, it looks like it's a pretty tough race and I think all the races, the dirt races, seem very competitive this year. I mean, it's one of the toughest Juvenile colt races with him, Dennis' Moment, the horse that won the Keeneland – I can't think of his name but it's a really – it's going to be a very – I think that like all those races, the breaks so important on these young horses and all these races, championship races. But Eight Rings, he looks great, he looks healthy. Training well. He came out of his race in great shape. I love the way he behaved. He didn't try any of those antics that he did at Del Mar and so since then, I think he's moving forward and he looks good. So I'm just happy the way he's training. Jim Gluckson: And talk about Bast and her development for the Juvenile Fillies. Bob Baffert:

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Yes, I mean, she ran a – it was a gut-wrenching win. She was – I thought she was going to win by more but that filly that ran second put up a good fight. They ran a good race. So, it's the tiring racetrack and she went through it, but, she's come back, worked well. So, it's going to be – I think the filly race is pretty wide open. Jim Gluckson: All right, Bob, well, thank you. Let's see if we have some questions for you on the line. Operator, please? Operator: Yes, sir. If you would like to ask a question, please press star one now. We have a question from Rory Carroll for Reuters. Rory Carroll: Hi, Bob. Thanks for taking the time. Just curious as to whether the spate of deaths at Santa Anita gave you any pause about entering horses into the race this year, or any of your owners any pause about it? Thanks. Bob Baffert: Not really. I mean, I've been very fortunate, like, it's – here last year, I didn't have any issues and it was tough on everybody. But I really feel that that hasn't even crossed any of my clients' minds. I think we've changed some things here for the better. I think, the surface, they're working on that. And I think racing – I think it was like a wake-up moment for racing. We need to do a better job. And I think we're – I think trainers, everybody involved, I think we're being more conscientious than before and I think it's going to be a great Breeders' Cup. I mean, I'm – the excitement, I mean, the most beautiful track. I mean, you go to the paddock, and I think it's going to be a great show, and so I don't have any issues with it. Rory Carroll: Okay, thank you. Operator: The next question comes from Terry Keith, City News Service. Terry Keith: Good morning, Bob. I'm wondering what your thoughts are about McKinzie in terms of how does he rank up to some of your big horses in the past, like American Pharaoh and Arrogate/ Bob Baffert: Well, I mean, all those horses, it's hard to compare them all. They're different types of horses. I mean, McKinzie's a different style. Big, tall, lanky horse. Different kind of style, where Pharoah was quick from the block. This horse is not quick, early, he's just steady. Just a steady, high cruising type of horse. But he has a lot of quality and I think he's one of my top 10 horses that I've trained. But he's going to have to prove it on Breeders' Cup day. I really think coming into this race, no excuses. Just, get it done and see what he's made of. Terry Keith:

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Thank you, Bob. Operator: If you'd like to ask a question, please press star one now. There are no questions in the queue at this time. I would now like to turn the call back over to Jim Gluckson. Jim Gluckson: All right. Well, then, Bob, thanks very much for joining us today. And best of luck to you in the Breeders' Cup again this year Bob Baffert: Nobody's going to ask me about Improbable? Jim Gluckson: Well, we'll ask you about Improbable. Bob Baffert: The Derby favorite. The Derby favorite. Jim Gluckson: Well, how's Improbable? Bob Baffert: I think he's going to run it. I think the mile is tough to fit but I think a miles what he wants to do it. And I'm really – I'm excited about all my four horses. I mean, I've never come into a Breeders' Cup where I really feel that if all things went right I have – they're going to – I could have a great weekend. But, when you think you can win four, you'd be lucky to win one, but I think they're all doing exceptionally well. Jim Gluckson: All right. All right, that's good. I mean, Improbable, again, just to talk about his situation in coming back from the Triple Crown and getting ready for this year? Bob Baffert: Yes, I mean, his issues or his Achilles heel is the gate antics. Not that he's bad in the gate, he just gets in there and he just lifts up a couple times. He's always been good in California. He was good in the derby, Kentucky, but when he went other spots, he acted up. So, I really think he would have won the Parks' Derby if he could have gotten away from there. But he couldn't be trained any better. I mean, he's really training well, and he just likes this track. And I've never seen him the way he is right now. So, I think he's going to – if he gets away cleanly from the gate, I think he's going to be very tough[?]. Jim Gluckson: All right, I think, Bob, we may have one more question in the queue.

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Bob Baffert: Sure. Operator: I have a question from Jonathan Lintner, Horse Racing Nation. Jonathan Lintner: Hey Bob, thanks for doing this today. It's around this time of year, and then, of course, back at the Derby that people start watching a lot of workouts and you get the various reactions of people who probably don't see all of the horse's workout. So, just wondering what you thought of McKinzie's last two? Have just seen people comment on both sides of the spectrum of whether they thought he was looking good or whether he was tailing off. Is he normal to you at this point? Bob Baffert: No, I think he's – the way he worked yesterday, we gave him a stiff work[?] time before and I didn't I wasn't really tightening screws for his last race. And – but he came out of it really well, but I really think he's coming up to a race where he can – he needs to run the race he did in the Whitney and the Met Mile event. The Met Mile and The Whitney races were incredible races for him. And I think he's come into that so I feel really – right now, today, I feel very comfortable that he's going to lay one of his good races out. Jonathan Lintner: Is something to his form where he doesn't seem to like to win two races in a row, but he'll bounce back and then put up [inaudible]? Bob Baffert: I think a lot of it is the Met Mile, that was just – it was a – it had a lot of bad luck. Mike will be the first one to tell you, he just made a move – made a couple bad moves there. It went – it was a judgment call. And so, he could have easily won that one. So, he's always had traffic – he's had problems with traffic. There's always something, he's in between. There's always something – there's always some little – because he's right there. He's first set[?], right there. So, he has to be written in a certain manner and to get it done and so Joel Rosario has been riding him. He's never been on him before so I know I'm probably taking a little bit of a chance here. But I just – I made that call because I just wanted to – he hadn't won here this winter so I want to see how he does but I really think that this horse has been – he should have had more W's on his resume, but he's had just bad racing luck. Jonathan Lintner: I don't know if anybody has asked you this – Bob Baffert: It's got to go right. It's got to go right for him. What's that now? Jonathan Lintner: Yes. Do the connections plan to race him beyond the Breeders' Cup, or do you think he has stud plans next year?

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Bob Baffert: No, our plan is to run him. I mean, I'm – my plan is hopefully is he comes out of it well, it's to run him next year. I mean, there's been some farms[ that have been very aggressive trying to get him but I think after the Breeders' Cup we'll know more. But we enjoy him. Enjoy running him and would like to run him as a four-year-old. Jonathan Lintner: Okay, thank you. Bob Baffert: A five-year-old. A five-year-old now, sorry. Jim Gluckson: All right, well, Operator, if there are no more questions in the queue. Operator: We do have a question, sir. Jim Gluckson: All right. Let's take one more for Bob then. Operator: Okay. Final question comes from Louisa Barton, The Horse Talk Show. Louisa Barton: Yes, hi, Bob, thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us today. You actually answered my question a little bit just now when you were talking to the other gentleman. But I wondered how difficult is it to take a Hall of Famer like Mike Smith off a horse like McKinzie. Mike's won so many Breeders' Cup. You just talked a little bit about that – about that decision. But is that hard and do the owners play any role in that decision? Or is that all put back to the trainer? Bob Baffert: No, that's back to the trainer. I mean, I'm very – it's tough, especially with like, Mike, and I've taken some jockeys off before. And it's tough, especially when they're your friends because it's like when you take a – if you take a jockey off a horse, it's harder than– where a jockey takes off to ride a better horse, so they think it's a better horse, we just take it with a grain of salt. But when you take a rider off,– they take it a little bit harder, but it's one of those things where sometimes I just go by my instinct, my gut feeling and I needed it. I was very frustrated and I said, well, I just I feel like, maybe you got to make a change. Just like a manager has to take the ball away from one of the star pitchers if something's not going right. He can be the greatest pitcher in the world and you've[?] seen him. Take him out of there and it's not a good feeling. It’s hard but I've done these moves before, it's worked. Sometimes it doesn't work. But if it doesn't work, it's because the horse has to show up. Unless the horse shows up that's the main thing. But I do, it's tough for me because – but that's how these guys get the mounts. Somebody lost the mount before they lost the mount. So he's picked up a lot of good mounts for me taking the other guys off to put him on, so. At the

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end of the day, it all works out because he knows he'll get another good mount from me. So, it's just business for this. Louisa Barton: Right, and then you hope to not see him pass you in the Classic, right? Last question, future plans for Improbable, or is that dependent on how he runs in this upcoming race? Operator: We actually lost Bob. Would you let me try to get him back on? Jim Gluckson: If we can get him on to get that question, yes, just very quickly, if we can. Louisa Barton: Thank you. Jim Gluckson: Okay, Louisa. Operator: Go ahead, Bob, back on the line. Bob Baffert: Okay. I'm sorry. Louisa, go ahead again. Louisa Barton: Yes, I just wanted to ask you, Bob, future plans for Improbable or is that dependent on the outcome with the race? Bob Baffert: Yes, you know what, we haven't really discussed with anybody. You'd have to ask Elliott Walden. We've never talked about it. We just wanted to see what he does in this race right now. Right now we're just – everything, we're just focused on the Breeders' Cup right now and, so we're – the excitement's in the air, I can feel it now. See all these horses come in here. It's – I mean, in our weather, it's just so beautiful out here. And, so I think that, we're looking forward to a big show. We need some good things happening here in California. We want to show everybody what a beautiful – not only it's a beautiful state but a beautiful racetrack that we have here. And everything's going to be good. We're going to get some good positive vibes out of this whole thing. Louisa Barton: I agree. It's going to be a great weekend of horse racing. We love it. Thank you, and we wish you all the best. Bob Baffert:

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Thank you very much. Jim Gluckson: All right. This has been a terrific call, Bob. Thanks very much for joining us today. And good luck to your horses in the Breeders' Cup and all the success to you. Thanks so much for joining us. Bob Baffert: Thank you, anytime. Jim Gluckson: Thanks, Bob. Well, that concludes our media teleconference for this year. The pre-entries are up on Breeders' Cup.com. If you have not received them yet, if not, just contact me and I'll make sure that you do get them. And thanks very much and good luck, and everyone have a good day. Operator: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, this concludes today's teleconference. You may now disconnect.

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