STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN SATURDAY, OCT. 21, 2023

• BREEDERS’ CUP: PRACTICAL MOVE RETURNS TO WORK TAB • BREEDERS’ CUP: 9 HORSES FROM JAPAN SET TO ARRIVE TUESDAY • TOM SEAVER, FIRST RUNNER OUT OF ENOLA GRAY, DEBUTS SUNDAY • RISPOLI GETS HIS FIRST AUTUMN MEET HAT TRICK • ARABIAN LION RETIRED TO SPENDTHRIFT FARM

BREEDERS’ CUP: PRACTICAL MOVE RETURNS TO TAB ON BUSY SATURDAY

Breeders’ Cup contender Practical Move returned to the work tab Saturday following a sharp comeback victory going a flat mile against against allowance foes here Oct. 6.

At about 6:45 a.m., Practical Move hit the main track and went four furlongs in company in 48.80 seconds. He is targeting the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 4, trainer Tim Yakteen confirmed.

“He got some outside company and it all went well,” Yakteen said. “I was just looking to see that his energy level was good, make sure all systems are a go. That’s what we saw.”

Yakteen added he is “planning on the (Dirt) Mile” for Practical Move.

In his comeback effort, which followed a nearly six-month layoff, Practical Move and jockey Ramon Vazquez settled just off the early pace before surging past rivals at the top of the stretch and cruising to an easy four-length victory. The effort earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.

By Practical Joke, Practical Move has won five of eight starts and never missed the board. Following his win in the Santa Anita Derby April 8, he was shipped to Churchill Downs to contest the Kentucky Derby on May 6. He never got the chance. The week of the Derby, Practical Move spiked a temperature and had to be scratched.

Practical Move was among several Breeders’ Cup contenders to work Saturday.

Also returning to the tab for Bob Baffert were Muth and Wine Me Up, the one-two finishers in the GI American Pharoah here Oct. 7. Muth went five furlongs in 59.40 seconds and Wine Me Up was timed in 59.20 seconds for the same distance. Both are pointed to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Nov. 3.

Working towards expected starts in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint Nov. 4 were Anarchist (5f, 59.40) on the main track and The Chosen Vron (5f, 1:01.60) on the training track. Also working on the main track for trainer Steve Asmussen was Gunite (5f, 1:00.20), who is possible for either the Sprint or the Dirt Mile.

Anarchist worked with Vazquez in the irons. The 4-year-old Distorted Humor colt trained by Doug O’Neill most recently won the GII Pat O’Brien going seven furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 26.

“He went really good. This is a happy horse,” Vazquez said.

Added Leandro Mora, O’Neill’s assistant: “He’s stepping things up. He looks more focused and fresher, which was the idea giving him more time between races.”

Working towards the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint going seven furlongs were both Kirstenbosch for trainer John Sadler and Society for Asmussen. Kirstenbosch, winner of the GIII Chillingworth here Sept. 29, went five furlongs in 1:00.40. Society went the same distance in 59.80 seconds.

Clearly Unhinged, second in the Chillingworth for trainer Michael McCarthy, also worked towards a potential start in the Filly & Mare Sprint with a four-furlong move in 48.20 seconds.

Drilling a half mile on the training track for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile were Du Jour and Exaulted, the one-two finishers in the GII Del Mar Mile most recently on Sept. 2. Du Jour worked in 48.60 seconds while Exaulted, winner of the GI Shoemaker Mile here in the spring, went in 47.40 seconds.

Astronomer, also a candidate for the Mile following a second-place finish in the GII City of Hope Mile here Sept. 30 worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:01.00 for trainer Simon Callaghan.

Working towards the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Nov. 4 was Motorious for trainer Phil D’Amato. Winner of the GIII Green Flash at Del Mar on Sept. 2, Motorious worked four furlongs on the training track in 46.80 seconds.

D’Amato also worked Desert Dawn six furlongs in 1:13.40. The Arizona-bred daughter of Cupid is possible for either the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff at 1 1/8 miles or the Filly & Mare Sprint.

Pre-entries for the 40th Breeders’ Cup will be announced Wednesday at 9 a.m. Pacific.

BREEDERS’ CUP: 9 HORSES FROM JAPAN SET TO ARRIVE TUESDAY

A group of nine horses from Japan bound for the Breeders’ Cup are scheduled to arrive at Santa Anita Tuesday, according to Santa Anita Stall Superintendent Jeff Metz.

Among Japan’s expected contingent are GI Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro and Derma Sotogake, who came to the U.S. earlier this year for the Kentucky Derby and finished sixth.

Two years ago at Del Mar, horses from Japan collected their first-ever wins in a Breeders’ Cup. Marche Lorraine lit up the tote board in the Distaff when prevailing by a nose at 48-1 and Loves Only You won the Filly & Mare Turf at 4-1.

According to Metz, an additional 42 horses from Europe are scheduled to arrive at Santa Anita on Sunday, Oct. 29. The 40th Breeders’ Cup will be run Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita.

TOM SEAVER, FIRST RUNNER OUT OF ENOLA GRAY, DEBUTS SUNDAY

The second foal and first starter out of graded-stakes winner Enola Gray, Tom Seaver, debuts for prominent owner-breeder Nick Alexander in Sunday’s first race, a six-furlong turf sprint for California-bred or sired 2-year-olds. Alexander also debuts Stagger Lee, a daughter of the productive Sky Mesa broodmare Sky Marni.

Tom Seaver, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, is by California-based stallion Sir Prancealot. His dam, Enola Gray, won the 2017 GIII Wilshire on turf at Santa Anita and banked $585,100 for Alexander on the track. Her first foal by Arrogate born in 2020, Charley Pride, has not started. Enola Gray also has a 2022 foal by Audible named Maury Wills.

Trained by Phil D’Amato, Tom Seaver has worked seven times for his bow. Stagger Lee is trained by Steve Miyadi. He is by the Alexander-bred stud Grazen, this year’s current top stallion in California with more than $4 million in progeny earnings from 108 runners. Stagger Lee’s dam Sky Marni has produced six winners and three six-figure earners, all by Grazen: S Y Sky ($685,340), Grazen Sky ($463,852) and Connie Swingle ($431,564).

FINISH LINES: Jockey Umberto Rispoli had his first three-win day of the meet Friday. He prevailed aboard Mahna ($12.80) for Patrick Gallagher in the fifth, Satellite Heart ($10.00) for Alfredo Marquez in the sixth and Lady Lithesome ($10.00) for Michael McCarthy in the ninth and final…It was a lucrative Friday for Ruben Alvarado, who owns and trains the winner of the day’s second race, One Smokin Moon. The 3-year-old filly by Smokem prevailed in a $50,000 maiden claimer under Tyler Baze and returned $16.40 for the mild upset. She was not claimed…Baze’s win aboard One Smokin Moon provided a belated birthday gift to the veteran jockey. On Thursday, Baze turned 41…Trainer Val Brinkerhoff, who turned 67 Thursday, also received a belated birthday gift when Hot Rod Mama ($8.40) won Friday’s fourth race. It was Brinkerhoff’s first win at the meet…Saturday’s Pick 6 returned $30,670 for two winning tickets…Santa Anita-based Grade I winner Arabian Lion, trained by Bob Baffert, has been retired and will stand the upcoming breeding season at Spendthrift Farm in central Kentucky…Clocker Andy Harrington will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Sunday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m.