Santa Anita Monday, Oct. 23 Weather: Cloudy Temperature: 62 degrees Track: Fast ARCADIA, Calif. – Breeders’ Cup Classic contenders Arabian Knight and White Abarrio were the big news at Santa Anita on Monday morning, the former turning in a terrific work immediately after the second renovation break, the latter after having a scheduled work for the race, with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, postponed, tentatively, until Wednesday. Arabian Knight, who may ultimately be the post-time favorite in the Classic for trainer Bob Baffert, broke off at the six-furlong pole and breezed to the wire in 1:11.54 with early splits of 24.37 and 47.73. The lightly raced winner of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic in his last start then continued on full of run into and around the turn, without any real need of encouragement, completing seven furlongs in 1:24.27 before easing up after a mile in 1:37.57. “I was really happy with the work and the way he has been progressing since the Haskell, which was kind of a disaster all around,” said Baffert, referring to Arabian Knight’s lone defeat in four starts, a third-place finish. “He just seems to be progressing and continuing to get better with maturity. We’ve still got another couple of weeks to go, but I couldn’t be any happier with the way he’s coming into the race at the moment.” Ortiz was scheduled to fly to Los Angeles on the red-eye to work White Abarrio, whom he guided to a convincing 6 1/4-length victory in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga in his last start on Aug. 5. But he never boarded the flight after being informed Sunday by trainer Rick Dutrow that the work would not take place. :: Get Breeders' Cup Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the DRF Clocker Team when you purchase a BC VIP Package! “We weren’t able to work him this morning,” was all Dutrow would say at the barn on Monday. “Hopefully we’ll get to gallop him tomorrow and work him Wednesday, although because of the timing that likely means we won’t have Irad, who told me he was really looking forward to coming out to work this horse one time before the Breeders’ Cup.” Horses are not permitted to work at Santa Anita on Tuesdays. Monday was a quiet one on the Breeders’ Cup front locally following several very busy mornings which featured works by five key contenders hoping to dethrone reigning champ Elite Power in the Sprint; Baffert’s trio of top contenders Muth, Prince of Monaco, and Wine Me Up for the Juvenile; a strong work that didn’t quite go exactly as planned for likely Juvenile Fillies favorite Tamara; and serious works by Distaff hopefuls Clairiere and Adare Manor. Gunite, The Chosen Vron, and Anarchist all worked here for the Sprint on Saturday with Baffert’s Speed Boat Beach and his recent nemesis Dr. Schivel turning in major drills the following morning. After cruising early and fanning wide off the turn, Gunite responded to late pressure to work five-eighths from the half-mile pole in 1:00.08, showing off good energy from the wire out when asked. The imposing-looking The Chosen Vron worked over the training track, as usual, cruising five panels in 1:01.53 to the wire while also sustaining nice momentum on the gallop-out. Anarchist was full of run from the outset, posting a 34.44 opening three-furlong split before weakening some to the wire while covering five-eighths in 59.73, then easing up on the gallop -out. :: DRF Breeders' Cup Packages on sale now! Get everything you need to win and save up to 32% off the retail price. The following morning, Speed Boat Beach went to the gate to work six panels in 1:11.27, shading 23 for his middle quarter split under a hold despite being forced to angle wide around another worker approaching the stretch. “I sent him to the gate just because he hasn’t run much this year and I thought it would be beneficial to come out of there once more before the race. The start is so crucial, especially in a race like the Sprint,” Baffert explained. “I thought that really worked out well for him when catching that other horse like he did, I was actually glad it happened. Truly, the bottom line with him is that he’s just a really fast horse.” Dr. Schivel, who narrowly defeated Speed Boat Beach after a stretch long duel in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship, went five furlongs from the half in 1:00.73. Like Gunite the previous day he was set down and responded to pressure to and through the wire, finishing up into the clubhouse turn. He continued out in willing fashion, easing up after three-quarters in 1:12.87. Tamara, who was arguably second best in her previous work with the older Salesman (who also held the edge in company with Classic-bound Geaux Rocket Ride here on Friday), broke off at the six-furlong pole on Sunday with jockey Mike Smith aboard, inadvertently hooking in with another worker just over an eighth of a mile into the breeze. Tamara was set down hard to finally edge clear of her unexpected partner, completing six panels in 1:12.81, then was kept under vigorous handling to continue out a stamina-enhancing seven-eighths while kept off the rail by Smith in 1:25.70. Baffert sent out Wine Me Up and Muth to breeze in company Saturday, the former more than holding his own with his more highly regarded mate after an easy half-mile in 47.75. Wine Me Up actually held a slight edge continuing out five-eighths nearest the rail into the turn in 59.63. It was a solid move for the pair, both of whom were equipped with blinkers for the drill. Like Speed Boat Beach, Prince of Monaco went to the gate Sunday, working six furlongs in 1:12.80. He broke a tad slower than his older allowance-winning mate Doinitthehardway, then made a big middle run around the turn before tiring some under some encouragement to the wire. :: BREEDERS’ CUP 2023: See DRF’s special section with top contenders, odds, comments, news, and more for each division Adare Manor, who had an easy three-furlong work last week during which she hooked in with another Baffert worker much of the way here, got much more serious on Sunday and looked very sharp going five furlongs in 59.48. She was held early through a sharp 35.41 opening split before angling wide off the turn and finishing strong while continuing out with good energy in 1:12.93. The Steve Asmussen-trained Clairiere was extremely impressive last week, breezing five-eighths in 1:00.67 with a strong finish and gallop-out without much ask. She came back to go five furlongs again on Sunday in 1:00.08 while under some urging to finish, and went out three-quarters once again in 1:12.87. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.