Tuesday at Del Mar had all the comings and goings around the track that any morning might have in the days leading into the Breeders’ Cup – a methodical busyness without fluster – but this one had an unforeseen twist of drama.
Sovereignty, the star three-year-old, Kentucky Derby hero, Belmont Stakes winner, and expected favourite for the week’s biggest race, the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, had a fever. His participation in the race being billed as “the best Classic in 20 years,” a clash of the generations, was in the balance and none outside of the colt’s inner team knew anything about it as they went about their work.
That was until the small batch of journalists that had heeded the Breeders’ Cup media team’s note that Mott would be outside his barn for questions at 9am turned up with cameras and mics.
“Our horse developed a fever last night,” Mott told the group and the listeners processed who the inevitable “horse” must be.
Naohiro Goda of Japan’s Green Channel asked the clarifying question: “You mean Sovereignty?”
“Sovereignty,” Mott confirmed. “He had a mild fever. I was made aware of it actually as we were going, you know, getting ready to go to the draw or right after the draw (Monday, late afternoon). And he had a mild fever. He seemed to be doing very well otherwise: if we didn’t have a thermometer, we wouldn’t have known anything.”
Mott explained that the colt “had a slightly elevated temperature” through the night and that was still the case when the early work watchers were arriving on the backstretch at 5:30am. Blood samples were taken and some of those results had not yet come back, then at 6am he was given medication – like taking an aspirin, Mott said.
“His temperature is down to normal right now,” he continued. “He’s eating everything. He looks fine. You saw him with his head out. He’s eaten all his grain. He’s not missed an oat. He’s not missed any feed all year long, I can say that. And last night and this morning was no exception. He seems to be sharp. You saw him looking out over the webbing. He looks fine.”
The trainer talked about being optimistic, not pessimistic, but also realistic.
“There’s a possibility that he won’t make the race on Saturday,” he said. “If we don’t feel like he’s 100 percent, he’s not going to run. I’d like to give myself 10 percent wiggle room to monitor for obviously the next four or five days. But until tomorrow, I think it’s very important what happens throughout the day and over the night.
“And if his temperature remains normal, which it is right now, if it remains normal throughout the day and the night, and we look at him tomorrow and he’s still eating and he looks good and the blood work comes back with a positive look to it, you know, we’ll… We’re gonna reevaluate every day and probably several times every day. But right now I just want everybody to know.”
Todd Pletcher knew nothing of it when he spoke to Idol Horse a few minutes later about last year’s Classic runner-up Fierceness. He had watched his star go out on the track before sun up and was pleased with what he saw, the colt moving fluidly, with strength
“He got a really nice gallop this morning, he was moving well, happy, and full of energy,” Pletcher said. “He’s a very intelligent horse, he takes care of himself; he’s not overly ambitious in the mornings except for when you breeze, he’s a very willing work horse but he’s easy on himself on a daily basis.”
Fierceness won the Pacific Classic last time impressively from the top Californian three-year-old Journalism, winner of the Preakness in Sovereignty’s absence. That last start win at Del Mar saw Fierceness veer left at the break, towards the false rail, before correcting himself but Pletcher sees the way that contest panned out as being a positive.
“I think the one blessing from the Pacific Classic is after that happened at the start (jockey Johnny Velazquez) was kinda forced to ride him differently than he has in the past and I think he learned that it’s ok to be in the position he was in behind horses or in between horses. So, I think it gives him a little more confidence going forward that he can ride him confidently from wherever he is.”
Meanwhile, Journalism’s powerful frame was an impressive sight out on the track just as the first rays of sunlight began to crest the eastern horizon. The only drama with him came when he turned into the stable row: a car backfired out on the highway and the bay reared and danced for a second before going on his way.
“He’s a very impressive physical specimen,” McCarthy said back at the stable block. “He always trains with plenty of integrity in the morning and he uses himself well, he covers a lot of ground.”
The colt’s regular jockey Umberto Rispoli was told a week and a half ago that he had lost the ride to Jose Ortiz and McCarthy said of Journalism’s new partner: “He’s arguably having as good a year as anybody this year. If he has a big Breeders Cup weekend, he could rightfully end up with an Eclipse Award. I think, you know, he brings a lot of experience to the table.”
If Sovereignty does not recover from his fever, Journalism will lead the three-year-old challenge against the big-three older horses in the field of 10, Fierceness, Sierra Leone and Japan’s Forever Young.
Sierra Leone charged over the top of the field to defeat Fierceness in last year’s Classic, with Forever Young third, and trainer Chad Brown was pleased with the defending champion as he spoke outside his barn, sporting a baseball cap with a ‘C B’ logo.
“He looks good,” Brown said. “All class. He’s the consummate professional and has been since he came into the barn. A very rare horse, mentally and physically.”
Forever Young’s trainer Yoshito Yahagi and jockey Ryusei Sakai are hoping lessons learned from last year’s experience will make a difference this time, but also there’s the physical improvement the four-year-old has made.
“I thought his condition was good last year, but in the past year the horse has grown so much, and since this is also his second trip to Del Mar, he looks very relaxed,” Yahagi said. “I think he is in better shape than last year.
“Every horse grows from three to four years old, but his growth is unusual. He grew mental-wise, but as you all can see, the growth of him physically is remarkable, especially his hind quarters. I feel like he is much more powerful than last time.”
So, while the Sovereignty camp monitored their slightly off-colour hero, the Godolphin colt’s main rivals enjoyed a regular Tuesday morning, gearing up for the race that might still be the best Classic for 20 years.
Yahagi, for one, hopes Sovereignty will be there to make it so.
“I think any normal trainer around the world may be happy when they hear a strong opponent is out of the race,” he said.
“But I was really looking forward to racing against the best field in the world, so it is a big shame (if Sovereignty is not there) and my feeling goes to Mr. Bill Mott.” ∎
