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Rich Tapestry is primed and ready to roll in the G1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (1200m) at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, 4 October.
Trainer Michael Chang oversaw the six-year-old’s final fast work in California on Thursday morning and expressed satisfaction with his charge.
“The horse had his final gallop this morning (Thursday),” said Chang, who is aiming last season’s G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen runner-up at the G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at the venue on 1 November. “He went half a mile in 48s in company with a local horse - trainer Leo Powell very kindly let one of his horses lead us up. Everything is under control and I’m happy with him - he’s in great form, so I’m confident he will run well on Saturday.”
The Hong Kong raider will break from gate two in the six-runner field and Chang has his fingers crossed that jockey Olivier Doleuze will be able to sit handy in the run.
“He’s drawn in gate two but there are only six runners, so I don’t think the barrier will be too much of a factor,” said the trainer. “I would like to see the jockey sit right behind the tempo, maybe second or third, because they go very fast in these American dirt sprints and I don’t want to be too far back. He has to break well.”
Although Rich Tapestry will face only five opponents in the dirt track sprint, the small field still represents a big challenge. Hong Kong’s first runner in the US since River Verdon 22 years ago must face-off against two proven G1 stars in Goldencents and Secret Circle.
“Goldencents and Secret Circle are real Group 1 horses,” said Chang. “Secret Circle has not raced since February, so I don’t know if there has been some physical issue with that horse, but Goldencents is a very good horse in good form - he’s the one I fear most. He’s won six furlongs, seven furlongs and he’s won over a mile at the Breeders’ Cup.”
Goldencents (gate 3) has an enviable record at Santa Anita. Last year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile hero was a half-length second in this contest 12 months ago and has won both the G1 Santa Anita Derby (1800m) and the G3 Sham Stakes (1600m) at the track. The Doug O’Neill-trained four-year-old won the G2 Pat O’Brien Stakes (1400m) on his most recent start at Del Mar on 25 August.
Secret Circle (gate 1) is another with a great record at Santa Anita and won the G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint over the course and distance in 2013. Bob Baffert’s charge was last seen running second in the G2 Palos Verdes Stakes (1200m) at Santa Anita in February.
Of the remainder, the Ben Cecil-trained Indexical was last of seven to Goldencents at Del Mar (Polytrack) last time but was previously third in the G1 Triple Bend Stakes (1400m) at Santa Anita in June. Merit Man is a course and distance winner in lesser grade, while Ankeny Hill is a multiple sprint winner and heads into Saturday off the back of a pair of wins over 1200m and 1000m on the Polytrack at Del Mar.
