BONSALL, Calif. -- Azeri's competitiveness has been seen throughout her career in the afternoon when she races, but it was on display even before a key workout Tuesday morning at San Luis Rey Downs. Prior to heading from the barn to the track, Azeri was walking in circles behind another horse trained by Laura de Seroux. Azeri pinned her ears, walked with purpose to get in front of her stablemate, then threw her ears forward, turning some nondescript exercise into another reason to compete.
That was only one example of why Azeri appeared primed on Tuesday morning for another bravura performance on Sunday, when she is scheduled to compete in the Grade 2, $300,000 Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup Handicap on opening day of Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting. Azeri subsequently breezed an effortless half-mile in 47 seconds, after which de Seroux used the absolutely ideal word to describe the workout.
"Sublime," she said.
With exercise rider Brian Eide aboard, Azeri went the first furlong in 12.28 seconds, was timed in 23.90 for a quarter-mile, then galloped out five furlongs in 59.90 and six furlongs in 1:13.70, according to de Seroux's watch.
"That's as slow as we can go," de Seroux said. "All her works are the same. She starts off in 12 and change, and then clicks off furlongs in 11 and change. It's always the same. She's extraordinarily consistent."
Azeri will be seeking her 12th consecutive victory in the Lady's Secret, which is designed as a prep for next month's $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita. Azeri won last year's Distaff, and that secured for her not only a divisional championship, but Horse of the Year as well.
The Distaff remains the likely target for Azeri, but de Seroux left open the possibility that Azeri could run in the $4 million Classic, which would mark her first start against males. Her primary concerns are the competition, meaning Mineshaft; the pace of the race, meaning Medaglia d'Oro; and the fear that if Azeri is defeated in the Classic and Sightseek wins the Distaff, Azeri would not even win an Eclipse Award this year. The Classic is at 1 1/4 miles, the Distaff 1 1/8 miles.
"Certainly you have to keep an eye on what's going on with the defections," she said, referring to the connections of Candy Ride and Perfect Drift saying their horses are not being considered for the Classic. "The distance is a factor, except that Santa Anita's speed bias should play to her favor. And I don't want to risk a divisional championship. What if she's not in the Distaff and Sightseek blows that field away? There's a risk versus reward.
"We want to win a Breeders' Cup race. We want to go in the race she's most certain to win. There's a lot at stake here. Besides Horse of the Year, you have the win streak. It's going to be a last-minute decision."
http://espn.go.com/horse/news/2003/0924/1622451.html
That was only one example of why Azeri appeared primed on Tuesday morning for another bravura performance on Sunday, when she is scheduled to compete in the Grade 2, $300,000 Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup Handicap on opening day of Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting. Azeri subsequently breezed an effortless half-mile in 47 seconds, after which de Seroux used the absolutely ideal word to describe the workout.
"Sublime," she said.
With exercise rider Brian Eide aboard, Azeri went the first furlong in 12.28 seconds, was timed in 23.90 for a quarter-mile, then galloped out five furlongs in 59.90 and six furlongs in 1:13.70, according to de Seroux's watch.
"That's as slow as we can go," de Seroux said. "All her works are the same. She starts off in 12 and change, and then clicks off furlongs in 11 and change. It's always the same. She's extraordinarily consistent."
Azeri will be seeking her 12th consecutive victory in the Lady's Secret, which is designed as a prep for next month's $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita. Azeri won last year's Distaff, and that secured for her not only a divisional championship, but Horse of the Year as well.
The Distaff remains the likely target for Azeri, but de Seroux left open the possibility that Azeri could run in the $4 million Classic, which would mark her first start against males. Her primary concerns are the competition, meaning Mineshaft; the pace of the race, meaning Medaglia d'Oro; and the fear that if Azeri is defeated in the Classic and Sightseek wins the Distaff, Azeri would not even win an Eclipse Award this year. The Classic is at 1 1/4 miles, the Distaff 1 1/8 miles.
"Certainly you have to keep an eye on what's going on with the defections," she said, referring to the connections of Candy Ride and Perfect Drift saying their horses are not being considered for the Classic. "The distance is a factor, except that Santa Anita's speed bias should play to her favor. And I don't want to risk a divisional championship. What if she's not in the Distaff and Sightseek blows that field away? There's a risk versus reward.
"We want to win a Breeders' Cup race. We want to go in the race she's most certain to win. There's a lot at stake here. Besides Horse of the Year, you have the win streak. It's going to be a last-minute decision."
http://espn.go.com/horse/news/2003/0924/1622451.html
