By Bloodhorse.com
ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 29, 2016) — California-bred Masochistic worked five furlongs from the gate in 1:00 flat with jockey Mike Smith aboard in a relaxed manner that had all of his connections pleased with the Oct. 29 move at Santa Anita Park. The 6-year-old gelding is prepping for the six-furlong TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I).
“That’s as easy as he could go,” said co-owner Samantha Siegel. “Mike did a masterful job getting him to relax. That’s as relaxed as I’ve ever seen him.”
Trainer Ron Ellis stood on the shank with Masochistic in the gap waiting for the end of the morning’s final renovation period. Masochistic, accompanied by a pony, then went out shortly after the tractors finished, while Ellis joined Siegel in the grandstand to watch the work.
“Mike got him to really relax well,” Ellis said of Masochistic, who showed a penchant to run off in the mornings as a younger horse. “He’s gotten to know him pretty good and has worked him a couple of times.”
Francoise Dupuis, who bred Masochistic with the late Louise Julian, also witnessed the work and noted the professional way he is coming up to the Breeders’ Cup. Dupuis recalled the first work she saw by the California-bred son of Sought After—Trotinette, by Unusual Heat.
“The first half-mile he ever worked gave me goose bumps,” Dupuis recalled. “Bobby Ochoa was on him at San Luis Rey Downs and he was sitting perfectly still. We knew we had a good horse—he was so athletic.”
Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable owns Masochistic with Will Shamlian’s Los Pollos Hermanos Racing. Masochistic most recently won the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien Stakes (gr. II) at Del Mar and is undefeated in two starts this year. Last year Masochistic won the 6 1/2-furlong Kona Gold Stakes (gr. II) and seven-furlong Triple Bend Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita. He came out of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland with a hairline fracture in a hind leg and was away from the races until July.
BALAN: Masochistic Breezes to Pat O’Brien Victory
“He’s doing very well and looks better than last year,” Siegel said.
The final session of works on the main track included Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) pre-entrant Shaman Ghost, who went a half-mile in :47 2/5. Prize Exhibit and Toowindytohaulrox, both pre-entered in the Turf Sprint (gr. IT), went a half-mile, in :50 2/5 and :47 4/5, respectively. Two-year-old Breeders’ Cup workers were Not This Time (Juvenile, gr. I, five furlongs in 1:01 3/5), Harbour Master (Juvenile Turf, gr. IT, five furlongs in 1:02 4/5), and Madame Dancealot (IRE) (Juvenile Fillies Turf, gr. IT, a half-mile in :48 1/5).