After a fascinating run on October 25, 2021 Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup (G1) sprint hero Hello West was confirmed to defend the title despite having not participated since the beginning of July. The 5-year-old will give coach Wayne Catalano two chances in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint, alongside Susan Moulton’s Manny Wah who won his way with a nasty victory in KeenelandThe top one-turn competition, the $350,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2), on its opening weekend.
Aloha West was one of the best success stories at last year’s Breeders’ Cup, giving Catalano an unexpected hit (for the jockey, anyway, if not him), 10 years removed from his last Breeders’ Cup victory. The 66-year-old has downsized his activities in recent years to focus more on quality, along with family time and fun.
“When you win races like this, especially when you only come across a handful of horses, and he jumps up and takes the Breeders’ trophy for you, you have to like it,” Catalano said. “It is very meaningful.”
When 5-year-old Aloha West still hasn’t mastered the magic of last fall, he may have gone too far in trying to catch the two fastest horses on the planet already at their prime. . He debuted in the $750,000 Churchill Downs Stake presented by Ford (G2) on Kentucky Derby Day but struggled to keep up with the winner from gate to rope, four lengths Jackie’s Warrior .
Eclipse Thoroughbreds President Aron Wellman said: “He’s gone to great lengths to make the worst of it, being close to speed and down inside, which is not where you want to be that day. ,” said Eclipse Thoroughbreds president Aron Wellman.
Next time, Aloha West tried a $1 million Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan (G1) bet on Belmont Day, but Flight route there too, demoting the rest of the pitch just to add in another turn of his superstars.
Three weeks later, a tough win in the $160,000 Kelly’s Landing Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs on July 2 confirmed the desire was still there, even if the results were underwhelming by the standards of a Breeders’ Cup winner appearing in an overnight bet on his home turf. Catalano and Wellman decided to step back and let Aloha West find her feet.
Aloha West wins Kelly’s Landing Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs
“He needs some time off,” Catalano said. “He ran all summer against pretty tough horses. It paid off for them.”
Aloha West never left Catalano’s barn at Churchill Downs but went three months without training – “to make him sweet”, as Wellman put it. The Maryland breed enjoys a leisurely schedule, slowly walking, climbing, jogging to galloping. “We started picking it up when we saw all the signs — energy, coat, appetite, weight — and he started going back to being the Aloha West we knew. development, what does he look like and he seems to be in good spirits at the moment.”
The schedule wasn’t defined by any specific goals, but when he suggested swimming in early October, it was a leisurely time to try the Breeders’ Cup. His second work back — half a mile at: 47 4/5 at Churchill — is the one that makes it seem possible. That’s the trick he’s getting ready to go, says Wellman. “We had a meeting after that and decided that we would put him in an abbreviated model where he could come back a few times every four or five days and if he handled it well and gave a positive He’s going to have to get us there, not vice versa, but last month he put him in a position to do it,” Wellman said.
Aron Wellman (third from right) Wayne Catalano (fourth from right) after Aloha West’s win in the Breeders’ Cup 2021 Sprint at Del Mar
While each breeze gave Catalano and Wellman a little more hope of winning the Breeders’ Cup, the October 25 tournament won it.
“We needed a good piece to see if we would run and it was a great piece,” Catalano said. “I’m very happy right now. We all know he ran at full speed for the last three-eighths of the mile anyway. That’s all we needed was a good three-eighth and he was. will be strong enough to do it!”
Wellman added on: 58 3/5 bullets move: “He galloped around the clubhouse with good energy, which is what we really needed to see. He put himself in position. to do the race and if he keeps giving us the impression that he wants to be there then we’ll be there.”
A mile at a time, preferably a mile without a Flyway, remains on the minds of Catalano and Wellman, who have identified the Cigar Mile (G1) as an attractive option to end his season and have Probably his career, depending on the outcome of this next race.
If Aloha West doesn’t sack – or even if he does – then Catalano has another chance in the Sprint with Manny Wah, who has only 1 to 9 for the year but has proven to be in top form after turning 17. . -1 Phoenix Triumphant. It was the 6-year-old’s first ranking score but anyone who doubts Manny Wah belongs to the world’s elite sprinters may want to refer to the Breeders’ Cup Ultimate Sprint. at Keeneland, when he was viciously collided and cut in the quarterfinals-pole but still fought to run fifth with a score of 64-1.
“I think he should have won, so maybe redemption is happening,” Catalano said.
