Class Included, seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic, came out of Friday’s race in good shape and will remain in Southern California with trainers Jim Penney and Kay Cooper, trainer Mike Feuerborn said Monday.
“She came out of the race good, knock on wood,” Feuerborn said. “In fact, we’re thinking of running her in another race.”
Feuerborn said he and wife Amy enjoyed a fantastic week in the lead-up to the Ladies Classic, and acknowledged it was a feat in itself to have their horse compete against the toughest horses on the planet.
“It was an incredible week. Everything was amazing, except the result,” Feuerborn said.
Class Included equaled her career-high with an 89 Beyer in the Ladies Classic, but wound up seventh as defending champion Royal Delta led gate to wire. It was a first for the 4-year-old filly, whose remarkable consistency had netted 10 wins and six seconds in 16 previous starts. Class Included has been nearly invincible at Emerald Downs while winning five stakes and three titles*Top 3-YO Filly, Top Older Filly or Mare and Horse of the Meeting*under the guidance of Penney and Cooper.
Class Included did encounter traffic difficulties on the first turn*according to the chart “Class Included steadied when rank nearing the first turn”*but Feuerborn said it probably didn’t matter anyway. He also said his wife didn’t want him second-guessing the decision to run in the Ladies Classic instead of the Filly & Mare Sprint*especially in view of Groupie Doll’s overpowering race in the latter event.
As for what’s next, Class Included could run in another stakes in Southern California. The next open stakes for main track fillies and mares is the December 8 Bayakoa Stakes (G2) at 1-1/16 miles at Hollywood Park. Santa Anita’s winter meet opens December 26, and traditional early stakes for distaffers include the seven-furlong Santa Monica Handicap and the 1-1/16-mile Santa Maria Handicap.