California Flag – In what trainer Brian Koriner called “just a big heart-beater,” California Flag dumped his rider and ran off the wrong way through the stretch Wednesday morning during his regular training session.

The California-bred gelded son of Avenue of Flags was reported by Koriner to be fine back at the barn following the mid-morning training incident.

The unflappable Koriner called out when he came back to the barn aboard his pony, “Well, we’ve been breezing him too slow, anyway. He probably needed that little sprint with no weight on him. He was probably having some fun out there.”

Levity aside, Koriner was happy to report that he didn’t think the incident harmed the 5yo’s chances in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and that his exercise rider, Colleen Hartford, was not injured.

Hartford said, “We had been standing in the gate and then when we came out another horse crossed in front of us and he got spooked.”

As for California Flag’s draw of post 3, Koriner said, “We’d certainly like to be farther outside, but he’s been down inside before, so we’ll see how it works.”

California Flag broke from post 3 in his victorious Morvich Handicap effort in his most recent start.

Cannonball – Blake Heap, assistant to trainer Wesley Ward, sent out the Turf Sprint prospect for a 1 1/2m gallop Wednesday morning as the late-running sprinter continued his progress toward Saturday’s race.

“He didn’t get the greatest post (6), but what can you do,” Heap said. “He’s a closer, so the early part of the race, he won’t show a lot of speed, anyway.”

Heap hasn’t heard whether Ward will come to California for the race since he’s in the midst of getting his stable started at Churchill Downs and the business of breaking a string of young horses.

Delta Storm – “I'd rather have the 14 than the 1,” said trainer Mike Mitchell Wednesday after the 8yo gelding drew the far outside post the previous day.

Delta Storm galloped on the main track under exercise rider Jose Dominguez after being shipped here from Hollywood Park on Tuesday.

Desert Code – Trainer David Hofmans, continuing to be confident in his defending Turf Sprint champion, said Wednesday morning it made no difference that Desert Code drew post 13 in the field of 14 for this year’s Turf Sprint.

“If they go fast, he’ll be pretty far back, and if they go slow, he’ll be much closer,” said the veteran trainer, who has saddled three Breeders’ Cup champions, including 1996 Classic winner Alphabet Soup.

“I see this race shaping up much like last year’s,” he continued. “In my eyes, he is coming to this race better than last year. That’s why he’s 20-1 instead of 35-1 [actually $36.50-1 in 2008].”

Diamondrella – After arriving safely from New York on Tuesday, the Angel Penna, Jr. trainee went out on the track for the first time when assistant trainer Ruth Hargreaves galloped her in the morning.

Penna said that Diamondrella, one of the favorites for the Turf Sprint, has acclimated well, was comfortable, and is doing well.

The 5yo daughter of Rock of Gibraltar, bred in England by Will Farish, is a winner in three of her four starts this year and she will be ridden by Rajiv Maragh on Saturday.

El Gato Malo –  The 4yo gelding was shipped here Wednesday after galloping at Hollywood Park for trainer Craig Dollase.

"I know he's in tough," said West Point Thoroughbreds president Terry Finley. "But he shows he's capable of being there with good horses. This is his third time back off a layoff. He'll have to come with his career best.

Get Funky/Noble Court –  Trainer John Sadler’s pair of Turf Sprint starters came to the racetrack together Wednesday morning at 6:30 and each galloped 1 ½ m around the Santa Anita main track.

Noble Court, a 5yo horse by the Seattle Slew stallion Doneraile Court, has drawn post 1 in the 14-horse field, while the Florida-bred 6yo horse Get Funky will break from post 5 in the full field.

“We didn’t get the best of draws for either one of them,” the conditioner noted. “Especially in the case of Noble Court. It could have been worse, though. If he was a speed horse and you had to use him coming out of there, you could be in real trouble. But he’s going to come from the back, so that’s not an issue with him. Get Funky will lay up in the middle, so he’s not in too bad a shape.”

Sadler has prime local jockeys for his two charges – Joel Rosario on Noble Court and Rafael Bejarano for Get Funky. The two riders are currently tied for the lead in the on-going Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting.

“That downhill course can play a little tricky and I know I’ve got two jocks that ride it well. They both know what to do out there. And both horses have good experience on it also. So we’ve got that in our corner besides.”

Noble Court, who is listed at 8-1 on the morning line, won an overnight stakes on the 6 ½f course earlier this year. Get Funky, a 20-1 shot, has five starts on the course with two wins and two seconds to show for it. Three of those outings came in the 2007-08-09 runnings of the Morvich Handicap, where the son of Straight Man has a first and two seconds.         

Lord Shanakill – The 3yo Speightstown colt, who will be making his U.S. debut in Saturday’s Turf Sprint, galloped 1 ½ m Wednesday morning following a visit to the paddock. Trainer Richard Mandella oversaw the activities of the dark bay, who was shipped from England to his barn a little more than a month ago.

“I think he’ll probably wind up settling off the pace,” the conditioner said of the race. “He was forwardly placed in most of his European races, but that would put him farther back with the ones that run here. The good part about this for me is that his regular rider (Englishman Jim Crowley) is here now and he’ll ride him Saturday. He’ll know what to do with him.”

Lord Shanakill, a Kentucky-bred, started 12 times in England and France over the past two seasons – 10 of them in Group stakes -- and finished in the top three on nine of those occasions. The classy colt will break from post 4 in the 14-horse field and has been listed at 8-1 in the morning line.

Silver Timber – The 6yo gelding galloped 1 3/8m under exercise rider Richard Johnson Wednesday morning in preparation for the 6 1/2f Turf Sprint.

“He jogged (Tuesday), so this was his first day galloping here. (Thursday) we might take him on the hill, just to let him take a look around and have a nice easy gallop down the hill to look around,” said trainer Chad Brown, who captured his first Breeders’ Cup race on his first attempt last year with Maram in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Silver Timber was claimed for $25,000 at Gulfstream Park in April. The son of Prime Timber has won three of four subsequent starts for his new connections, including triumphs in the Jaipur at Belmont and the Woodford at Keeneland.

Regular rider Julien Leparoux has the return mount.

Square Eddie – The Smart Strike 3yo stayed busy Wednesday morning, touring the Santa Anita paddock and then galloping once around the main track. Trainer Leandro Mora was aboard.

“He’s doing good,” said Mora as he led Square Eddie to Barn 88. “If they beat him Saturday, it won’t be because he isn’t fit enough or ready enough. He’s both of those.

“His post is fine (post 8 in the 14-horse field). With all that speed in there, I think you’d want a horse that can rate – and he can rate. We like our chances going in.”

Square Eddie has had two lengthy breaks during the year and only has three starts in 2009 heading toward the Turf Sprint.

Last year he was brought over from England in the fall and won the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland and finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile here.

Frankie Dettori has the call on Square Eddie Saturday, who is listed at 20-1 in the morning line.

Strike the Deal – The 4yo colt by Van Nistelrooy, whose last Breeders’ Cup start came when fourth in the Juvenile Turf at Monmouth in 2007, remained in the barn and did not go to the track Wednesday morning.

“We had a little hiccup,” said trainer Jeremy Noseda with no elaboration. “We’ll see how it goes for 24 hours, and then take it from there.”

Strike the Deal, who drew post 12 for the Turf Sprint, is coming off two stakes victories in England and has Kieren Fallon again named to ride.

“I would have preferred something in the middle,” Noseda said, “but what can you do.”