Paulson Will Send Eight Horses East

Owner Michael Paulson has decided to ship east the eight remaining horses he had with trainer Laura De Seroux, where they will be divided among Bill Mott, Michael Matz and, perhaps, one other trainer.

Paulson-owned Azeri, the reigning horse of the year and winner of 11 consecutive races before she was beaten in the Lady’s Secret Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Santa Anita on Sept. 28, has gone to Ashford Stud in Kentucky and her retirement seems imminent.

The daughter of Jade Hunter was diagnosed with a tendon injury a couple of weeks after the Lady’s Secret and was unable to defend her title in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Saturday. With Sightseek having failed in the Distaff, it’s still possible Azeri could be voted the Eclipse as the top older filly or mare.

“I think most of the pedigrees are better suited to the East Coast,” Paulson told Bloodhorse.com. “The tracks are a little softer and there’s more opportunities for them.”

Paulson also mentioned the increasing cost of workers’ compensation insurance in California as a reason for his decision. Only four of the horses being sent east are in training.

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Johar, who finished in a dead heat with High Chaparral in the Breeders’ Cup Turf race Saturday, is scheduled to make his next start in the $3.96-million Japan Cup on Nov. 30 at Tokyo Racecourse.

The connections of High Chaparral and Johar each collected $763,200 for the first dead heat in Breeders’ Cup history, but a win in Tokyo would be worth $2,083,333.

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Patrick Valenzuela, who holds a 30-24 lead over Tyler Baze in the Oak Tree jockey standings, was suspended for five days by the stewards for interference in Friday’s ninth race. The suspension starts Nov. 5.