Black trainer taking aim at Breeders’ Cup with modest filly

By BETH HARRIS
AP Racing Writer

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) — California Angel has already beaten the odds before she even runs in the Breeders’ Cup. The 2-year-old filly cost just $5,500, a drop in the bucket compared to her blue-blooded rivals. She earned her way into the world championships with a late-running victory at 17-1 odds. Her trainer, George Leonard III, is believed to be the first Black conditioner with a horse in the Breeders’ Cup. California Angel takes on 13 rivals in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf, one of five races Friday that kick off Breeders’ Cup weekend at Del Mar, the seaside track north of San Diego.