With only a week remaining now before the Breeders' Cup, the workout action is beginning to really heat up. The morning training hours at Keeneland and Churchill Downs were particularly busy, with such prominent names as Animal Kingdom, Spring Venture, and Spring in the Air completing their final training.
At Betfair Hollywood Park . . .
The morning was light in terms of Breeders' Cup contenders, with only three turning in workouts. The biggest name was Marketing Mix, winner of the Rodeo Drive Stakes (gr. I) and one of the favorites in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Her time of 1:00.40 for five furlongs was the fastest of the morning, giving her a pair of bullet works heading into the Breeders' Cup.
Also breezing five furlongs was Flashy Ways, winner of the Surfer Girl Stakes and a candidate for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Her time of 1:00.80 was the third-fastest of the morning.
Marathon candidate Grassy, a six-year-old son of El Prado, went six furlongs in 1:14.60 and does appear to be rounding back into form -- the Marathon will be only his third start since November 2011. Hard to say if he's up to the task of defeating Fame and Glory and Eldaafer, but I think he's as ready as he'll ever be.
At Churchill Downs . . .
Trainer Mark Casse had a very busy morning, sending out a total of five Breeders' Cup contenders to complete their final major training. All breezed five furlongs, and by far the most impressive was Natalma Stakes (gr. II) winner Spring Venture, her 1:01.20 clocking being the fourth-fastest out of sixty-one such morning works. Pointing toward a start in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, where she may end up as the favorite, Spring Venture seems to be coming into the race exceptionally well and looks very tough to beat.
The other Casse-trainees were Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) runner-up Dynamic Sky (1:01.20), Durham Cup Stakes (Can-III) winner Delegation (1:02.60), Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) winner Pool Play (1:02.80), and Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I) winner Spring in the Air (1:03.00.)
Also on the Churchill work tab was the Dale Romans-trained two-year-old Summit County, most recently fourth in the Bourbon Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland. Pointing toward a start in the Juvenile Turf, the son of Any Given Saturday went five-eighths in the good time of 1:01.40.
At Greentree Training Center . . .
Although only five horses breezed at Greentree this morning, that total included a quartet of Breeders' Cup contenders, all trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and all owned by Godolphin Racing. The quickest was Forego Stakes (gr. I) winner Emcee, who went a half-mile in :47.40 in preparation for a start in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Fortify, who placed behind Shanghai Bobby in both the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) and Hopeful Stakes (gr. II), went the distance in :48.60. Travers Stakes (gr. I) winner Alpha was timed in :49 flat, while two-time grade I winner Questing stopped the clock in :49.80. They are scheduled to leave for Santa Anita tomorrow.
At Keeneland . . .
The majority of the morning's prominent works were conducted over the turf course, and at a distance of five furlongs. The quickest under those conditions was Summer of Fun, a two-year-old filly that most recently finished third in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (gr. III). An intriguing contender for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, her clocking of 1:02.20 was the fastest of the morning.
2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, aiming for the Mile, also turned in a sharp time. Breezing in company with Badleroibrown, the Graham Motion-trainee went five furlongs in 1:02.60 and really couldn't be training any better.
Brown Almighty, runner-up in the Bourbon Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland and candidate for the Juvenile Turf, also clocked five-eighths in 1:02.60. Great Attack, unraced since winning the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (gr. III)in May, went the distance in 1:02.40 in preparation for a start in the Turf Sprint. Almost an Angel, sixth in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I) and a pre-entrant in both the Juvenile Sprint and the Juvenile Fillies, recorded the slowest work of the morning while going five furlongs in 1:04.40.
Breezing five-eighths on the main track was Marathon contender Atigun, whose excellent time of :59.40 was the fastest of the morning by a full second. The Kenny McPeek-trainee could not be coming into the Breeders' Cup any better and should relish the extended distance of the Marathon. Count him out of contention at your own risk!
At Monmouth Park . . .
The only Breeders' Cup candidate on the work tab was Eldaafer, winner of the 2010 Marathon and a contender in this year's edition of the fourteen-furlong race. The seven-year-old gelding really could not have gone much better this morning, has his 1:00 flat clocking for five furlongs was the fastest of the morning by 1 2/5 seconds. Trained by Diane Alvarado, Eldaafer is coming off of a terrific third-place finish in the Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) and would appear to have an excellent chance at claiming Breeders' Cup glory once again.
At Santa Anita Park . . .
Compared to recent mornings at Santa Anita, Friday morning was a bit light in terms of Breeders' Cup-related workouts, with only two entrants out for serious work.
However, one of those two was 2011 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Amazombie, who looked quite good breezing five-eighths in 1:00.60. The work was quite similar to the 1:00.40 clocking he turned in just prior to last year's Breeders' Cup, signaling that the six-year-old gelding is ready to rebound from his poor showing in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (gr. I) last time out.
Tim Conway Stakes winner Merit Man also turned in his final breeze, going five furlongs in company with the two-year-old maiden Diamond Flush. His time of 1:04.20 was rather slow, but then again, slow works are normal for this colt.
-Keelerman
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