Breeders' Cup

Veteran trainer and retired jockey Mitch Shirota, whose training career spanned more than three decades and included stakes triumphs in the Grade I Top Flight at Aqueduct and a memorable Kentucky Derby Day stakes win at Churchill Downs, died early Wednesday, Jan. 4 at Norton Suburban Hospital in Louisville.

The Hawaiian-born Shirota had been hospitalized since Monday, but had endured a lengthy illness.  He was 78.

Visitation and a memorial service are scheduled for Christ Chapel in the Churchill Downs stable area on Saturday, Jan. 7.  Visitation will be conducted in the chapel from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (all times Eastern), with the service set to follow at 2 p.m.  Access to the chapel is available via Churchill Downs’ Gate 5 off Longfield Ave.

The diminutive Shirota was a gregarious resident of the Churchill Downs stable area known by friends for his sharp, and occasionally biting, wit.  But he possessed considerable talent as a horseman. Equibase statistics, which have been compiled since 1976, show that Shirota saddled 236 winners from 1,637 career starters, and his horses collected career earnings of $5,692,466.  He won 79 races from 676 starts at Churchill Downs with earnings at his home track of $2,065,573.

His years as a trainer were preceded by a 15-year run as jockey that began in 1958 at Agua Caliente in Tijuana, Mexico. Shirota eventually became a riding fixture at Churchill Downs, Louisville’s Miles Park and other Kentucky tracks in the 1960s and early 1970s.  Statistics on his years as a jockey are not available.

Shirota is survived by his wife, Lynda; their daughter, Lori Gowen (Greg); grandchildren Whitney Gowen and Tyler Gowen; brothers Seiko and Hiro Shirota; and sisters Kay Tada, Sumi Martin and Tomi Shirota.  He was preceded in death by a brother, Seiyu Shirota, and a sister, Evelyn Tan.

Born and educated through high school in Maui, Shirota moved to the United States in the mid 1950s (Hawaii did not become a state until 1959) to attend Brigham Young University, where he graduated in three years with a degree in political science. He became involved with Thoroughbreds when he worked at a California farm following his graduation from BYU, and decided to pursue a riding career when a friend suggested he had the perfect stature for the job.

After the conclusion of his career in the saddle, Shirota obtained a trainer’s license in the mid 1970s and saddled his first winner at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 18, 1977.  His final victory was provided by Holy Dixie at Churchill Downs in a maiden race for $15,000-to-$12,500 claiming horses on June 29, 2007.  His last recorded start occurred a few weeks later at Arlington Park, when Mutadda finished fourth in a Maiden Special Weight race on Aug. 25, 2007.

Between those career bookends, Shirota saddled winners of 21 stakes races – including five graded events – headed by a win by Gainewsay Stable’s Firm Stance in the $200,000, Grade I Top Flight at Aqueduct on April 17, 1992.  The daughter of 1978 Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown winner Affirmed also won the $150,000 Red Bud Breeders’ Cup at River Downs in a three-year racing career in which Firm Stance compiled a record of 7-3-0 in 17 starts and earnings of $443,771.

Another stakes highlight was provided by Andrena Van Doren’s Shaconage when she won Churchill Downs’ Grade III Argent Mortgage (now the Grade II Distaff Turf Mile) by a nose over heavily-favored Etoile Montante on the 2004 Kentucky Derby Day program.  The win was Shirota’s first in a stakes race at Churchill Downs and its timing made the long-awaited triumph even sweeter.

"Cha-Ching! I've been coming to Churchill Downs for 20 years now and this is my first stakes win here," Shirota said after the milestone win.  “To do it on Derby Day is even more special.”

Shirota’s initial stakes success at the Louisville track was followed a few weeks later by another stakes victory by Shaconage over the Matt Winn Turf Course in the Grade III Locust Grove Handicap.  The homebred daughter of El Prado also won Woodbine’s Ontario Colleen in 2003 and the Ellis Park Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2005, additional high points in a four-year career during which Shirota’s star ran 29 times with a record of 6-3-7 and earned $534,051. Later that year Shaconage provided Shirota with his only start in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, where she ran sixth to Ouija Board in the Filly & Mare Turf at Lone Star Park.

Other notable Shirota trainees include Van Doren’s Jadada, a half-brother to Shaconage by Jade Hunter and a career earner of $449,088 who counted the Grade III Fayette Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland and Ellis Park’s Governors Handicap among seven wins from 52 starts; Gainesway’s Wicked Mama, winner of Ellis Park’s Dade Breeders’ Cup Turf Classic in 1995; Warren Kemper’s Madam Bear, who won the 1992 Queen Breeders’ Cup at Turfway Park before a runner-up finish to Ifyoucouldseemenow in the Grade III Brown & Williamson (now Grade I Humana Distaff) at Churchill Downs; and Maramour Stable’s Limanda, who took the 1995 running of the Queen Breeders’ Cup.  Shirota notched his first career stakes win with Note of Victory in the 1977 Sallan Cup Handicap at Detroit Race Course.

Anita Cauley’s homebred On Fire Baby, winner by three-quarters of length in the $150,000-added Pocahontas (Grade II) in the Stars of Tomorrow I program on the opening day of the Fall Meet, is the early favorite to add another graded-stakes win to her growing resumé when she faces 10 rivals in Saturday’s 68^th running of Churchill Downs $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII) for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Churchill Downs.

Named for the official flower of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Golden Rod will be the ninth race on Saturday’s 12-race Stars of Tomorrow II program devoted exclusively to races for 2-year-olds and has a scheduled post time of 4:42 p.m. (all times EST).  Post time for Saturday’s first race is 12:40 p.m.

Trained by Churchill Downs veteran Gary Hartlage, On Fire Baby began her career with an impressive four-length victory in a maiden-special weight race at Ellis Park. The gray/roan daughter of Smoke Glacken then finished fifth to eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) winner Stephanie’s Kitten in Keeneland’s Darley Alcibiades (GI), but rebounded to win the Pocahontas.

On Fire Baby is a half-sister to 2007 Fantasy (GII) winner High Heels, who finished third in the 2006 Golden Rod and returned the following spring to run third to eventual Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Rags to Riches in the Kentucky Oaks (GI).  She will break from post six under Joe Johnson, and oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has installed Hartlage’s filly as a narrow 3-1 favorite.

On Fire Baby’s main competition in the Golden Rod could the trio Glen Hill Farm’s Customer Base, Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Glinda the Good, and John C. Oxley’s duo Spirited Miss and Golden History.  Each filly possesses experience in stakes races during their brief careers.

Customer Base, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid trained by Tom Proctor, won her first two starts over synthetic surfaces at Del Mar and Keeneland before she ran 11^th  from an outside post to Stephanie’s Kitten in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII).  Jockey Julien Leparoux will be in the saddle for the third consecutive race aboard Customer Base, who is the 7-2 second choice in Battaglia’s morning line and breaks from post eight in her debut on traditional dirt.

The Steve Asmussen-trained Glinda the Good was runner-up to Grace Hall in the Blue Hen at Delaware Park before that rival finished second to Asmussen’s unbeaten My Miss Aurelia in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs.  The 2-year-old daughter of Hard Spun ran third to On Fire Baby in the Pocahontas and will break from post 10 in the Golden Rod under Corey Lanerie.  Asmussen’s filly is the 5-1 third choice in Battaglia’s morning line odds.

Both Spirited Miss and Golden History launched their careers at Canada’s Woodbine for trainer Mark Casse, who has earned three Sovereign Awards as Canada’s top trainer who earned a training title at Churchill Downs early in this career.

Spirited Miss, a homebred daughter of Sky Mesa, will race on traditional dirt for the first time after running on grass and Polytrack at Woodine in her previous three starts.  She won at first asking on grass, then ran fourth on that surface to Northern Passion in the Grade III Natalma – a race in which Stephanie’s Kitten ran third.  Spirited Miss narrowly lost on Polytrack last out in Woodbine’s Mazarine, but is the 6-1 fourth choice in the Golden Rod and Javier Castellano rides from gate three.

Golden History is a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro and an impressive winner in her racing debut on Polytrack at Woodbine in October.   She ran fifth to On Fire Baby in her debut over traditional dirt in the Pocahontas, but finished only three lengths behind the winner. Shaun Bridgmohan will ride Golden History, an 8-1 risk who will break from post nine.

Another possible contender is Alex G. Campbell Jr.’s Karlovy Vary, a daughter of Dynaformer who makes her dirt debut after a pair of starts on grass at Keeneland and Saratoga.  Robby Albarado will ride the Rusty Arnold trainee who comes off an impressive maiden win at 1 1/16 miles on the Keeneland turf.  Karlovy Vary was entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, but did not draw into the race from its list of also-eligible horses.  She will break from the outside post in the 11-horse Golden Rod field and is listed at 8-1 in Battaglia’s morning line odds.

Arnold also trains Annie Russell, a daughter of Ghostzapper who scored her first victory over Keeneland’s Polytrack course after a pair of solid runs on turf at Arlington Park, including a fourth-place run behind Stephanie’s Kitten in her racing debut.  She is listed at 15-1 under Brian Hernandez Jr. for her debut on traditional dirt in the Golden Rod.

The Golden Rod field, from the rail out (with trainer, jockey, morning line odds) is as follows: Back Spin (Jinks Fires, Jon Court, 15-1), Annie Russell (Arnold, Hernandez, 15-1), Spirited Miss (Casse, Castellano, 6-1), Goldrush Girl (Ken McPeek, Manny Cruz, 15-1), Spring Eclipse (David Vance, Edgar Prado, 20-1), On Fire Baby (Hartlage, Johnson, 3-1), Jamraa (Tim Girten, Jesus Castanon, 20-1), Customer Base (Proctor, Leparoux, 7-2), Golden History (Casse, Bridgmohan, 8-1), Glinda the Good (Asmussen, Lanerie, 5-1) and Karlovy Vary (Arnold, Albarado, 8-1).

FLAT OUT, RULER ON ICE, DEFENDING CHAMP GIANT OAK, WISE DAN HEAD TALENTED NOMINEES TO 137^TH CLARK ‘CAP – Preston Stable’s Flat Out, winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (Grade I), George and Lori Hall’s Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Ruler On Ice, the Virginia Tarra Trust’s defending champion Giant Oak and Morton Fink’s Fayette (GII) winner Wise Dan head strong roster of 25 accomplished older horses nominated to run in the $137^th running of Churchill Downs’ $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) on Friday, Nov. 25.

The history of the 1 1/8-mile Clark, named for the family of Churchill Downs founder Meriwether Lewis Clark, dates to the historic track’s first year of operation as the Louisville Jockey Club in 1875.  Like the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum Brands (GI) and the Kentucky Oaks, the Clark has been run annually without interruption since that first racing meet.

Along with the Clark, nomination lists were released Friday for the other three stakes races on the Thanksgiving/Closing Weekend schedule.  Those races are the $150,000-added Falls City Handicap (GII) for older fillies and mares on Thanksgiving Day and the pair of Grade II stakes events for 2-year-olds set for “Stars of Tomorrow II” on Saturday, Nov. 26: the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club and its counterpart for fillies, the $150,000-added Golden Rod.

The 21-day Fall Meet at Churchill Downs will close on Sunday, Nov. 27.

Flat Out (sixth) and Ruler On Ice (third) join Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Headache and Robert LaPenta’s Ice Box as Clark nominees that competed in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) won by WinStar Farm’s Drosselmeyer.  Prior to his Breeders’ Cup run, Headache won the Hawthorne Gold Cup (GII) and Prairie Meadows Cornhusker (GIII) for trainer Mike Maker.  Ice Box was the runner-up to Super Saver in the 2010 Kentucky Derby and won the 2010 Florida Derby (GI) for Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito.

Zayat Stables LLC’s  Prayer for Relief, who was entered in the Classic by trainer Bob Baffert but scratched the following day, was also made eligible for the Clark  The 3-year-old son of Jump Start enjoyed a successful summer with wins in the Super Derby (GII), West Virginia Derby (GII) and Iowa Derby (GIII).

The Clark nominees also include the top four finishers in the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon (GII) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5.  Kasey K Racing Stable’s Afleet Again, the upset winner; Preston Stables’ Birdrun, the Marathon runner-up and winner of the Brooklyn (GII); third-place Giant Oak, the defending Clark champ and winner of the Donn (GI) at Gulfstream Park; and the Ramseys’ Pleasant Prince, fourth in the Marathon after setting the pace for trainer Wesley Ward, could meet again in the Clark.

Trainer Charlie Lopresti’s versatile Wise Dan would enter the Clark off an impressive four-length romp over Keeneland’s synthetic Polytrack in the Fayette, a race that has been a key prep for the Clark in recent years.  Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s Blame took both races as a 3-year-old in 2009 and returned to Churchill Downs in 2010 to defeat previously unbeaten Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and earn an Eclipse Award as America’s top older horse.  Last year’s Fayette winner was Successful Dan, a stablemate of Wise Dan who finished first in the Clark for Fink and Lopresti, but was disqualified for interference in the stretch and Giant Oak was elevated to victory in the stewards’ decision.

Other notables among the 25 3-year-olds and up nominated to the Clark Handicap include the Tom McCarthy-owned and trained General Quarters, winner of the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs and Keeneland’s Toyota Blue Grass (GI) on Polytrack; Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Dream Team One Racing Stable’s Mucho Macho Man, third to Animal Kingdom in the 2011 Kentucky Derby and an easy winner in a return to competition in a recent allowance race at Aqueduct; Twin Creeks Racing Stable’s Mission Impazible, a close runner-up to Pool Play in the 2011 Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI) at Churchill Downs;  Thomas and Jack Conway’s Stately Victor, winner of the 2010 Toyota Blue Grass and fifth to St. Nicholas Abbey in the recent Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (GI); Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Tapizar, the 3-year-old winner of the Robert B Lewis (GII) at Santa Anita and fifth to Caleb’s Posse in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI); and the Dodson Skaggs-owned and trained Future Prospect, winner of the Kentucky Cup Classic (GII) on Polytrack at Turfway Park.

Other possible Clark contenders include Lothenbach Stables’ Mister Marti Gras and Bourque Goldstein Thoroughbreds’ Alma D’Oro, the 1-2 finishers in this year’s Grade III Ack Ack at Churchill Downs; Amerman Racing Stables’ Demarcation, winner of the 2009 Ack Ack who has competed in the last two renewals of the Clark; Pattons Creek Farm’s Will’s Wildcat, winner of the Jimmy V here on Nov. 4; and WinStar Farm’s Rule, third to Havre de Grace and Flat Out in the Woodward (GI) at Saratoga.

The fillies and mares nominated for the 96^th running of the 1 1/8 Falls City Handicap are headed by Dundalk 5 LLC’s defending champion Dundalk Dust; Mrs. Yoshio Fujita’s versatile Ravi’s Song, winner of Fair Grounds’ New Orleans Ladies and Pelleteri Handicap and runner-up in three consecutive graded stakes races on turf; and the improving 3-year-old Juanita, winner of the Indiana Oaks (GII) for trainer Mike Maker.

Other Falls City nominees include the Bill Mott-trained Arena Elvira, winner of the Turnback the Alarm (GIII) at Aqueduct; Super Espresso, seventh to Royal Delta in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (GI); and Kentucky Cup Distaff (GIII) runner-up Bella Medaglia, who was scratched from the Ladies Classic.

Kendall Hansen and Sky Chai Racing’s Hansen, the winner of the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) who provided Churchill Downs-based trainer Mike Maker with his first Breeders’ Cup victory, tops a group of 28 2-year-olds nominated to the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club.

Other nominees include Lantern Hill Farm’s Motor City, winner of the opening day Iroquois (GIII) at Churchill Downs for trainer Ian Wilkes; Bluegrass Hall LLC’s Optimizer, eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile but a closing third prior to that for trainer D. Wayne Lukas in the Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland; Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Sabercat, winner of the Garden State at Monmouth for trainer Steve Asmussen and a late scratch from the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile; and My Meadowview Farm’s Stephanoatsee, a half-brother to Preakness (GI) winner Shackleford who won a recent maiden race at Laurel Park for trainer Graham Motion.

Anita McCauley’s homebred On Fire Baby, a late-running winner on the Fall Meet’s opening over a strong field in the $150,000-added Pocahontas (GII) at a mile, heads 24 2-year-old fillies nominated to the 68^th running of the 1 1/16-mile Golden Rod.

The daughter of Smoke Glacken has won 2-of-3 races for veteran trainer Gary Hartlage and jockey Joe Johnson.

Others 2-year-old fillies made eligible for the Golden Rod include Stonestreet Stable’s Glinda the Good, third in the Iroquois for trainer Steve Asmussen; John C. Oxley’s Spirited Miss, a narrowly beaten favorite for trainer Mark Casse in the Mazarine (GIII) on Polytrack at Woodbine; Glen Hill Farm’s Customer Base, 11^th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) won by Stephanie’s Kitten; Alex Campbell Jr.’s Karlovy Vary, a winner at Keeneland for trainer Rusty Arnold who failed to draw in from the list of also-eligibles for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf; and Debby Oxley’s Sweet Seventeen, an unbeaten daughter of Hard Spun trained by Graham Motion.

ATTFIELD SHIPS IN SMART STING FOR MRS. REVERE BID – Smart Sting, who dominated the field in the Selene (Grade III) at Woodbine in her most recent start, has shipped into Louisville for a bid in Saturday’s 21^st running of the $175,000-added Mrs. Revere (GII) for trainer Roger Attfield.

Stronach Stable’s Smart Sting, who will break from post six under John Velazquez, beat a competitive field in the Selene, including Inglorious, who beat the boys in the $1 million Queen’s Plate.

"She’s doing very well and ran a great race last time,” Attfield said. “She’s developing into the kind of filly we always thought she would be.”

The Mrs. Revere, which will be run at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course at Churchill Downs, will be the second start on the grass beneath the Twin Spires for the 3-year-old daughter of Smart Strike. Smart Sting ran third to Diva Ash as the 2-1 favorite in the Edgewood on the Kentucky Oaks Day undercard.

“She’s a different horse now then she was that day,” Attfield said. “She has continued to develop and improve.”

Attfield chose the Mrs. Revere as the next spot for Smart Sting for the same reason as many of the other trainers in the field: to keep her against her age group.

“This race made a lot of sense and we get to give her one more shot against 3-year-olds,” Attfield said. “She’s improving and I think she’ll be even better at ages four and five.”

While Smart Sting does avoid older fillies and mares in the Mrs. Revere, the race is anything but an easy spot. The field includes graded stakes winners Hungry Island, Bizzy Caroline, Groupie Doll, New Normal and Marketing Mix and stakes winners Trac N Jam, Tourmaline and Louvakhova.

“It looks like a very tough race, but that’s what good races are supposed to look like, right?” Attfield said.

The Mrs. Revere will be the ninth race on Saturday’s 10-race card. Post time for the first race is 12:40 p.m. (all times EST) with the Mrs. Revere scheduled for 4:37 p.m.

GUAM TYPHOON RETURNS TO HIS FAVORITE TRACK SATURDAY – Guam Typhoon, a four-time winner beneath the Twin Spires, will return to the Louisville track in a very tough allowance/optional claiming race Saturday that includes graded-stakes winner Riley Tucker.

“He (Guam Typhoon)’s got some back class to him and can really run,” trainer Ian Wilkes said. “He beat (Champion Older Horse) Blame here (Churchill Downs) as a 3-year-old and (Grade I winner) Here Comes Ben when he broke his maiden.”   SIGI Racing’s Guam Typhoon, who will break from post two under leading-rider Julien Leparoux, will enter Saturday’s third race off a ¾-length victory in an allowance/optional claiming race at Hoosier Park in September. It was the first race for the 5-year-old gelded son of Distorted Humor since February.

“He just needed some time to get over a few minor issues, but it was nothing serious,” Wilkes said. “He came back and ran really well at Hoosier and I was going to run him back in another race there, but the track came up sloppy and I scratched him. He doesn’t want to run on Polytrack, so we didn’t bring him to Keeneland.”

Guam Typhoon’s main rival could be Zayat Stables LLC’s Riley Tucker, a six-time winner with earnings of $588,094. Riley Tucker’s biggest victory came in the Aristides (GIII) at Churchill Downs in 2010. The 6-year-old son of Harlan’s Holiday will break from post three under Corey Nakatani.

“It’s not an easy spot for him, but we’ll see how it goes,” Wilkes said. “He likes this track and I think he’ll run well. We’ll see where he takes us.”

Another stakes winner in the field is Thomas Galvin’s Su Casa G Casa, who has not raced since winning the Premier Night Prince at Delta Downs in February. The 3-year-old Louisiana-bred son of During has a record of 4-3-0 from seven career starts with earnings of $270,800. He will be ridden by Miguel Mena and break from post four.

Post time for Saturday’s third race is 1:37 p.m.

BARN TALK – Rosemary Homeister Jr., the second all-time leading female rider in North America with 2,438 victories, recorded her first win since Feb. 6 in Thursday’s second race at Churchill Downs aboard Eden Star. Homeister Jr., who gave birth to a daughter on Aug. 21, has ridden 17 winners in her career at the Louisville track. …

Happy 59^th birthday to trainer Jimmy Baker, who got an early birthday present last Friday when Will’s Wildcat won the Jimmy V. “Don’t Give Up…Don’t Ever Give Up!” on the Breeders’ Cup Friday undercard. It was the fourth stakes win at Churchill Downs for Baker, whose biggest victory beneath the Twin Spires came in the Churchill Downs (Grade II) with Elite Squadron in 2008.

WORKTAB – Priscilla Vaccarezza’s Little Mike, winner of three Grade III races at Gulfstream Park this year, breezed three furlongs over the fast main track at Churchill Downs in :38.80 for trainer Dale Romans. The 4-year-old gelded son of Spanish Steps has not raced since winning the Emirates Airline Appleton Stakes (GIII) on April 3. …

Beat the Blues, a 4-year-old stakes-winning daughter of Great Pyramid-IRE, breezed four furlongs on the main track in :49.40 for trainer Bret Calhoun. The work was the seventh fastest of 46 at the distance.

Avalon Farms’ Buckleupbuttercup got up in the final strides to win the 26^th running of the $167,400 Chilukki (Grade II) for fillies and mares by a head over May Day Rose to complete Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships day card at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Eddie Kenneally and ridden by Javier Castellano, Buckleupbuttercup ran the mile on a fast main track in 1:37.03.

A 4-year-old homebred daughter of Najran out of the Conquistador Cielo mare Golden Borders, Buckleupbuttercup remained perfect in four starts at Churchill Downs, a run that includes a victory in the Eight Belles (GIII) in 2010.

The victory was worth $99,638 and increased Buckleupbuttercup’s bankroll to $334,629 with a record of 15-7-3-1.

Buckleupbuttercup returned $10.60, $5.20 and $3.60. May Day Rose, ridden by Martin Garcia, returned $4.80 and $3.60 with Maristar finishing a length back in third under Rajiv Maragh and paying $3.20.

Persuading finished fourth another half-length back and was followed in order by Ailalea, Absinthe Minded, Freedom Star and Anunciata (PER).

Earlier on the card, Craig Singer’s Salty Strike cruised to a four-length victory over favored Dancinginherdreams in the second running of the $87,700 Dream Supreme for 3-year-old fillies.

Salty Strike, a homebred daughter of Smart Strike out of the Salt Lake mare Lake Huron, covered the six furlongs on a main track rated as good in 1:10.10. It was the second Churchill Downs stakes victory for Salty Strike, who had won the Dogwood (GIII) here in June.

The victory was worth $52,201 and increased Salty Strike’s earnings to $219,145 with a record of 11-4-1-1 with all four victories coming at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Ken McPeek and ridden by Edgar Prado, Salty Strike returned $6.60, $3.40 and $3. Dancinginherdreams, ridden by Julien Leparoux, returned $2.80 and $2.40 with Garnet Crystals, ridden by Castellano, paying $5 to show.

Racing continues Sunday with an 11-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m. (ET). Highlighting the card will be the 26^th running of the Cardinal Handicap (GIII) for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course. Post time for the Cardinal, the 10^th race on the program, is 5:15 p.m.

Lothenbach Stables’ Mister Marti Gras rallied in deep stretch to overtake Alma d’Oro to win the 19^th running of the $109,700 Ack Ack Handicap (Grade III) for 3-year-olds and up by a half-length.

Trained by Chris Block and ridden by Julien Leparoux, Mister Marti Gras raced near the back of the seven-horse field as Gladding led the field through fractions of :25.53, :51.03 and 1:15.25 on a muddy main track.

Turning for home, Glenwood Canyon got first run at Gladding with Alma d’Oro charging three wide and Mister Martin Gras four wide. At the eighth pole, Alma d’Oro assumed command, but was unable to hold off Mister Marti Gras, who completed the 1 1/16 miles on a muddy main track in 1:45.68.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Belong to Me out of the Cure the Blues mare Miss Marta, Mister Marti Gras earned $66,654 with the victory and improved his bankroll to $508,650 with a record of 19-6-5-1.

Mister Marti Gras, carrying 116 pounds, returned $7.80, $4 and $2.80. Alma d’Oro (116), ridden by John Velazquez, returned $6.60 and $4 in finishing a length ahead of Glenwood Canyon (117), who paid $2.60 to show under Robby Albarado.

Gladding was another 1 ¼ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Demarcation, Equestrio and Nacho Friend.

In the race following the Ack Ack, Pattons Creek Farm’s Will’s Wildcat went wire to wire to win the second running of the $85,000 The Jimmy V. Don’t Give Up … Don’t Ever Give Up! for 3-year-olds by 1 ¾ lengths over Wine Police.

Ridden by Calvin Borel and trained by Jim Baker, Will’s Wildcat, a Kentucky-bred son of Eurosilver out of the Forest Wildcat mare Wildcat Lady, covered the six furlongs on the main track in 1:09.44. The victory was worth $51,000 and improved Will’s Wildcat’s bankroll to $136,621 with a record of 12-3-1-1.

Will’s Wildcat returned $13.20, $6 and $4.20. Wine Police, ridden by Leparoux, returned $3.80 and $2.80 with Uncle Brent rallying for third under Kent Desormeaux to finish another length back and pay $4.60 to show.

Racing continues Saturday with the second day of the 28^th Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The 12-race program that begins at 12:05 p.m. (ET) features nine championship races highlighted by the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) scheduled for 7 p.m.

ACK ACK QUOTES

 

Chris Block, trainer of Mister Marti Gras (winner) – “He (Mister Marti Gras) ran really well. I was a little concerned about the track because he’s never run over a surface like this (muddy), but he’s handled every track he’s been on. I was also worried about the slow fractions and didn’t know if he’d be able to close into that. With the way the race set up it was a big effort. Assuming he comes out of the race well, we’ll think about going to the Clark (Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 25).”

 

Julien Leparoux, jockey of Mister Marti Gras (winner) – “He (Mister Marti Gras) was very relaxed through the first part of the race and then he finished up really well. It took him awhile to go by the horses, but once he got going I was pretty confident he was going to go by.”

 

Lothenbach Stables’ Mister Marti Gras rallied in deep stretch to overtake Alma d’Oro to win the 19^th running of the $109,700 Ack Ack Handicap (Grade III) for 3-year-olds and up by a half-length.

Trained by Chris Block and ridden by Julien Leparoux, Mister Marti Gras raced near the back of the seven-horse field as Gladding

Frank Jones Jr.’s  Tapitsfly, winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita, will carry top weight of 117 pounds Sunday when she faces six rivals in the 38^th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (Grade III) for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

The Cardinal, won last year by Askbut I Won’ttell, will go as the 10th race on Sunday’s 11-race program with a 5:15 p.m. EDT post time. Post time for the first race on the Sunday program that closes out Breeders’ Cup weekend at the track is 12:40 p.m.

Trained by Dale Romans, Tapitsfly has run twice on the Matt Winn Turf Course in her career with her best finish coming in this spring’s Early Times Mint Julep (GIII) when she finished a neck behind My Baby Baby and Cardinal rival Ravi’s Song. Robby Albarado has the mount on Tapitsfly, who will break from post position five.

Mrs. Yoshio Fujita’s Ravi’s Song is the next high weight at 116 pounds. Trained by Carl Bowman, Ravi’s Song followed up her Mint Julep runner-up finish with a second-place finish in the Matchmaker (GIII) at Monmouth Park. Corey Lanerie has the mount on Ravi’s Song, who will break from post position three.

An intriguing member of the Cardinal field is Juddmonte Farms’ Deluxe, trained by Bill Mott. The 4-year-old Storm Cat filly is a daughter of Hasili, who has produced five Group or Grade I winners including Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winners Banks Hill and Intercontinental.

Deluxe, winless in two U.S. starts, will carry 115 pounds and break from post position six under Julien Leparoux.

The Cardinald field, from the rail out, includes: A She’s Adorable (Brian Hernandez Jr., 115 pounds), Distorted Love (Miguel Mena, 114), Ravi’s Song (Lanerie, 116), Kiss Mine (Edgar Prado, 114), Tapitsfly (Albarado, 117), Deluxe (Leparoux, 116) and Mutually Benefit (Mark Guidry, 114).

Grade III Churchill Downs stakes winners Ailalea and Buckleupbuttercup head a field of nine fillies and mares entered Monday for Saturday’s 26^th running of the $150,000-added Chilukki (Grade II) at a mile on the main track.

The Chilukki will go as the final race on Saturday’s 12-race card that features nine Breeders’ Cup World Championship races. First post time is 12:05 p.m. EDT with the Chilukki scheduled for 7:40 p.m.

Starlight Partners’ Ailalea, trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Dogwood at Churchill Downs last year after running fifth in the Kentucky Oaks (GI). John Velazquez will have the mount on Ailalea, who will break from post position four.

Avalon Farms’ Buckleupbuttercup, winner of the Eight Belles last year, is undefeated in three starts at Churchill Downs. Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Buckleupbuttercup will break from post position three under Javier Castellano.

The field for the Chilukki, from the rail out, is as follows: Absinthe Minded (Robby Albarado, 120 pounds), Freedom Star (Julien Leparoux, 120), Buckleupbuttercup (Castellano, 120), Ailalea (Velazquez, 120), Maristar (Rajiv Maragh, 120), Lacie Slew (Paco Lopez, 120), Persuading (Rafael Bejarano, 120), Anunciata (PER) (Ramon Dominguez, 120) and May Day Rose (Martin Garcia, 117).

Saturday’s second race will be the second running of the $85,000-added Dream Supreme overnights stakes for 3-year-old fillies going six furlongs on the main track. Post time for the Dream Supreme is 12:35 p.m.

Craig Singer’s Salty Strike, winner of the Dogwood (GIII) this summer, and John Oxley’s Dancinginherdreams, runaway winner of last fall’s Pocahontas (GII), head the field of nine.

The field for the Dream Supreme, from the rail out, is as follows: Grandacious (Jamie Theriot, 118 pounds), Lady Giacomo (Garrett Gomez, 118), Dancinginherdreams (Julien Leparoux, 118), Ridgester (Jon Court, 118), Just Louise (Robby Albarado, 118), Garnet Crystals (Javier Castellano, 118), Miss Dora (Roberto Morales, 118), Salty Strike (Mike Smith, 123) and Splendor Town (Victor Lebron, 118).

C R K Stable’s Gladding, winner of the Grade II San Antonio Handicap at Santa Anita in February, will carry top weight of 117 pounds and concede from 1-2 pounds to six rivals Friday in the 19^th running of the $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap (GIII).

The Ack Ack, run at 1 1/16 miles on the main track for 3-year-olds and up, will be the third race on Friday’s 10-race card that features six Breeders’ Cup World Championship races. The Ack Ack is scheduled for 3 p.m. EDT with first post time on the card at 2 p.m.

Trained by John Sadler, Gladding has not started since finishing second in the Texas Mile (GIII) at Lone Star Park in April. The 4-year-old son of 2002 Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Sarava, Gladding has put in a steady stream of works at Santa Anita with the most recent being Saturday, a seven-furlong move in 1:25.60.

Rafael Bejarano has the call on Gladding, who will break from post position three.

Among the horses carrying 116 pounds is Amerman Racing Stables’ Demarcation, winner of the 2009 Ack Ack and runner-up in last year’s race to Apart. Joel Rosario has the mount on Demarcation, who will break from post position six.

The field for the Ack Ack, from the rail out, is as follows: Nacho Friend (Garrett Gomez, 115 pounds), Alma d’Oro (John Velazquez, 116), Gladding (Bejarano, 117), Mister Marti Gras (Julien Leparoux, 116), Glenwood Canyon (Robby Albarado, 116), Demarcation (Rosario, 116) and Equestrio (Corey Nakatani, 115).

The race after the Ack Ack will be the second running of the $85,000-added The Jimmy V “Don’t Give Up … Don’t Ever Give Up” overnight stakes for 3-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track. Post time is 3:30 p.m.

Kirk and Judy Robison’s Wine Police, winner of the Distorted Humor in September at Saratoga and third in the Hopeful (GI) last year, heads a field of 11. Julien Leparoux has the mount on Wine Police, who will break from post position 11.

The field for the Jimmy V, from the rail out, is as follows: Will’s Wildcat (Calvin Borel, 118 pounds), Uncle Brent (Kent Desormeaux, 118), Matthewsburg (Mike Smith, 123), Cornpiper (Corey Nakatani, 118), Southern Dude (Jesus Castanon, 118), Free Entry (Rafael Bejarano, 118), Derivative (Jon Court, 118), Artefacto (Fernando Jara, 118), Doinmysongndance (Jamie Theriot, 118), Fast Bullet (Martin Garcia, 118) and Wine Police (Leparoux, 118).

Another busy morning for the Todd Pletcher barn at Churchill Downs was headlined by two five-furlong workouts Sunday from Mike Repole’s duo of Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty in preparation for Saturday’s Grade I, $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Working shortly after the renovation break, Uncle Mo breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 on a fast track and recorded fractions of :12.80, :24.80, :36.60 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.40 under John Velazquez, who was quite impressed with the 3-year-old son of Indian Charlie.

"The key was to get a steady work, finish well and gallop out well,” Velazquez said. “He went very good and it was exactly what we wanted and what we expected.”

Uncle Mo, who missed this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) with a liver ailment, returned to top form with a narrow defeat in the King’s Bishop (GI) and a dominating performance in the Kelso Handicap (GII). Pletcher was pleased with Uncle Mo’s work and believes he is coming up to another big race.

“The workout was perfect,” Pletcher said. “He went nice and steady and had an excellent gallop out. We have him coming into the race as well as he can be and there isn’t a horse on the grounds that looks as good as he does.”

One major question surrounding Uncle Mo is whether he will handle the 1 ¼-mile distance of the Classic, but Pletcher sees no reason last year’s 2-year-old champion would struggle going longer in Saturday’s race than he has before.

“He’s done nothing to indicate that he can’t get the distance, but until he does it you don’t know for sure,” Pletcher said. “But he’s coming into the race well and he’s the most talented horse in the field coming into the race.”

Working shortly after Uncle Mo was Stay Thirsty, who worked in company with Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) hopeful Rule. Under Javier Castellano, Stay Thirsty breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60 and recorded fractions of :24.20, :35.80 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.20.

“I thought Stay Thirsty also went very well,” Pletcher said. “He went a little bit faster than Uncle Mo, but I thought they both looked excellent.”

Castellano, who rode Stay Thirsty to victory in Jim Dandy (GII) and Travers (GI) at Saratoga this summer, was pleased with the work.

“It was a very good, consistent work,” Castellano said. “He handled the track really well and pulled me the whole way.”

Rule, who started two lengths in front of Stay Thirsty, was credited with a five-furlong time of 1:01.20.

“His (Rule) work was OK,” Pletcher said. “As some horses mature they begin to know the difference between the mornings and the afternoons and he’s getting wise to it. So, the work wasn’t exceptional.”

The first Breeders’ Cup horse to work for Pletcher on Sunday was Dogwood Stable’s Aikenite, who worked in company with Shared Heart prior to the renovation break. Aikenite and Shared Heart started even and finished even through a four-furlong breeze in :47.80 and recorded fractions of :12.20, :23.80, :35.80 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.

Aikenite is pre-entered in the Dirt Mile and the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI), with first preference in the Sprint.

The final Breeders’ Cup hopefuls to work from the Pletcher barn Sunday were WinStar Farm and Rubio B. Stable’s Sidney’s Candy and Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor’s Finale, who breezed four furlongs on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course.

Sidney’s Candy, who will enter the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI), started and finished a length ahead of Finale (GII Juvenile Turf) and both were credited with a time of :49.80. The two recorded fractions of :13.60, :26.80 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.20.

“Sidney’s Candy worked exceptionally well,” Pletcher said. “He handled the course well and finished well. He’s coming into the race great, very settled and relaxed.

“Finale worked great and went very well for a 2-year-old working with a horse like Sidney’s Candy.”

FLAT OUT’S BULLET WORK LEAVES DICKEY FLAT-OUT PLEASED – Preston Stables LLC’s Flat Out showed his readiness for next Saturday’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) by working a bullet half-mile in :46.60  on Sunday morning with jockey Greta Kuntzweiler aboard.

Fractions for the work accomplished shortly after 7 o’clock over a fast track were :12.20, :23.80, :35.20 and out five furlongs in :58.80 and six furlongs in 1:12.40. The half-mile time was the best of 58 for the morning.

“I’m flat-out pleased,” trainer Scooter Dickey said with a laugh. “I told Greta to let him do what he wants to do, then cluck to him at the eighth pole and have him gallop out strong. We’re ready.”

Dickey said that Flat Out would gallop up to the Classic with jockey Alex Solis slated to get aboard for Friday morning’s activity. Solis has ridden Flat Out in his past four starts resulting in victories in the Suburban (GII) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) and runner-up finishes in the Whitney Invitational Handicap (GI) and Woodward (GI).

Sunday’s work was the second bullet move at Churchill Downs for Flat Out since winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup at the Breeders’ Cup Classic distance of 1 ¼ miles. Flat Out has run twice here, finishing sixth both times.

“He had a bad trip the first time he ran here when he was a 2-year-old,” Dickey said. “In the Stephen Foster (Handicap), that was not a bad race. He was trapped down on the inside and couldn’t get out. All the others (that finished in front of him) came down the middle of the track. He made a good move, but the rail was dead that day.”

HAVRE DE GRACE TO HAVE FINAL CLASSIC WORKOUT MONDAY MORNING – Fox Hill Farms Inc.’s Havre de Grace, who arrived at Churchill Downs from Keeneland on Saturday afternoon, galloped on the main track under trainer Larry Jones after the renovation break Sunday morning and is scheduled for a five-furlong work Monday morning after the break with Gabriel Saez to ride.

Havre de Grace, who was pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic as well as the Classic, will be entered in the Classic on Monday according to Jones.

“We have had time to look at the weather and it doesn’t look like this weekend will be like Belmont yesterday,” Jones said, referring to the heavy snow that forced Belmont to cancel its program after three races Saturday.

Jones and owner Rick Porter had pre-entered the Ladies’ Classic as a backup in case Havre de Grace drew the one hole for the Classic, but Jones is not worried about a possible such draw.

“A lot of emphasis is placed on the (Kentucky) Derby with where the gate is,” Jones said. “With a 20-horse field, they use a second gate and the one and two spots are squeezed in toward the rail. With just one gate (for the Classic), the gate is moved out a bit from the rail and the one hole is more like the three.”

The 4-year-old daughter of Saint Liam has won five of six starts in 2011 with her lone loss coming by a nose in the Delaware Handicap (GII) at 1 ¼ miles. After the Classic, there may be more to come in 2012.

“Rick has every intention of running her in 2012,” Jones said. “At the start of the year, we wanted to get her in position for Horse of the Year because we felt like she had a shot. I have had some fast fillies, but she is just special.”

Winner of the Beldame Invitational (GI) on Oct. 1 by 8 ¼ lengths in her most recent start, Havre de Grace had her last work at Keeneland on Oct. 24, a five-furlong move in :58.60.

"She is doing really well and acting like she is feeling better than she ever has in the past two weeks,” Jones said. “I don’t know if it is the cooler weather, but she is very lively and acts like she is ready to do something.”

MOTT SMILES AS ROYAL DELTA DAZZLES, TO HONOR AND SERVE DRILLS  – Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott’s good weekend continued Sunday with strong works by Breeders’ Cup World Championships contenders Royal Delta (Ladies Classic) and To Honor and Serve (Classic).

Palides Investments’ Royal Delta, winner of the Alabama (GI) and runner-up to Classic contender Havre de Grace in the Beldame (GI), produced Mott’s biggest smile as she worked four furlongs in :47.80 under exercise rider Rudolph Brisset.  The 3-year-old daughter of Empire Maker was caught in fractional splits of 12:80, :25, :36.20 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.40 and six furlongs in 1:14.40.

“If you didn’t like that, you don’t like training horses,” Mott said.  “That’s what you’re looking for.  You just dream of getting up in the morning and coming out and seeing something like that.  She went great.”

“The majority of a trainer’s job is to just to try to not do anything foolish and keep the horse out of trouble.  It just makes you feel good when you see them go well and everything went right.  I feel good about it and I feel good about the way she’s doing.”

After his glowing comments about Royal Delta, the Courier-Journal’s Jennie Rees told Mott that trainer J. Larry Jones had confirmed a short time earlier that Fox Hill Farm’s Woodward (GI) and Beldame winner Havre de Grace – a leading candidate for horse of the year – would be entered Monday only for a run against males in Saturday’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

That elicited another grin from the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs.

“Hey, I think they made a great move,” Mott said with a chuckle.

The work by Royal Delta ranked tied the fifth-fastest of 58 moves at the distance.

Mott was also very happy with the move by Live Oak Plantation’s To Honor and Serve, who is coming off an impressive victory in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (GII) at Philadelphia’s Parx Racing.

The son of Bernardini breezed five furlongs under Brisset in 1:00.40.  To Honor and Serve carved out fractions of :12.80, :24.60, :36.80 and :48.40.  He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80 and 1:29.20 after his third work since his arrival at Churchill Downs better than three weeks ago.

“It was very smooth,” Mott said.  “It was very professional about everything.  I thought it was a better work than it was last week.  We let him go off a little quicker today, so ultimately it was a little bit of a faster work.  The gallop-out was very good and I thought everything worked out very well.”

The move ranked as the fourth-fastest of 33 at the distance.

To Honor and Serve started 2011 as a major contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), but was knocked off the springtime road to Churchill Downs by disappointing runs in the Fountain of Youth (GII) and Florida Derby (GIII) at Gulfstream Park and a minor physical problem.  The colt returned to competition in early August with a sixth-place run behind Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GII) candidate Caleb’s Posse in the 6 ½ furlong Amsterdam (GII) at Saratoga, then reeled off  sparkling wins in a Saratoga allowance race and the Pennsylvania Derby, both run at 1 1/8 miles.

“We were just unable to come into the (Kentucky) Derby and train him the way we wanted to,” Mott said.  “I guess it’s to his advantage now that he had the time and it looks like he’s come back well and he’s coming off two real good races.  So hopefully he’s coming into this in good order and the timing is right.”

Royal Delta and To Honor and Serve are members of a group of five horses that make up Mott’s 2011 Breeders’ Cup team.  Drosselmeyer, winner of the 2010 Belmont Stakes and another Classic hope, and Birdrun, who is bound for the Marathon, worked Saturday.

Mott plans to worked Pam and Martin Wygod and William S. Farish’s Courageous Cat, a contender for the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile, on the Matt Winn Turf Course on Monday.  The son of Storm Cat galloped over the main track early Sunday.

Courageous Cat won this year’s Shoemaker Mile (GI) at Hollywood Park and was runner-up to Goldikova in the 2009 Mile at Santa Anita.

SWITCH WORKS FIVE FURLONGS; CONFIRMED FOR FILLY & MARE SPRINT – C R K Stable’s Switch, who was pre-entered in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) as well as the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI), worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 under exercise rider Edwin Orozco after the renovation break.

Fractions for the work, which was the second fastest of 33 at the distance, were :12, :24, :36 and out six furlongs in 1:14.20.

“I was happy with the work,” trainer John Sadler said of the breeze. “She is probably working better than last year when she ran in the (Filly & Mare) Sprint. That’s the race she will be entered in Monday.”

Switch, who has worked twice here since finishing third in the Thoroughbred Club of America (GII) at Keeneland on Oct. 8, ran second to Dubai Majesty in last year’s Filly & Mare Sprint.

BARN TALK – One of the first workers Sunday morning was Jerry Jamgotchian’s Satans Quick Chick, who covered a half-mile in :49, the 20^th fastest of 58 at the distance. Pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (GI), Satans Quick Chick reeled off fractions of :12, :23.80, :36.60 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.

“I didn’t want her to do too much, just stretch her legs,” trainer Eric Reed said.

In the saddle for the work was jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr. Homeister, who was the fourth-leading rider at Churchill Downs last fall with 16 victories, gave birth to a baby girl, Victoria Rose, on Aug. 21.

“I was in the gym the following week and hired a trainer,” said Homeister, who began getting on horses for Reed at the Thoroughbred Training Center and Keeneland in Lexington about a month ago. “It’s great to be fit again.”

Homeister will ride her first race back for Reed on Thursday at Woodbine and plans to ride horses for Reed during the 21-day Fall Meet that begins this afternoon and then go to Tampa Bay Downs for the winter.

WORK TAB – Other Breeders’ Cup pre-entrants working before the break were Silverton Hill’s Havelock (Turf Sprint): four furlongs in :49.60 (32^nd best of 58 at the distance) under Chase Miller with fractions of :12.80, :25.40 and out five furlongs in 1:02.60; Myron Miller’s Ask the Moon (Ladies’ Classic): four furlongs in :50.20 (44^th fastest of 58) with fractions of :12.40, :24.40 and out five furlongs in 1:04; and Cathy and Bob Zollars’ Daddy Nose Best (Juvenile Turf): four furlongs in :50.20 (44^th of 58) with fractions of :13, :25.40, :37.80 and out five furlongs in 1:05.20. …

Working after the break were Chuck and Maribeth Sandford and Secure Investment’s Take Charge Indy (Grey Goose Juvenile): four furlongs in :48.20 (ninth of 58) with fractions of :11.80 and :35.20 with James Graham up; Kaleem Shah’s Irrefutable (Dirt Mile): four furlongs in :47.60 (third of 58) with fractions of :12, :23.80 and out five furlongs in 1:00.80 with Dana Barnes up; Don McNeill and Everett Dobson’s Caleb’s Posse (Sentient Jet Sprint or Dirt Mile): four furlongs in :48.20 (ninth of 58) with fractions of :12.60, :24.40, :36.20 and out five furlongs in 1:02.60; and William Cox’s Ann of the Dance (Juvenile Fillies Turf): four furlongs in :50.80 (53^rd of 58) with fractions of :13.20, :25.60, :38 and out five furlongs in 1:04.20 and six furlongs in 1:18.20.

Working on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course were George Schmitt, Jason Cline and Charles Cline’s  Cambina (IRE) (Emirates Airline Filly & Mare Turf): four furlongs in :51.60 under Julien Leparoux with fractions of :13.80, :27.60 and out five furlongs in 1:05.80; Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Coalport (Juvenile Turf): five furlongs in 1:02.20 with fractions of :12.20, :24.40, :37.80 and out six furlongs in 1:18; Mark Samuel’s Grand Adventure (Turf Sprint): four furlongs in :50.20 with fractions of :13.40, :26.60, :38.40 and out five furlongs in 1:04; Richard and Elaine Klein’s Country Day (Turf Sprint): four furlongs in :49.80 with James Graham up with fractions of :13, :26.40, :38.20 and out five furlongs in 1:04.60; and, Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Holiday for Kitten (Turf Sprint): five furlongs in 1:03 with fractions of :13, :26.40, :39.40, :51.20 and out six furlongs in 1:17.80.

At the nearby Trackside Training Center, trainer Mike Maker worked five of his Breeders’ Cup pre-entrants over a fast track: Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Headache (Classic, five furlongs in 1:00.60, fourth best of 20 at the distance); Jack and Tom Conway’s Stately Victor (Marathon, five furlongs in 1:00.40, second best); Connie Apostelos’ Baryshnikov (Marathon, five furlongs in 1:00.60, fourth best); Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Gung Ho (Juvenile Turf, five furlongs in 1:00.20, best of 20); and Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Dean’s Kitten (Turf, five furlongs in 1:03.60, 17^th best).