Julien Leparoux

The only time five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Kenny Troutt’s WinStar Farm won the Kentucky Jockey Club with Super Saver, they won the Kentucky Derby the following spring. They hope to duplicate that feat again May 5 after their colt Gemologist wore down favorite 8-5 favorite Ever So Lucky in deep stretch to win the 85^th running of the $178,200 Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II) for 2-year-olds by 1 ¾ lengths on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Javier Castellano, Gemologist broke alertly and sat behind the pacesetter Ever So Lucky and 43-1 outsider Seve as the former led the field of 11 through fractions of :23.98, :47.49 and 1:12.62. On the far turn, Castellano dropped his hands and Gemologist raced three-wide to draw even with Ever So Lucky at the head of the long Churchill Downs stretch. The two matched strides to the sixteenth pole before Gemologist inched clear late for the victory in 1:44.46 for 1 1/16 miles over a “fast” track.

Timely Tally rallied late from the back of the pack to finish another neck back in third, a half-length in front of Optimizer. Atigun, Africanist, Cyber Secret, Saint Honore, Seve, Fine and Mr. Prankster completed the order of finish.

"He ran well,” Pletcher said. “He overcame an outside post, got a good trip and dug in when it counted.”

Gemologist, a Kentucky-bred son of 2001 Horse of the Year Tiznow out of the Mr. Prospector mare Crystal Shard, grabbed the $103,855 first prize and jumped his career earnings to $145,855. The bay colt is unbeaten in three starts. He broke his maiden by five lengths on Polytrack at Turfway Park in September and won a first-level allowance/optional claiming event at Churchill Downs on Oct. 30 by two lengths.

“I think it certainly helped to have a race over the track and to have that two-turn experience around there,” Pletcher said. “It always helps when you have some confidence that they’ve handled the surface already.”

Sent to post as the 3-1 second betting choice, Gemologist returned $8.60, $4 and $3.60. Ever So Lucky, piloted by Julien Leparoux, paid $3.60 and $3. Timely Tally, with Calvin Borel aboard, returned $4.20.

Five Kentucky Jockey Club winners won the Kentucky Derby the following spring: Reigh Count (1928), Clyde Van Dusen (1929), Twenty Grand (1931) Cannonade (1974) and Super Saver (2010). The 138^th running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands will be run in 23 weeks on Saturday, May 5, 2012.

“It’s always exciting when you have a good two-year-old turning three,” Pletcher said. “It kind of gives you something to look forward to when you head south for the winter. We’re always hoping to be back at Churchill in the spring.

“We’ll give him a little bit of a break off that and I’ll get with (WinStar President/CEO and Racing Manager) Elliott (Walden) and we’ll come up with a game plan. I’d say we’d try to follow a similar path (to Super Saver), hopefully two starts before the big race if things go well.”

Closing day of the 21-day Fall Meet is Sunday and Churchill Downs will offer free general admission to all patrons and a 2012 Churchill Downs Wall Calendar to the first 5,000 in attendance. The first of 11 races is 12:40 p.m. EST.

The race to be crowned leading trainer is tight. Mike Maker has a 15-14 lead over Steve Asmussen. Leparoux is five wins clear of Corey Lanerie, 32-27, for leading rider honors. Ken and Sarah Ramsey will be leading owners with a 12-5 lead over Billy, Donna and Justin Hays heading into closing day.

KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB QUOTES

Todd Pletcher (by telephone from New York), trainer of Gemologist (winner): “He ran well. He overcame an outside post, got a good trip and dug in when it counted.”

Q: Do you feel that two-turn race at Churchill Downs was an advantage? “I think it certainly helped to have a race over the track and to have that two-turn experience around there. It always helps when you have some confidence that they’ve handled the surface already.”

Q: Did Gemologist identify himself early as one that might be special? “He came to us during the Saratoga meet and each one of his works was progressively better. For a big horse that’s bred to go longer, he showed some natural speed. He’s just one of those horses that every time you breezed him he did everything right and just kind of kept getting better and better.”

Q: The last time you won this race with Super Saver in 2009 it worked out well for you the following spring in the Derby. Will you take a similar path in hopes of getting back to the Derby with Gemologist?

 “We’ll give him a little bit of a break off that and I’ll get with Elliott (WinStar President/CEO and Racing Manager Elliott Walden) and we’ll come up with a game plan. I’d say we’d try to follow a similar path, hopefully two starts before the big race if things go well.”

Q: You’ve won so many great races and trained so many nice horses. But when you have one like this that seems to have so much potential for next year, is it anything extra for you to win a race like this with a horse like this? “It’s always exciting when you have a good two-year-old turning three. It kind of gives you something to look forward to when you head south for the winter. We’re always hoping to be back at Churchill in the spring.”

Kenny Troutt, owner of WinStar Farm LLC, owner of Gemologist (winner): “What I saw in there was a horse get a lot of learning experience and still win a race. He had a little problem in the starting gate, but he broke well and relaxed. He went wide, but still won and looked like a very nice horse coming down the lane.”

Q. Have you already starting thinking of next year’s Kentucky Derby? “Everyone’s been talking about the Derby and it’s very exciting to get the ‘Derby fever.’ This race is a great stepping stone for us. I’ll leave everything else up to Elliot (Walden) and the trainer. But we’re very excited.”

Elliot Walden, President/CEO and Racing Manager of WinStar Farm LLC, owner of Gemologist (winner): “He (Gemologist) beat a very good field and a very good horse in the Indian Charlie colt (Ever So Lucky). He’ll get a little bit of a breather and then we’ll regroup and see where we go. I don’t know if he’ll come back to WinStar Farm (for the winter). We’ll have to figure that out.”

Mike McCarthy, assistant trainer to Todd Pletcher, trainer of Gemologist (winner): “The horse ran well. He ran like he trained. The race kind of unfolded like we thought it would. We thought (jockey) Julien (Leparoux)’s horse (Ever So Lucky) would go ahead and go (to the lead) coming off a short rest. It was a very professional effort from him (Gemologist) today.”

Javier Castellano, jockey on Gemologist (winner): “We had a beautiful trip. It was a dream trip. He’s a really nice horse. Today he was very professional. He sat behind the leaders and targeted the speed. He responded when I asked him. He did it the right way today. I’m very lucky to ride nice horses like him.”

Q. What happened in the gate before the race? “I think he just got a little anxious and he was ready to go. He reared up and hit the gate with his legs, but thank God he didn’t hit his head. He was very lucky.”

Jonathan Sheppard, trainer of Ever So Happy (runner-up): “We’re very happy. He ran very well. He’s still just a little bit green. He put up a good fight when that horse came to him and we were quite proud of him.”

Q: He’s shown a lot in a short time … “Exactly. The other horse has had two races, we’ve had one. I’m not sure how much difference that makes, but probably some I would think.”

Q: So you’re thinking about next spring and possibly the Kentucky Derby with this horse? “We’ll let him tell us. It would be fun to do if he looks like he wants to go that way. We’ll take him home and check him out and see.”

Julien Leparoux, jockey of Ever So Lucky (runner-up): “He ran big. He had that win going 6 ½ (furlongs) and it’s not easy to just come and run as good as he did. He’s a nice horse and we’re looking forward to next year with that one.”

Ian Wilkes, trainer of Timely Tally (third): Q: Calvin Borel said he was stopped on the far turn, but was thrilled with the way Timely Tally finished. Your thoughts? “That’s racing. We didn’t have the racing luck there. He was still last at the quarter pole and then he circles them at the quarter pole and gets beat by two lengths. I wouldn’t want to trade places with anyone going forward off this race. I just feel my horse is getting better. He’s improving with racing. And you know he likes the track here, so that’s a good sign.”

Q: Did you see the traffic problems he encountered on the far turn? “It was just that a hole never opened up. You know how Calvin (jockey Calvin Borel) loves the fence, but it just never opened up. If he had moved him 50 or 100 yards earlier, we’re the winner. But that’s hindsight. That’s part of the game. But otherwise, I was so happy. That was his first stakes race and the horse is just getting better and better. I’ve got to congratulate WinStar Farm. Their horse ran his race and he was the winner, but I do think my horse is improving.”

 

WISE DAN IN PERFECT SHAPE MORNING AFTER CLARK ‘CAP VICTORY – Mort Fink’s Wise Dan had an easy morning after his impressive 3 ¾-length victory in the 137^th running of Churchill Downs’ $572,500 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade I). The 4-year-old gelded son of Wiseman’s Ferry walked the shedrow and then grazed for an hour outside trainer Charlie Lopresti’s barn at Keeneland.

“He came out of the race in perfect shape,” Lopresti said. “He’s 100%.”

The Clark Handicap victory caps a phenomenal year for Wise Dan, who recorded stakes victories on turf, dirt and synthetic surfaces. Other than the Clark, he was also victorious in the Firecracker Handicap (GII), Presque Isle Mile and Fayette (GII), with the latter two on synthetic surfaces, Lopresti said Wise Dan would now get some well-deserved time off.

"We’ll let him wind down (at Keeneland) and then take him to our farm in Lexington,” Lopresti said. “He’ll have the whole month of December off and some of January and then we’ll start getting him ready for a 5-year-old campaign.”

While plans for Wise Dan’s first start next year are not definite, Lopresti does have a race in mind.

“He can run on any surface at different distances, so we have a lot of options with him,” Lopresti said. “Most likely we will bring him back in the Commonwealth (GII) at Keeneland like we did this year.”

Wise Dan won’t be the only talented horse racing from the Lopresti barn next year. Turallure, winner of the Woodbine Mile (GI) and second by a nose to Court Vision in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI), is expected to race next year, as is Successful Dan, Wise Dan’s older half-brother who missed 2011 with a tendon injury. Successful Dan was disqualified from first and placed third in last year’s Clark.

“Successful Dan is at our farm and gallops about five days a week,” Lopresti said. “We’ll keep doing that for awhile and then get more serious with him in January or February. Look for him in the spring.”

With so many top horses in the barn, Lopresti will be faced with the tough task of keeping them apart from each other during their 2012 campaigns; however, he is unsure if that will even be possible.

“I was able to keep Turallure and Wise Dan apart this year, but I don’t know if I can keep them all apart next year,” Lopresti said. “It’ll be tough and a couple of them may have to go in the same race. But this is a good problem to have. It’s been a dream year and if next year is half as good as this one, then I’ll be thrilled.”

LEPAROUX, MAKER LOOK TO HOLD MEET LEADS ENTERING FINAL DAYS – With just two days remaining in the Fall Meet, the races for leading jockey and leading trainer are still wide open. Entering Saturday’s action, Julien Leparoux, seeking his ninth riding title at the Louisville track, holds a 31-to-26 lead over Corey Lanerie, who is seeking his first Churchill Downs riding title, and Mike Maker, the leading trainer at the 2008 Fall Meet, is leading Steve Asmussen, a 10-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs, 15 to 12. Below is a rundown of entries for the top two in the jockey and trainer standings for the final two days of the 2011 Fall Meet.

Julien Leparoux, Saturday, Nov. 26

• Race 1, Casa de Cambio (5-1 on morning-line)
• Race 2, La Capella (6-1)
• Race 3, Brando (8-1)
• Race 4, Soft Whisper (3-1)
• Race 5, Swaythisway (3-1)
• Race 6, Wayward Sailor (3-1)
• Race 7, Tito (8-1)
• Race 8, Voodoo Daddy (2-1)
• Race 9, Customer Base (7-2)
• Race 10, Daddy Nose Best (5-2)
• Race 11, Ever So Lucky (5-2)
• Race 12, Big John B (3-1)

Julien Leparoux, Sunday, Nov. 27

• Race 1, Chyhyryn, (3-1)
• Race 2, Romans Reward (4-1)
• Race 3, Bluegrass Summer (5-2)
• Race 4, Biogio’s Gift (5-1)
• Race 6, Hillary D (5-1)
• Race 7, Woodford Lady (7-2)
• Race 8, Eyeseeyou (5-1)
• Race 10, Gutsy Call (7-2)

Corey Lanerie, Saturday, Nov. 26

• Race 1, Mr Saturday (12-1)
• Race 2, Audington (10-1)
• Race 3, Charlie in Charge (6-1)
• Race 4, Yorona (15-1)
• Race 5, Bluegrass Rumor (12-1)
• Race 6, Burning Fire (12-1)
• Race 7, Battle Hardened (8-1)
• Race 9, Glinda the Good (5-1)
• Race 10, Salvatore G (15-1)
• Race 11, Africanist (10-1)
• Race 12, King Kid (8-1)

Corey Lanerie, Sunday, Nov. 27

• Race 1, Minestone (5-2)
• Race 2, Winkatdawat (8-1)
• Race 4, Preach Easy (3-1)
• Race 5, Tend (5-1)
• Race 6, Four Point (12-1)
• Race 7, Miz Ida (5-1)
• Race 8, Paladin’s Fury (12-1)
• Race 9, Accesorize (12-1)
• Race 10, Joes Blazing Aaron (5-1)
• Race 11, Ocean Bertie (2-1)

Mike Maker, Saturday, Nov. 26

• Race 3, Stevie Jones (8-1)
• Race 6, Tizanexpense (15-1) and Wayward Sailor (3-1)
• Race 10, Magical Season (8-1)
• Race 11, Mr. Prankster (10-1)
• Race 12, Big John B (3-1)

Mike Maker, Sunday, Nov. 27

• Race 1, Chyhyryn (3-1)
• Race 4, Biogio’s Gift (5-1)
• Race 10, Twinspired (8-1)

Steve Asmussen, Saturday, Nov. 26

• Race 1, Goingoingone (6-1) and Casa de Cambio (5-1)
• Race 2, La Capella (6-1)
• Race 3, Brando (8-1)
• Race 5, Tapajo (4-1)
• Race 6, Power Emblem (7-2)
• Race 7, Tito (8-1)
• Race 8, Voodoo Dancer (2-1)
• Race 9, Glinda the Good (5-1)
• Race 10, Daddy Nose Best (5-2)

Steve Asmussen, Sunday, Nov. 27

• Race 6, Miss Chloe H. (9-2)
• Race 8, Eyeseeyou (5-1) and Hunterwood Point (6-1)
• Race 10, Joes Blazing Aaron (5-1)

CHURCHILL JOCKEYS MAKE PLANS FOLLOWING SPRING MEET – With the conclusion of the Fall Meet at Churchill Downs coming on Sunday, the leading jockeys at the Louisville track are preparing to move their tack elsewhere for the winter and most are heading for warmer climates.

Jockeys expected to ride at Fair Grounds: Corey Lanerie, Brian Hernandez Jr., Shaun Bridgmohan, Robby Albarado and Miguel Mena.

Jockeys expected to ride at Gulfstream Park: Julien Leparoux, Calvin Borel, Jesus Castanon, Edgar Prado and Kent Desormeaux.

Members of the Churchill Downs jockey colony who will not be riding at either Gulfstream Park or Fair Grounds include Jon Court (Oaklawn Park), Leandro Goncalves (Tampa Bay Downs) and Roberto Morales (Turfway Park).

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockey over the last five racing days (Nov. 19-25) is Corey Lanerie (11-for-43). Eddie Kenneally (4-for-6) and Mike Maker (4-for-17) are the hottest trainers over the same period. Ken and Sarah Ramsey (3-for-11) are the hottest owners.

BARN TALK – Twin Creeks Racing Stable LLC’s Mission Impazible came back from his runner-up effort to Wise Dan in Friday’s Clark Handicap (GI) in good order, according to assistant trainer Michael McCarthy. No definitive plans have been made regarding his next start. …

Clark Handicap favorite Flat Out, who finished third behind Wise Dan and Mission Impazible, also exited the race in good order, according to trainer Scooter Dickey. Preston Stables LLC’s Flat Out, who won the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) at Belmont Park in October, will ship to Dickey’s barn at Gulfstream Park on Monday afternoon and will be given a few weeks rest before being prepared for a 2012 campaign.

“I’ll work him on the turf at Gulfstream and if he works well then he could start the year in the Fort Lauderdale (GIII at 1 1/16 miles on the turf on Jan. 14),” Dickey said. If he doesn’t work well on the turf, then we’ll probably point to the Donn Handicap (GI at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt on Feb. 11).” …

Churchill Downs will offer free general admission to all fans on Sunday, Nov. 27, the closing-day of the 2011 Fall Meet. Also, be sure to bring the kids out to see Santa Claus, who will be in the Paddock Pavilion on Sunday.

WORKTAB – Stoneway Farm LLC’s Exfactor, winner of the Bashford Manor (GIII) at Churchill Downs in July, breezed five furlongs on the fast main track beneath the Twin Spires on Saturday morning in 1:01 for trainer Bernie Flint. The work was the fourth fastest of 34 at the distance. …

Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Hierro, who turned heads when he broke his maiden by 5 ¼ lengths in his most recent start at Churchill Downs, breezed five furlongs on the main track in 1:02.80 for trainer Steve Asmussen. The work was the 22^nd fastest of 34 at the distance. …

Kirk and Judy Robison’s Wine Police, third in the Hopeful (GI) as a 2-year-old and second in the Jimmy V “Don’t Give Up…Don’t Ever Give Up!” in his most recent start, breezed five furlongs in 1:03.20 for Steve Asmussen. It was the 25^th fastest half-mile work Saturday morning.

A year after experiencing the heartbreak inflicted by the disqualification of Successful Dan from an apparent victory in the $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade I), owner Morton Fink and trainer Charles Lopresti are back to take another shot at winning the premier race of Churchill Downs’ Fall Meet with another talented “Dan.”

Wise Dan is this year’s Clark hope for the Fink-Lopresti team and the 3-year-old son of Wiseman’s Ferry is a major player in a strong and competitive 13-horse field for the 1 1/8-mile race for older horses.  Like the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and the Kentucky Oaks, the Clark has been run annually without interruption since the 1875 debut racing meet of the track then known as the Louisville Jockey Club.

“I don’t think we could have him any better than he is right now,” Lopresti said Thursday morning by telephone from his training base at Keeneland.  “We had him out grazing this morning and he was such a handful we had to put him in.  He’s really good.”

Wise Dan will break from post 11 as the 4-1 third choice in the Clark behind Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) winner Flat Out and Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Ruler On Ice, who ran fifth and third, respectively, behind WinStar Farm’s Drosselmeyer in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5.  While that high-powered duo will attempt to keep their names in the discussion for Eclipse Awards in their respective division, Lopresti is anxious to see how Wise Dan will handle his newest challenge.

The Clark will be the 4-year-old gelding’s first attempt to win a major stakes race over traditional dirt at a two-turn distance.  He ran a respectable sixth over the Louisville track in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI), where he finished just 2 ½ lengths behind the victorious Big Drama.  He has two wins in four dirt starts at Churchill Downs, both victories coming last year in allowance races on sloppy tracks at six furlongs and a mile.

Wise Dan comes into this year’s Clark in exactly the same manner as the last two first-place finishers in the Clark.  He romped to a four-length victory over Polytrack at the Clark distance of 1 1/8 miles in Keeneland’s Fayette (GII), just as Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s future Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Blame did in 2009 and Successful Dan accomplished a year ago. 

Prior to the Fayette, Wise Dan enjoyed significant success at shorter distances, including 2011 wins in the one-mile Firecracker Handicap (GII) in his turf debut at Churchill Downs and an impressive win from an outside post in the $250,000 Presque Isle Downs Mile over the Pennsylvania track’s synthetic Tapeta surface.

Wise Dan tuned-up for his Clark bid with a sharp six-furlong work in 1:!2 on Nov. 15 at Keeneland.  That move encouraged Lopresti, but he believes Wise Dan has questions to answer in Friday’s race.

"I feel pretty confident, but I still have a question about the mile and an eighth on the dirt,” Lopresti said.  “That’s my big concern.  He got it on the ‘Poly’ and it looked like he was running away from them at the end, but this is a lot tougher field, too.  I’m realistic about it – the Fayette was a lot lighter bunch than he’s running against here.”

Lopresti points to the presence of Breeders Cup Classic contenders Flat Out and Ruler On Ice as primary Clark contenders, and said the efforts of both in the 1 ¼-mile Classic merit respect.

“Flat Out only got beat three lengths in the Breeders’ Cup and Ruler On Ice got beat two lengths,” Lopresti said.  “If those horses had finished up the racetrack, I wouldn’t have as much respect for them.  But they didn’t run bad races.”

Wise Dan’s resume of three wins in seven 2011 races, which also includes a close third fourth-place run on the Keeneland turf behind three-time Eclipse Award champion Gio Ponti in the Grade I Shadwell Mile, provides ample fuel for Lopresti’s optimism.  But that impressive six-furlong work at Keeneland strengthened Lopresti’s confidence that Wise Dan will run well in Friday’s race, and possibly ease the painful memory of the stewards’ decision that deprived Successful Dan of a victory in last year’s Clark.

“He worked three-quarters in (a minute) twelve and he was in the middle of the racetrack when he did it,” Lopresti said.  “If we had put him down on the fence, there’s no telling what he would have done.  We were talking him out of it.”

Lopresti’s star will have a new rider for the Clark as John Velazquez will travel from New York to substitute for Julien Leparoux.  The leading rider of the Churchill Downs Fall Meet will be in California on Friday to pilot Vinery First Lady (GI) winner Never Retreat in the Grade I Matriarch at Hollywood Park.

“He’s a good strong rider,” Lopresti said of Velazquez.  “I know he’s talked to Julien about him (Wise Dan).  I know when I called him, it didn’t take two minutes to tell me he would come to ride him.  It’s a compliment when a guy like Velazquez comes in to ride him.  I know he’s watched his races and he knows him.”

Wise Dan brings career record of 7-0-0 in 13 races and earnings of $593,047 into Friday’s 137^th Clark.

DICKEY PLEASED WITH POST DRAW FOR CLARK FAVORITE FLAT OUT – Trainer Scooter Dickey entered Tuesday’s post position draw for the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade I) with hopes that Preston Stables LLC’s favored Flat Out would not draw the rail.  His wish was granted when the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) winner drew post six in the field of 13 for Friday’s race at Churchill Downs.

“I like the post and it should be good for him,” Dickey said. “He’s gotten beat three times this year when leaving from the one-hole. The post might not have had anything to do with him losing, but maybe it did. I’d rather not take the chance.”

In his most recent start, the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI), Flat Out drew post two, but still broke further inside than all other horses after Prayer for Relief, who had drawn post one, scratched out of the race. Post position one was left open in the Classic, where Flat Out finished fifth behind Drosselmeyer.

Now that Dickey is happy with his post position, he is hoping to get the type of track that best suits the 5-year-old son of Flatter: fast and dry.

“I want the sun to come out and dry this track out some more,” Dickey said. “The track had a little water in it for the Breeders’ Cup and the Stephen Foster (GI) and he doesn’t seem to like it when there’s only a little water. He’d rather run over a muddy track than a “good” track or a fast track with some water. I don’t really know why that is, though.”

Flat Out, whose two off-the-board finishes this year have come on the main track beneath the Twin Spires, has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia. Flat Out was also the post-time favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“Being the favorite makes you worry more because you don’t want to let people down,” Dickey said. “But the horse is doing really well. He went out early (Thursday) morning and galloped down the stretch. We’re ready for tomorrow.”

Flat Out will be guided in the Clark by Alex Solis, who has been aboard him for his last five starts. Solis is scheduled to arrive in Louisville on Thursday night.

OXLEY, CASSE TAKE TWO SHOTS AT SATURDAY’S $150,000 GOLDEN ROD – Owner John Oxley and trainer Mark Casse will take two shots in Saturday’s $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII) with 2-year-old fillies Golden History and Spirited Miss, and hope that one of those rising stars will land them in the winner’s circle following the 68^th running the 1 1/16-mile race for juvenile fillies on the main track.

The Golden Rod will be the co-feature with the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) on Churchill Downs’ Stars of Tomorrow II program devoted exclusively to races for 2-year-olds. The Golden Rod will be run as race nine with a scheduled post time of 4:42 p.m. (all times EST).

"It looks like a real competitive field and there doesn’t appear to be a standout, with maybe the exception of the horse that won the Pocahontas (On Fire Baby),” assistant trainer Norman Casse said. “I like both of our horses’ chances.”

Golden History, a $450,000 purchase earlier this year at Florida’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, has been pointed to the Golden Rod since she won her career debut by 2 ¾ lengths on the synthetic Polytrack surface at Toronto’s Woodbine. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro arrived at Churchill Downs in mid-October and made her second career start over the main track in a fifth-place run in the one-mile Pocahontas (GII), where she finished three lengths behind On Fire Baby.

“We were hoping to run her in an allowance race here but the race didn’t go, so our hands were tied and we had to go in the Pocahontas,” Casse said. “The Golden Rod has been the target all along.”

Golden History will break from post nine under Shaun Bridgmohan in the Golden Rod.

Unlike her stablemate, Spirited Miss did not have a Golden Rod bid on her long-range radar.  The Oxley homebred broke her maiden on the Woodbine turf in August, and then finished fourth on turf to Northern Passion in the Natalma (GIII).  She moved to the Polytrack course at the Toronto track for a runner-up finish to Blue Heart in the Mazarine before the daughter of Sky Mesa was pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII).  Mark Casse ultimately decided against entering the filly in that race.

The Golden Rod will be the first race on traditional dirt for Spirited Miss, who will break from post three under Javier Castellano.

“She’s always been one of the horses that we’ve really liked,” Casse said. “The Juvenile (Fillies) Turf just came up too tough and we didn’t want to put her in there. She’s been at Churchill Downs for several weeks and has had four good works over the (main) track. With the Golden Rod coming up the way it has and her working so well over the dirt, we decided to give it a shot.”

The Casse barn experienced success this year with a horse trying dirt for the first time when 36-1 shot  Pool Play won Churchill Downs’ $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI) in June after running on synthetic and turf courses in 27 previous starts.

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (Nov. 17-23) are Corey Lanerie (7-for-40), Julien Leparoux (6-for-24) and Jesus Castanon (6-for-25). Wayne Catalano (3-for-5) and Mike Maker (3-for-12) are the hottest trainers over the same period. Ken and Sarah Ramsey (2-for-11) are the hottest owners.

BARN TALK – A local memorial service for the late trainer Robert Holthus is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 26 at 10:30 a.m. (EST) at Christ Chapel on the Churchill Downs backside. Holthus saddled 211 winners beneath the Twin Spires, including 11 stakes wins.  Holthus, who died in Louisville on Nov. 22 at the age of 78, started five horses in the Kentucky Derby.

Churchill Downs will host a “Stache Bash” on Saturday during the races to honor and celebrate all of the Mo Bros and Mo Sistas who participated in Movember. Churchill Downs will donate $1 per attendee who is sporting a mustache to the Movember Foundation with a minimum guaranteed pledge of $5,000 given through the Churchill Downs Foundation. The day’s festivities will include between-race live music by popular Cincinnati-based My Sister Sarah in the paddock area and Happy Hour drink specials from 3-5 p.m.

SUPER ESPRESSO LOOKS TO END RACING CAREER WITH FALLS CITY VICTORY – Celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s Super Espresso will look to end her racing career in style on Thursday when she makes her final start in the 96^th running of the $175,000-added Falls City Handicap (Grade II) for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Churchill Downs.

“This will be her last race,” said Michael McCarthy, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. “We’re looking to get her some more black type before she enters her second career (as a broodmare).”

Super Espresso, a $1.1 million Keeneland September Yearling purchase, will face nine rivals in the Falls City, the featured event on the Thanksgiving Day racing program.

She captured the DuPont Distaff (GIII) at Pimlico in May and then competed in five consecutive Grade I events. She hit the board in her first two starts at the highest level, running third to Awesome Maria in the Ogden Phipps Handicap (GI) and second to Ask the Moon in the Ruffian Handicap (GI).

The 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia D’Oro then finished fifth to Ask the Moon in the Personal Ensign, 10^th to Aruna in the Spinster (GI) over the synthetic Polytrack surface at Keeneland and enters the Falls City off a seventh-place finish to Royal Delta in the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs.

The Ladies’ Classic was a bit of a reach,” McCarthy said. “This is a logical spot for her. She’s getting a bit of a class break and her numbers are as good as or better than everyone else in the field.”

In preparation for the Falls City, Super Espresso breezed a sharp four furlongs over the fast main track in company with Giant Sensation in :47.80, the third fastest of 47 at the distance. The duo recorded fractions of :12.20, :24.20, :35.80 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.60 and six furlongs in 1:14.20.

“She had a nice work over the track a few days ago and she’ll enter the race with good energy and a good attitude,” McCarthy said.

Super Espresso has a career record of 4-2-4 from 17 starts and earnings of $270,788. She will break from post eight in the field of ten under Javier Castellano.

The Falls City is the featured event on Thursday’s 12-race holiday program.  It will go as race 11 with a post time of 4:24 p.m. EST.

CHAMBERLAIN BRIDGE GETS CLASS BREAK, BETTER DRAW ON THURSDSAY – Carl R. Moore Management LLC’s Chamberlain Bridge, winner of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII) at Churchill Downs, returns to his favorite track on Thursday in an attempt to snap a five-race losing streak.

The 7-year-old War Chant gelding is entered in Thursday’s sixth race, an allowance optional-claiming event at five furlongs on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Chamberlain Bridge attempted to defend his title in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in his most recent start, but fell well short of that goal.  He broke from the outside post in a field of 14 on the Churchill Downs grass and finished eighth to the victorious Regally Ready.

"Hopefully that race is just a throw out,” said Dennis “Peaches” Geier, assistant to trainer Bret Calhoun. “He was coming into the Turf Sprint really well and his two works before the race (:59 on a wet-fast main track at Churchill Downs on Oct. 19 and :50.60 on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course on Oct. 29) were probably two of the best works of the entire Breeders’ Cup. He really had no chance whatsoever breaking from the 14-hole. It’s a tough gig out there.”

Chamberlain Bridge, who was made the 7-5 morning-line favorite by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia, will break from post two in Thursday’s race under Brian Hernandez Jr. It will be the first time since October of 2009 that Chamberlain Bridge has been ridden by a jockey other than Jamie Theriot.

Jamie is already in New Orleans (for the Fair Grounds meet), so we got Brian to ride,” Geier said. “Brian has definitely been hot this meet and I hope he (Chamberlain Bridge) runs well for him.”

Hernandez has experience aboard Charmberlain Bridge.  He rode the veteran turf sprint star to a  5 ½-length claiming victory at Keeneland in October of 2007.  And Hernandez has been on a roll during the Fall Meet and entered Wednesday’s racing with 11 wins from 55 mounts at the meet.  That’s good for third in the jockey standings behind Julien Leparoux and Corey Lanerie.

Thursday’s race is also notable for Chamberlain Bridget in that it will be his first outing in more than three years in which he has dropped out of the ranks of stakes horses to face allowance foes.

“It’s a break, but it’s not going to be an easy race,” Geier said. “There are several horses in there that are running really well. I think they’ll be enough speed in there for him to run at, though, and if he’s anything like he was last year then he should win.”

Future plans for Chamberlain Bridge, whose 17 career wins include four victories over the Matt Winn Turf Course, have not been decided.  But he is expected to race as an 8-year-old.

“We’ll bring him to Fair Grounds with us, but I’m not sure what we’ll do with him,” Geier said. “There aren’t too many races down there for him, though. We didn’t go too hard on him this year, so he might stay in training, but he could also get some time off before next year. A lot will depend on Thursday’s race.”

FALL MEET LEADERS ENTERING FINAL WEEK – Through 16 days of the 21-day Fall Meet, jockey Julien Leparoux, and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey had clear leads in their respective divisional races at Churchill Downs.  But trainers Steve Asmussen and Mike Maker were locked in a tight battle for “leading trainer” honors.  Below is a look at the leaders entering the final week of the Fall Meet:

Top Jockeys

1. Julien Leparoux (28-for-106, 26% win-percentage, $1,441,452 in earnings)

2. Corey Lanerie (20-for-103, 19%, $511,772)

3. Brian Hernandez Jr. (11-for-55, 20%, $285,115)

4. Jesus Castanon (9-for-55, 16%, $415,003)

5. Jon Court (8-for-51, 16%, $185,269)

Top Trainers

1. Steve Asmussen (11-for-49, 22%, $2,013,337)

1. Mike Maker (11-for-42, 26%, $1,374,178)

3. Dale Romans (8-for-43, 19%, $1,583,459)

4. Eddie Kenneally (6-for-25, 24%, $297,652)

4. Ken McPeek (6-for-30, 20%, $250,988)

4. Bill Mott (6-for-18, 33%, $4,027,702)

Top Owners

1. Ken and Sarah Ramsey (9-for-33, 27%, $735,718)

2. Billy, Donna and Justin Hays (5-for-20, 25%, $98,805)

3. Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (3-for-10, 30%, $34,053)

4. 14 owners are tied for fourth with two wins each

BARN TALK – Veteran trainer Robert Holthus, a regular on racing circuits in Kentucky, Arkansas and the Midwest for nearly 60 years, died Tuesday morning in Louisville, Ky. at the age of 77. A local memorial service for Holthus has been scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 26 at 10:30 a.m. (EST) at Christ Chapel on the Churchill Downs backside. Holthus saddled 211 winners beneath the Twin Spires, including 11 stakes wins. …

For the second year in-a-row, jockey Corey Lanerie was named a finalist for Santa Anita's George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. The other finalists are Ramon Dominguez, Martin Pedroza, DeShawn Parker and Scott Stevens. The winner, to be determined by a nationwide vote of jockeys, will be announced in January. The Woolf Award has been presented annually by Santa Anita since 1950 and is regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in all of racing.  It recognizes those riders whose careers and personal character earn esteem for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred racing. …

Leading-rider Julien Leparoux will travel to Hollywood Park on Friday to ride Team Block's Never Retreat in the Matriarch (GI). Leparoux enters Wednesday with a 28-20 lead in the jockey standings over Corey Lanerie. He will return to beneath the Twin Spires on Saturday and is named to ride in all 12 races on that day’s Stars of Tomorrow II program.  ...

Churchill Downs will host a “Stache Bash” on Saturday during the races to honor and celebrate all of the Mo Bros and Mo Sistas who participated in Movember. Churchill Downs will donate $1 per attendee who is sporting a mustache to the Movember Foundation with a minimum guaranteed pledge of $5,000 given through the Churchill Downs Foundation. The day’s festivities will include between-race live music by popular Cincinnati-based My Sister Sarah in the paddock area and Happy Hour drink specials from 3-5 p.m. …

Trainer Angel Montano Sr. recorded his 334^th victory at Churchill Downs with Autumn Eyes in Sunday’s sixth race. Montano ranks ninth in career victories at Churchill Downs and his next victory will pull him into a tie for eighth with Jack Van Berg. …

Jockey Jon Court is five wins away from the 400-win milestone at Churchill Downs. Court has mounts in eight races Wednesday, six races Thursday and nine races Friday.

PEITZ SEES TAJAAWEED AS ‘HORSE TO BEAT’ IN SATURDAY’S RIVER CITY – Shadwell Stable’s Tajaaweed, winner of the Arlington Handicap (Grade III) in July, faces eight rivals as the 119-pound high weight in Saturday’s 34^th running of the River City Handicap (GIII) at Churchill Downs, but trainer Dan Peitz sees the 6-year-old son of Dynaformer as the one to beat.

“I haven’t really analyzed the race too much, but I looked it over and we’re the high weight and look to be the horse to beat,” Peitz said.

Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia believes the public will also see Tajaaweed as the horse to beat and made him the 9-5 morning-line favorite for the River City, which will be contested at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Tajaaweed, who will break from post eight under Jesus Castanon, will enter the River City off a sixth-place finish in Keeneland’s Shadwell Turf Mile (GI), a race in which he faced such accomplished runners as three-time Eclipse Award-winner Gio Ponti, Get Stormy, Sidney’s Candy – all contenders in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI) – and Wise Dan, winner of the Firecracker Handicap (GII) at Churchill Downs.

“We were taking a shot in the Shadwell (Turf Mile) and were hoping to get third or fourth,” Peitz said. “It might have been a little short for him and he really didn’t get the kind of pace he needed to close.

“The River City distance is more what he wants and the competition is softer.  He’s had two really good works at Trackside and is coming into the race in good shape.”

The River City will be the third start on the Matt Winn Turf Course for Tajaaweed. He finished fifth in an allowance race in June of 2010 and this spring he was second to Turallure in the Opening Verse.

“Both of his races on the turf at Churchill have been pretty good,” Peitz said. “I know he was fifth in the allowance, but he was very wide throughout. Then he only lost by a length to Turallure in the stake. If he runs the same race he did in the Opening Verse then I think it might make him a winner.”

Since the Opening Verse, Turallure has recorded wins in the Bernard Baruch (GII) and Ricoh Woodbine Mile (GI) and finished second by a nose to Court Vision in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile.

“I wish Tajaaweed would have moved up after the Opening Verse as much as Turallure did,” Peitz said.

The River City is the ninth of 10 races on Saturday with a scheduled post time of 4:37 p.m. EST.

LEPAROUX EYES FIFTH STRAIGHT FALL MEET TITLE – Julien Leparoux recorded his 23^rd win of the meet aboard Cozzetti in Wednesday’s eighth race and entered Thursday’s action with a 23-to-15 lead over Corey Lanerie in his pursuit of a fifth consecutive Fall Meet riding title at Churchill Downs.

“Things are going really well again this meet,” Leparoux said. “I’ve had good momentum and have been getting on some good horses. It’s going great.”

Leparoux, who has won eight riding titles overall beneath the Twin Spires, has collected 526 career victories at Churchill Downs and already ranks tenth among all-time leading riders as the historic track.  Despite his rapid and sustained success, the 28-year-old native of Senlis, France is still hungry for more.

“Winning never gets old and I’m always trying to win,” Leparoux said. “I’m always trying to ride the best horses.”

Leparoux has definitely collected a lot of hardware as he counts 36 stakes victories at Churchill Downs during his relatively brief career at the Louisville track, but one race is conspicuously missing from his resumé.

“I want to win a Kentucky Derby,” Leparoux said. “That is the ultimate goal. Every year we are looking for a horse that might be the one to get me there.”

Leparoux has ridden in five Kentucky Derbys with his best effort being a fifth-place  finish aboard Sedgefield in the 2007 renewal. This year Leparoux rode favored Dialed In to an eighth-place finish.

At the conclusion of the Fall Meet, Leparoux will move his tack to Miami to ride at Gulfstream Park.

MORALES RECORDS HIS SECOND RIDING DOUBLE OF FALL MEET – Leading apprentice-rider Roberto Morales recorded his second riding double of the 2011 Fall Meet on Wednesday at Churchill Downs with wins aboard Sympathy Act in the third race and Killin Time in the finale. The two wins brought Morales’ total to four for the meet, which ties him for sixth in the overall jockey standings.

“The meet is going great,” said agent Julio Espinoza, the ninth all-time leading rider at Churchill Downs with 642 victories. “He’s got a lot of talent and always gives 100%. He’s also versatile and can ride speed horses or come from the back.”

Morales, a 21-year-old native of Aibonito, Puerto Rico, has made a lot of noise on the Kentucky-circuit since he moved his tack to the Bluegrass State in May. He recorded one victory from a handful of mounts at the end of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet, but then second in the Ellis Park jockey standings to three-time Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel.

Morales followed the strong effort at the Henderson track by capturing his first career riding title in the Fall Meet at Turfway Park, where he rode 32 winners from 121 mounts.

“He rode great throughout the whole meet at Turfway,” Espinoza said. “If we had another day or two, we would have broken (Julien) Leparoux’s Fall Meet record (36 wins).”

Espinoza attributes Morales’ success to his work ethic and eagerness to learn.

“He works hard in the morning and exercises a lot of horses,” Espinoza said. “I try to teach him as much as I can and it’s helping.”

At the conclusion of the Churchill Downs Fall Meet, Morales will move his tack to Turfway Park for the Holiday Meet, which begins Dec. 1.

BARN TALK – The Virginia Tarra Trust’s Giant Oak will attempt to defend his title in the $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade I) on Friday, Nov. 25.  The son of Giant’s Causeway will ship to the Louisville track Tuesday, according to Drew Coontz, assistant trainer to Chris Block. Giant Oak will enter the Clark off a third-place finish the Breeders’ Cup Marathon (GII). …

In other news at the Chris Block barn, Never Retreat, who breezed six furlongs in 1:14.40 at Churchill Downs on Sunday, will ship to Hollywood Park on Monday for a start in the Matriarch (Grade I) on Nov. 25. Never Retreat won the First Lady (GI) at Keeneland in her most recent start. …

Ready’s Rocket, winner of 10 races beneath the Twin Spires, came out of his most recent race at Churchill Downs last Thursday with a displaced palate, according to trainer Tim Glyshaw. An 8-year-old gelded son of More Than Ready, Ready’s Rocket will be pointed to a starter-allowance race at Churchill Downs on closing day of the 21-day Fall Meet on Nov. 27.

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockey over the last five racing days (Nov. 10-16) is Julien Leparoux (9-for-30). Mike Maker (5-for-11) is the hottest trainer over the same period and Ken and Sarah Ramsey (4-for-7) are the hottest owners.

WORKTAB – Jay Em Ess Stable’s Worldly breezed five furlongs in 1:03.20 on a good main track at Churchill Downs on Thursday morning for trainer Paul McGee. The work was the ninth fastest of 13 at the distance. …

Charles Cella’s Uncle Brent, winner of the Northern Spur at Oaklawn Park, breezed five furlongs Thursday morning in 1:02.80 for trainer Lynn Whiting. The work was the eighth fastest of 13 at the distance.

FLAT OUT CONFIRMED FOR CLARK HANDICAP – Owner Art Preston and trainer Scooter Dickey met at Churchill Downs on Wednesday morning and decided to continue the 2011 campaign of Jockey Club Gold Cup (Grade I) and Suburban Handicap (GII) winner Flat Out in the 137^th running of the $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) on Friday, Nov. 25.

Flat Out is coming off a fifth-place finish behind WinStar Farm’s Drosselmeyer in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) on Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs.

“He’s been doing really well since the Classic,” Dickey said. “Also, it’s a Grade I race worth a $500,000. We’re excited about it.”

Flat Out finished just three lengths behind the victorious Drosselmeyer in the Classic.

“He really didn’t run a bad race,” Dickey said.  “Losing by three lengths in the Breeders’ Cup Classic is nothing to be ashamed of.”

The Clark, a race for 3-year-olds and up run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, could play a major role in the Eclipse Award voting for Champion Older Male and Horse of the Year.  But Dickey said that was not a factor that determined Flat Out’s participation in the race.

“A lot of people have been telling me that if he (Flat Out) wins (the Clark) that he could be champion older male or maybe even Horse of the Year,” Dickey said. “It’d be nice, but we’re not really worried about all of that.”

The Classic was the third start at the Louisville track for Flat Out, who launched his career at two with a sixth-place finish in a maiden race. He also finished sixth in this year’s the Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI) won by Pool Play.

“We don’t really know why the same Flat Out that ran in the Suburban and the Jockey Club didn’t show up in the Stephen Foster and the Classic,” Dickey said. “He handles the track fine, though, and has always trained very well over it.”

Flat Out’s one and only work for the Clark will come this weekend; however, the exact date of the work has yet to be decided.

“We’re going to see what the weather does and how the track looks,” Dickey said. “The earliest he’ll work is Friday morning, but we might push it back a day or two.”

After the Clark, Flat Out will be given some well-deserved time off before being prepared for a 2012 campaign.

“This (the Clark) will be the end of his year and then we’ll give him some time,” Dickey said. “The goal is to come back next year in the Donn Handicap (GI at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 11).”

GOLDEN HOPES FOR GOLDEN HISTORY – It had been 48 hours since Golden History’s five-furlong bullet work at Churchill Downs, but the staff in the barn of trainer Mark Casse continue to beam over that sharp training move on a dreary Wednesday morning beneath the famed Twin Spires.

The barn is now counting the days until Churchill Downs’ Stars of Tomorrow II racing program on Saturday, Nov. 26, when the Kentucky-bred 2-year-old filly is expected to compete in the $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII).

Golden History zipped five furlongs on in 1:00.40.  The work under exercise rider Melanie Giddings was the fastest of 24 moves at the distance.

“She worked great and went over the track really well,” assistant trainer Norman Casse said. “We’re still thinking that she’s going to run a big race in what will be just her third start in the Golden Rod. She’s trained well since her last race and she should be right there.”

John Oxley’s Golden History began her career with a 2 ¾-length victory over the synthetic Polytrack course at Woodbine and was entered in the $150,000 Pocahontas (GII) on Stars of Tomorrow I at Churchill Downs off that effort.  Breaking from the gate at odds of 18-1, Golden History finished fifth, beaten three lengths in the one-mile race.

“I think she needed a start over the dirt and she probably didn’t get a whole lot out of her first race,” Casse said. “It was also asking a lot of her to run in the Pocahontas in just her second start. We were hoping to run her in an allowance race here, but the race didn’t go, so our hands were tied and we had to go (in the Pocahontas). The Golden Rod has been the target all along."

The daughter of Medaglia d/Ore was a $450,000 purchase earlier this year Florida’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, and has carried high hopes since the day she came under Casse’s care.  Golden History is out of User History, who is out of User Friendly-GB., a winner of four Group I races in Europe on her way to the Cartier Award for European Horse of the Year in 1992.

She has a great pedigree and she’s a really good mover,” Casse said. “She’s also very intelligent. She has all the characteristics of a good horse.”

Another 2-year-old filly in the Casse barn with lots of potential is Sky High Lady, who will make her fourth career start in Thursday’s fourth race at Churchill Downs. Sky High Lady was pre-entered in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI), but Casse opted to run her in a maiden-special at Churchill Downs on Oct. 30 when it seemed unlikely that she would draw into the Breeders’ Cup race from its list of also-eligibles.  After breaking slowly, Sky High Lady raced wide and finished third as the 9-5 favorite.

“She always breaks slow and that is one of the reasons she got beat in the stake (Mazarine at Woodbine),” Casse said. “Hopefully she’ll break better Thursday and I think she’ll really like going two turns. The race over the track should also help her.”

Sky High Lady is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for Thursday’s race.

MEET LEADERS AT A GLANCE – Through 11 days of the 21-day Fall Meet, jockey Julien Leparoux, trainers Steve Asmussen and Mike Maker and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey are the leaders in their respective categories at Churchill Downs. Here is a look at the “human race” leaders entering Wednesday’s racing action:

Top Jockeys

1. Julien Leparoux (22-for-83, 27% win-percentage, $1,297,540 in earnings)

2. Corey Lanerie (13-for-68, 19%, $324,673)

3. Brian Hernandez Jr. (9-for-40, 23%, $233,755)

4. Jon Court (6-for-35, 17%, $118,214)

5. Shaun Bridgmohan (5-for-24, 21%, $197,267)

Top Trainers

1. Steve Asmussen (9-for-37, 24%, $1,952,095)

1. Mike Maker (9-for-33, 27%, $1,311,788)

3. Bill Mott (5-for-16, 31%, $3,999,863)

3. Dale Romans (5-for-34, 15%, $1,518,380)

5. Eddie Kenneally (4-for-20, 20%, $201,866)

5. Ken McPeek (4-for-20, 20%, $200,021)

5. Ronny Werner (4-for-11, 36%, $116,665)

Top Owners

1. Ken and Sarah Ramsey (8-for-24, 33%, $689,378)

2. Billy, Donna and Justin Hays (4-for-10, 40%, $53,071)

3. Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (3-for-8, 38%, $29,453)

4. Fred Allor (2-for-2, 100%, $51,120)

4. Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein (2-for-8, 25%, $258,500)

4. Robert Lothenbach’s Lothenbach Stables Inc. (2-for-5, 40%, $79,470)

4. Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith (2-for-11, 18%, $2,418,000)

4. Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables LLC (2-for-5, 40%, $67,470)

4. Kenny Troutt’s WinStar Farm LLC (2-for-4, 50%, $2,728,970)

MILESTONE WATCH – Jon Court, currently fourth in the Churchill Downs jockey standings with six wins, is nearing his 400^th win beneath the Twin Spires. Court recorded his 393^rd career victory at the Louisville track in Sunday’s second race aboard J Isle. …

In Sunday’s fourth race, Quick Praise gave trainer Greg Foley his 336^th career victory at Churchill Downs. The win moved Foley passed Jack Van Berg for seventh all-time in wins at the Louisville track. …

Trainer Paul McGee is nearing the 300-win milestone at Churchill Downs. The 49-year-old native of Louisville has saddled 295 winners in his career at his home track. ...

Trainer Ken McPeek tied Elliot Walden for 15^th all-time in the Churchill Downs trainer standings with his two wins on Sunday’s card. McPeek, who has 288 career wins beneath the Twin Spires, is now one win behind Jinks Fires. …

Trainer Steve Asmussen is nearing the 6,000-win plateau. Entering Wednesday, Asmussen is just five wins shy of the milestone that has been reached by only four other trainers.

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockey over the last five racing days (Nov. 9-13) is Julien Leparoux (12-for-31). Mike Maker (6-for-12) is the hottest trainer over the same period and Ken and Sarah Ramsey (5-for-8) are the hottest owners.

WORKTAB – Cash Refund, a multiple stakes-winning earner of $316,082, breezed five furlongs over a sloppy main track at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning in 1:04.60 for trainer Steve Margolis. The work was the second fastest of three at the distance.

Glen Hill Farm’s Marketing Mix displayed a devastating late kick in the homestretch of Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Turf Course to easily win Saturday’s $200,500 Mrs. Revere (Grade II) by 1 ½ lengths over Bizzy Caroline.

The Canadian-bred daughter of Medaglia d’Oro tracked pacesetter New Normal from second through most of the 1 1/16-mile race before jockey Julien Leparoux let loose his snug hold of the rein midway around the final turn. Marketing Mix took her rider’s cue, immediately grabbed the lead and kicked clear in the stretch for a convincing victory.

Marketing Mix stopped the teletimer in a swift 1:42.59 over “firm” going. The final time was second only to Mary’s Follies’ 2009 stakes record of 1:41.73 in 21 editions of the race – quite a feat when considering that Leparoux essentially eased the filly inside the final sixteenth of a mile.

"That was a really nice field and she won pretty easily,” said winning trainer Tom Proctor.

Sent postward as the 8-5 favorite, Marketing Mix paid $5.40, $3.20 and $2.60. Bizzy Caroline, ridden by Manny Cruz, rallied up the hedge to nose Hungry Island for second and paid $3.60 and $3.20. Hungry Island, with Corey Nakatani in the saddle, returned $3.20.

Smart Sting, Don’t Tell Sophia, Tourmaline, Groupie Doll, Holidaysatthefarm, New Normal (who led the field through early fractions of :24.04, :49.04 and 1:13.01), Sea Level Drive and Trac N Jam completed the order of finish. Louvakhova was scratched early Saturday morning.

“We got a good trip and went at an easy pace,” said Leparoux, who tops the Churchill Downs jockey standings with 20 wins through the first 10 days of the 21-day Fall Meet. “When we got a few lengths in front in the stretch, I (geared her down). She’s a nice filly and she won; she didn’t need to win by 10 (lengths).”

Marketing Mix collected her second graded stakes triumph this year. She won in similar fashion on Sept. 17 at Arlington Park to prevail in the Pucker Up (GIII). In her previous start on Oct. 15, the dark bay or brown filly was runner-up to the Aidan O’Brien-trained Together-IRE in the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (GI) at Keeneland.

Overall, Marketing Mix has won four of her nine starts. The $116,881 winner’s share of the purse boosted her career earnings to $538,826. Proctor plans to send the filly to his owner’s Glen Hill Farm in Ocala, Fla. for some R & R before she returns to action for a 4-year-old campaign.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Sunday with a 10-race program that begins at 12:40 p.m. EST. The card features a three-day Pick 6 carryover of $8,702 on Races 5-10 plus a four-day Super Hi-5 carryover of $57,131 in the finale.

MRS. REVERE QUOTES

Tom Proctor, trainer of Marketing Mix (winner) – “That was a really nice field and she won pretty easily. She’s had a great year and has won over $500,000. She’ll head to the farm (Glen Hill in Ocala, Fla.) now and I’ll let her eat grass and have some fun for a few months.”

Julien Leparoux, jockey on Marketing Mix (winner) – “We got a good trip and went at an easy pace. When we got a few lengths in front in the stretch, I (geared her down). She’s a nice filly and she won; she didn’t need to win by 10 (lengths).”

Ken McPeek, trainer of Bizzy Caroline (runner-up) – “She ran really well. And that winner – I don’t think they even hit her.” (Note: Leparoux went to a left-handed stick twice aboard Marketing Mix).

Q: What do you do with Bizzy Caroline now – head to Florida? “I don’t know. We’ll see. In California she didn’t seem to go for the Bermuda grass, so I’m not sure we’ll run her in Florida. We might just wait for spring.  We like to win at Keeneland and Churchill.”

Manny Cruz, jockey on Bizzy Caroline (runner-up) – “She ran well. I saved more ground than anyone else in this race. I put her inside and stayed on the rail. She’s very honest; she gave to me what she had.”

Corey Nakatani, jockey on Hungry Island (third) – “My trip was really good. Going to the far turn she bobbled a little bit and took a bad step, and it cost her a little bit of her momentum. But once I got her going again, I got her to stay inside until we hit a seam and she actually ran a huge race off that pace. I had a feeling that’s what was going to happen, but she’s such a one-dimensional, one-style filly. I talked to (trainer) Shug (McGaughey) about it and he said, ‘Don’t worry about that. Just ride her, make one run and if we get there, we get there.'”

LANERIE WINS 300^TH AT CHURCHILL DOWNS; EYES FIRST RIDING TITLE – Jockey Corey Lanerie  added another highlight to his career when he captured his 300^th win beneath the Twin Spires in Sunday’s ninth race aboard Taptowne.

Lanerie is just the 20^th rider in Churchill Downs history to reach the 300-win plateau.

“It feels good, but I honestly didn’t know I had that many,” Lanerie said. “I’ve had a lot of good mounts and it makes it easy.”

The native of Lafayette, La., who will turn 37 Sunday, rode his first winner at Churchill Downs during the Fall Meet in 2000 and his list of victories at the Louisville track since then includes eight stakes wins.

“The stakes races I’ve won here stand out as highlights, but all of them are important to me,” Lanerie said.

The next goal for Lanerie is to capture a riding title at the home of the Kentucky Derby. He has finished second in the jockey standings in the past two Spring Meets to Calvin Borel in 2010 and Julien Leparoux in 2011.

“It’d be great (to win a riding title),” Lanerie said. “It’s a tough chore, but I’m definitely up to the task.”

Lanerie, who recorded his 3,000^th career victory in February at Fair Grounds, is off to a red-hot start at the 2011 Fall Meet with eights wins from 28 mounts. He is currently second in the jockey standings behind Leparoux, who has 10 wins from 52 mounts.

READY’S ROCKET GOES FOR 11^TH WIN BENEATH THE TWIN SPIRES – Fan-favorite Ready’s Rocket will return to his favorite track and in search of an historic 11^th win at Churchill Downs in Thursday’s sixth race.

Ready’s Rocket, who has recorded more wins beneath the Twin Spires than any horse since 1991, which was the first year detailed information was gathered by Equibase, will enter Thursday’s race off two third-place finishes on the synthetic Polytrack surface at Turfway Park.

“He ran well, but he probably shouldn’t have lost either race,” trainer Tim Glyshaw said. “He did okay this summer (at Ellis Park and Turfway Park), but this is definitely his favorite place.”

Ready’s Rocket will break from post 11 under Calvin Borel in the starter allowance and Glyshaw hopes  the race could set the 8-year-old gelded son of More Than Ready up a run in the upcoming Claiming Crown at Fair Grounds.

"If he runs well-enough tomorrow (Thursday) then I’ll probably run him in the Claiming Crown (Express) on Dec. 3,” Glyshaw said. “If he doesn’t run well then I’ll enter him in another starter allowance here (Churchill Downs) toward the end of the meet.”

Ready’s Rocket will enter the race off a near seven-week layoff due to a foot issue that was discovered shortly after his most recent start at Turfway on Sept. 23.

"He got an abscess on his right-front foot a few days after the race,” Glyshaw said. “It took him about ten days to get over it and that’s why we didn’t bring him to Keeneland. He’s doing fine now.”

Long-term plans for Ready’s Rocket have not been finalized; however, Glyshaw would like to bring him back as a 9-year-old.

“We’ll bring to Fair Grounds with us this winter and hopefully run him every six weeks or so,” Glyshaw said. “I’d love to bring him back for the Spring Meet (at Churchill Downs) next year. He still loves his job and we’ll keep him going, but he’ll tell us when enough is enough.”

Ready’s Rocket has a record of 19-8-11 from 67 career starts and earnings of $235,995.

MEET LEADERS AT A GLANCE – Through six days of the 21-day Fall Meet, jockey Julien Leparoux, trainer Steve Asmussen and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey are the leaders in their respective categories at Churchill Downs. Below is a look at the divisional leaders entering Wednesday’s action:

Top Jockeys

1. Julien Leparoux (10-for-52, 19% win-percentage, $944,313 in earnings)

2. Corey Lanerie (8-for-28, 29%, $209,574)

3. Calvin Borel (4-for-27, 15%, $188,368)

3. Jon Court (4-for-17, 24%, $81,118)

3. Corey Nakatani (4-for-15, 27%, $1,836,830)

 

Top Trainers

1. Steve Asmussen (6-for-26, 23%, $1,876,049)

2. Bill Mott (5-for-11, 45%, $3,988,151)

3. Eddie Kenneally (4-for-9, 44%, $189,463)

4. Jinks Fires (3-for-5, 60%, $65,420)

4. Mike Maker (3-for-21, 14%, $1,207,012)

4. Steve Margolis (3-for-10, 30%, $296,400)

Top Owners

1. Ken and Sarah Ramsey (3-for-16, 19%, $601,423)

2. Fred Allor (2-for-2, 100%, $51,120)

2. Billy, Donna and Justin Hays (2-for-4, 50%, $19,590)

2. Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein (2-for-7, 29%, $256,200)

2. Robert Lothenbach’s Lothenbach Stables Inc. (2-for-3, 67%, $77,754)

2. Kenny Troutt’s WinStar Farm LLC (2-for-3, 67%, $2,728,905) 

BARN TALK – Monastic, a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Keertana and stakes winner Snow Top Mountain, will make his fourth lifetime start in Wednesday’s second race for trainer Tom Proctor. The 2-year-old gelded son of Rock Hard Ten finished 10^th as the 2-1 favorite in the Bourbon (Grade III) at Keeneland in his most recent start. …

Nominations for four graded stakes to be run at Churchill Downs over Thanksgiving weekend will close today (Wednesday). The races include the 96^th running of the $175,000-added Falls City Handicap (GII) for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the main track on Nov. 24 (Thanksgiving Day), the 137^th running of the $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the main track on Nov. 25, the 85^th running of the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the main track on Nov. 26 and the 68^th running of the $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII) for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the main track on Nov. 26. …

Ten $1,000 scholarships will be distributed to full-time students from colleges and universities throughout the country when Churchill Downs joins the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association for the annual College Scholarship Day on Friday, Nov. 11. College Scholarship Day will also feature a concert by Grammy-nominated country music artist David Nail. The concert will begin after Friday’s 10^th and final race and Nail is expected to perform from 5:30-7 p.m. EST. The concert is included in the track’s regular $3 admission price, but is complimentary for full-time students with a valid college ID.

WORKTAB – Gold Mark Farm LLC’s Culotte, winner of the Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies Stakes and Opelousas Stakes this year, breezed five furlongs Wednesday morning over a wet fast track beneath the Twin Spires in 1:01.80 for trainer Tom Amoss. …

At the nearby Trackside Training Center, Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s multiple stakes winner Gran Lioness breezed four furlongs on a fast track in :49.80 for trainer Bret Calhoun. The work was the fourth fastest of 15 at the distance. … Alpha Stables, Skychai Racing LLC and Sand Dollar Stable LLC’s Twinspired breezed five furlongs in 1:04.80 for trainer Mike Maker.

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.”

 

UNCLE MO, OTHER BREEDERS’ CUP CONTENDERS ARRIVE FOR PLETCHER –Four Breeders’ Cup hopefuls trained by Todd Pletcher, led by Mike Repole’s probable Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic starters Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty, arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday at 9:52 a.m.

“Everyone arrived in excellent order,” said assistant trainer Michael McCarthy, who oversees the Churchill Downs barn for Pletcher, who is expected to be at the Louisville track Tuesday for training hours. “They all look great.”

Uncle Mo, the 2010 champion 2-year-old colt, returned to the Churchill Downs backstretch for the first time since missing this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) with a rare liver ailment. The bay son of Indian Charlie will enter the Classic off a dominating performance in the Kelso Handicap (GII) at Belmont Park on Oct. 1.

Stay Thirsty, who captured the Jim Dandy (GII) and Travers (GI) at Saratoga this summer, finished third behind Flat Out and Drosselmeyer in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) in his first try versus older horses. In two races beneath the Twin Spires, Stay Thirsty was fifth behind his stablemate Uncle Mo in the 2010 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) and 12^th in the Kentucky Derby.

Also arriving at Pletcher’s Barn 34 Monday morning were Repole’sStopshoppingmaria, who will pre-enter the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) or the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint following a runner-up performance in the Frizette (GI), and Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor’s Finale, winner of the Summer (GIII) at Woodbine who will pre-enter the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII).

All four of the probable Breeders’ Cup starters breezed Sunday at Belmont Park prior to boarding the plane to Louisville Monday morning. Training plans for this week at Churchill Downs have not been finalized.

MY MISS AURELIA HEADS FIVE ASMUSSEN-TRAINED CUP HOPES ON WORK TAB – Unbeaten Grade I Frizette winner My Miss Aurelia led a parade of five Steve Asmussen-trained contenders for the Nov. 4-5 Breeders’ Cup World Championships who worked on Monday at Churchill Downs. 

Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton’s 2-year-old daughter of Smart Strike breezed five furlongs over a fast track in 1:01.40.  Exercise rider Carlos Rosas was in the saddle as the candidate for the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) covered the distance fractional splits of :12.80, :24.80 and :36.80.  She galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.20 after a five-furlong move that ranked 17^th among 60 at the distance.

“We’re extremely pleased with her,” said Asmussen.  “She’s been very special at every stage, and has looked the part and has come through.  Her talent was obvious, but the races that she’s run have shown another dimension.”

My Miss Aurelia has not run over the one-mile dirt oval at Churchill Downs, but she did train over the surface during the track’s Spring Meet.

Four other Asmussen trainees out of an expected seven-horse Breeders’ Cup contingent worked Monday beneath the Twin Spires.  The other workers were Dirt Mile (GI) contenders Tapizar and Wilburn; Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) hopeSabercat; and Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint contender Seeker.  Cathyand Bob Zollars’ Juvenile Turf (GI) contender Daddy Nose Best worked Sunday andVinery Stable’s Turf Sprint (GI) contender Regally Ready did not work this week after winning the Canadian Grade I Neartic at Woodbine on Oct. 16.

Asmussen said Kirk and Judy Robison’s She Digs Me is no longer being considered for the Juvenile Sprint and was not pre-entered for that race on Monday. 

Ron Winchell’s Tapizar, winner of the Robert B. Lewis (GII) at Santa Anita, worked just after the mid-morning maintenance break and breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40, the sixth-fastest move of the day. 

Rosas was up as the son of Tapit worked in fractions of :12, :35.60 and :48 and galloped out in 1:14.

Stonestreet Stable’s Wilburn, whose win in the Indiana Derby (GII) was his third consecutive triumph, worked five furlongs under Rosas in 1:00.80 prior to the break.

Wilburn completed his work in fractional times of :12.80, :24.20, :36.20 and :48.20, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.20.  The move by the Bernardini colt was the eighth best of 60 at the distance.

Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Sabercat worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 in company with stablemate Tritap.  Fractional times for the winner of Monmouth Park’s Garden State Stakes were :12.80, :24.60, :36.40 and :48.50.  The son of Bluegrass Cat finished on even terms with Tritap and galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.60.

Ron Winchell’s Seeker breezed five furlongs under jockey Julien Leparoux in 1:00.20.  The son of Hard Spun worked in company with stablemate Governor’s Bridge, starting the work about two lengths behind his workmate and finished up a length in front.

Fractional times were :24.60, :36.40 and :48 and Seeker galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.80.

With seven horses in its ranks, the Asmussen 2011 Breeders’ Cup team remains his largest to compete in the World Championships.  He saddled four horses in 2008 and a trio of starters in three other years.

“I’m happy with the group of them,” Asmussen said, “I feel that they’re very fresh, sound and happy at the right time.”

SWITCH WORKS FIVE FURLONGS IN 1:01.20 FOR BREEDERS’ CUP – With exercise rider Edwin Orozco up, C R K Stable’s Switch worked five furlongs over a fast track Monday morning in 1:01.20 for trainer John Sadler.

The first horse to work after the renovation break, Switch posted fractions of :12, :24.60, :36.80 and galloped out six furlongs 1:14.40.

“That was a nice work for her,” said Sadler, who left Switch in Kentucky after she ran third in the six-furlong Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland on Oct. 8. “She looks good and bright and she shipped well over here (last week). (Trainer) Mike(Stidham) had a video of her last work at Keeneland (a :47.40 half-mile breeze on Oct. 18), so I got to watch that work.” 

Switch finished second in last year’s seven-furlong Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI), but Sadler left the door open after the work Monday for a possible run in the 1 1/8-mile Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI).

"I am going to talk to the owners (Lee and Susan Searing) and we may cross-enter in the Ladies’ Classic as well as the Sprint,” Sadler said.

A two-time Grade I winner at seven furlongs in her past two starts at the distance, Switch returned to sprinting in the TCA.

“The Keeneland race was a little short for her, but it was a good race,” Sadler said. “She made her run, but she just couldn’t get there. She was wide and the track was kind of speed favoring that day.”

Switch has run twice at the Ladies’ Classic distance this year, finishing second to Miss Match by a head in the Santa Margarita (GI) at Santa Anita and second to Blind Luckby a half-length in the Vanity (GI) at Hollywood Park.

OPTIMIZER, HAMAZING DESTINY WORK FOR LUKAS – Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has saddled a record 18 Breeders’ Cup winners and compiled a record $20,005,520 in earnings at the World Championships and Monday morning he sent out his two hopefuls for the 28^th edition of the races.

Working first with jockey Robby Albarado aboard shortly after 6 o’clock wasBluegrass Hall’s homebred Optimizer, who covered five furlongs in 1:01.

Working in company with Conway, Optimizer started two lengths back and finished four lengths in front while compiling fractions of :12.60, :36.60 and out six furlongs in 1:16. The five-eighths time was the 11^th fastest of 60 at the distance.

Albarado came out in the next set on Barry Butzow and Westrock Stables’Hamazing Destiny, who worked a bullet half-mile in :46.20 on his own. Fractions for the move were :11.40, :22.80 and out five furlongs in 1:01.

“Both of them worked well,” Lukas said. “I was pleased with both.”

Hamazing Destiny ran second in the Grade I Sentient Breeders’ Cup Sprint here last year.

“He is doing as well as he can be and he is coming up to the race great,” Lukas said. “He has an affinity for this track.”

Lukas said that Optimizer would be pre-entered in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI), which would mark the English Channel colt’s debut on dirt.

“All of his races have been two turns,” Lukas said of Optimizer, who broke his maiden at first asking on turf at Saratoga and then ran second in the With Anticipation (GII) on turf before a third-place finish on Polytrack in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland. “He’s running on the dirt. The (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile) Turf was not considered.”

CASSE WORKS STRING OF BREEDERS’ CUP HOPEFULS – It was a busy Monday morning for trainer Mark Casse as he sent out no fewer than three probable Breeders’ Cup starters to breeze beneath the Twin Spires for owner John Oxley.

The first horse to breeze for Casse was Prospective, a $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling purchase who captured the Grade III Grey over the Polytrack at Woodbine. The 2-year-old son of Malibu Moon worked five furlongs in 1:02.

Starting four lengths behind his workmate Saturday Classic, Prospective recorded fractions of :13.60, :26.80, :38.60 and crossed the wire five lengths in front under Luis Contreras, who was aboard for the Grey triumph. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:16.

“He worked about as well as a horse can work,” Casse said. “When we brought him here (to Churchill Downs) we thought there was only a 10-percent chance we would enter him in the (Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup) Juvenile (GI), but he worked himself into the race. He reminded us a lot of Pool Play.” 

The Casse-trained Pool Play won the Stephen Foster Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI) in his first start on dirt. Prospective debuted on turf and his next two starts have been on Polytrack.

Stepping on to the track shortly after the renovation break was Natalma (GIII) winnerNorthern Passion. Starting two lengths behind workmate Delightful Magic, a 2-year-old daughter of Mineshaft who only lost by a length to Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) hopeful My Miss Aurelia in her career debut, Northern Passion completed the work even with her stablemate in 1:02 under Contreras.

“We’re really happy with the work,” Casse said.

Northern Passion is likely to be cross-entered in the Juvenile Fillies and the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“If I had to make the decision right now, I would say we are leaning toward the (Juvenile Fillies) turf,” Casse said. “She worked very well over the dirt this morning, but we already know she handles the turf well.”

The last Oxley-Casse duo to hit the Churchill Downs track was Spirited Miss and Sky High Lady. Both horses are coming out of performances in the Mazarine on the Polytrack at Woodbine. Spirited Miss finished second by a head and Sky High Lady battled a troubled trip to finish fourth.

Under Contreras, Spirited Miss started three lengths behind Sky High Lady, guided byShaun Bridgmohan, and the two fillies crossed the wire together. Spirited Miss was credited with a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.80 and Sky High Lady was clocked in 1:02.40. 

“Both horses worked well,” Casse said. “We are likely to cross-enter Spirited Miss in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and Juvenile Fillies, but we’re leaning toward running her on the dirt. Most likely we wouldn’t enter her and Northern Passion in the same race.”

Sky High Lady, who has yet to break her maiden, might have also worked herself into the Breeders’ Cup like her stablemate Prospective.

“That was a really nice work and I might pre-enter her in the Juvenile Fillies after watching her this morning,” Casse said.

BARN TALK – Trainer Jim Baker said Monday morning that Darley Alcibiades (GI) runner-up Heart of Destiny would bypass the Breeders’ Cup in favor of Sunday’s Pocahontas (GII). “Our main goal is to have a good horse and a good broodmare,” Baker said of the homebred filly who is owned by Hurstland Farm and James Greene Jr. “We are going to be conservative with her and the Breeders’ Cup would be too much too quick.”

WORK TAB – The first day of training on the Matt Winn Turf Course brought out several Breeders’ Cup hopefuls including two top contenders for the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI): Pam and Marty Wygod and W.S. Farish’s Courageous Cat and Spendthrift Farm’s Court Vision. Courageous Cat, working in company with Clear Attempt for trainer Bill Mott, covered five furlongs on a course rated as “good” in 1:02.60, around the “dogs.” Starting three lengths in back of his workmate and finishing on even terms, Courageous Cat had fractions of :25.40, :38.60, :50.40 and out six furlongs in 1:17.40. Court Vision, trained by Dale Romans, worked five furlongs on his own in 1:02.80 with fractions of :25.40, :37.80, :50.40 and out six furlongs in 1:18. …

Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s homebred Country Day worked five furlongs for an expected start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII) in 1:01.20 with jockey James Graham up. Trained by Steve Margolis, Country Day posted fractions of :12, :24, :37.20 and out six furlongs in 1:17.40. …

Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence’s Animal Spirits, winner of the Bourbon (GIII) at Keeneland (GIII) in his most recent start, worked a half-mile in company on even terms with Intercompany Loan in :52.60 on the turf. Fractions for the work were :28.20, :40.60 and out five furlongs in 1:07.20. Trained by Al Stall Jr., Animal Spirits is a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII). …

Dell Ennis’ Hunt Crossing, a candidate for the $500,000 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint, worked five furlongs in 1:02.60 for trainer Todd Pletcher. The move was the 46^th fastest of 60 at the distance. …

Several nominees for Sunday’s Pocahontas (GII) worked on the main track Monday morning. James Spence’s Aubby K, a 15 ½-length maiden winner last month at Belmont Park,  worked a half-mile in :49.20 (13^th best of 58) and Spendthrift Farm’sTrading Paint worked a half-mile in :52.20 (57^th fastest). Putting in five-furlong works were Schuylerville (GIII) winner Georgie’s Angel (1:02.20, 37^th fastest of 60) and Debutante (GIII) winner Flashy Lassie (1:05, 59^th fastest). Georgie’s Angel is owned bySheffer Racing Stable, Ronald Stocks, Betsy Wells and Kelly Weitsma; Barry King owns Flashy Lassie. …

Two nominees for Sunday’s Iroquois (GIII) worked Monday: Bluegrass Hall’sChalybeate Springs (half-mile in :50.80, 39^th fastest of 58), and Stewart Madison,Justin Querbes III and Al Stall Jr.’s Seven Lively Sins (half-mile in :48.60, 10^thfastest). …

Frank L. Jones Jr.’s Tapitsfly, winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and nominated to the Cardinal Handicap (GIII) to be run Nov. 6, worked a half-mile on the turf in :49.40. Another Cardinal nominee working Monday morning was Mrs. Yoshio Fujita’s Ravi’s Song, who worked five furlongs on the main track in :59.80, the fourth fastest of 60, for trainer Carl Bowman. …

Working five furlongs in 1:00.60 over a fast track at the Trackside Training Center wasKendall Hansen’s undefeated Hansen for trainer Mike Maker.