Scooter Dickey

Mort Fink’s homebred Wise Dan achieved Grade I glory when he kicked clear of Mission Impazible in the final furlong to easily win the 137^th running of the $572,500 Clark Handicap presented by Norton Healthcare by 3 ¾ lengths on Friday at Churchill Downs.

Wise Dan gave Fink and trainer Charlie Lopresti a bit of redemption for last year’s Clark in which their Successful Dan was disqualified from an apparent victory. Successful Dan finished a head in front of Giant Oak a year ago, but because of interference with Redding Colliery in the upper stretch, was disqualified and placed third.

There was no doubt about Wise Dan’s sublime performance. Ridden by two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey John Velazquez, Wise Dan tracked pacesetter Will’s Wildcat and Mission Impazible from clear sailing on the outside in third under a strong hold as the former led the field of 13 three-year-olds and up through fractions of 23.80, :48.24 and 1:12.80.

Midway around the final turn, Will’s Wildcat began to falter and Mission Impazible took the lead. Velazquez slipped Wise Dan some rein and the 4-year-old gelding quickly drew even from the outside. He kicked clear of that rival at the eighth pole and stood head and shoulders above the field in deep stretch while crossing the finish line in 1:48.95 for 1 1/8 miles over a fast track.

The versatile Wise Dan, a graded stakes winner on synthetic tracks and turf who entered the Clark off an impressive four-length romp in Keeneland’s Fayette (GII), is a gelded Kentucky-bred son of Wiseman’s Ferry out of the Wolf Power-SAf mare Lisa Danielle. The huge pot of $326,554 increased his earnings to $919,601. Overall, it was Wise Dan’s eighth victory from 14 starts (14-8-0-0).

Freddie Wirth, who guided Sentiment Sake to victory in the 1945 Clark, and Donna Allen, a vice president with Norton Healthcare, presented the Clark Handicap trophy to the winning connections.

Sent postward as 9-2 third choice, Wise Dan, who carried 120 pounds, returned $11, $6 and $4.20. Mission Impazible, who carried 116 pounds under Javier Castellano at odds of 7-1, paid $7 and $5.40. Flat Out, the 123-pound high weight and 2-1 favorite under Alex Solis, raced in mid-pack early and could only manage third, 2 ¾ lengths behind the runner-up, and paid $3.20 to show.

Mister Marti Gras, 9-2 second choice Ruler On Ice, Headache, Alma d’Oro, Will’s Wildcat, Prayer for Relief, Stately Victor, Demarcation, Pleasant Prince and General Quarters completed the order of finish.

The Clark was Wise Dan’s first stakes triumph on dirt. Before the Clark, he had three races on the Churchill Downs dirt that include maiden and allowance wins, both over sloppy surfaces, and a solid sixth-place finish in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in which he was beaten just 2 ½ lengths by the champion Big Drama. He won the Firecracker (GII) on the Churchill Downs grass in early July, and added two stakes wins over synthetic surfaces: a victory in the Presque Isle Downs Mile in September and the Oct. 29 Fayette.

The Clark Handicap was run for the first time in 1875 during the first racing meet at Churchill Downs, which was then known as the Louisville Jockey Club. Like the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and Kentucky Oaks (GI), the Clark has been renewed annually without interruption since its first running.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Saturday with a 12-race “Stars of Tomorrow II” program exclusively for 2-year-olds with first post time of 12:40 p.m. (all times Eastern). Highlighting the program are two Grade II stakes: the 68^th running of the $150,000-added Golden Rod for fillies, which goes as the ninth race (4:42 p.m. post time), and the 85^th running of the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club, which goes as the 11^th race (5:42 p.m. post time).

In just six years of existence, Stars of Tomorrow has been the launching pad for numerous graded stakes winners including 24 Grade I winners. Thirteen horses have exited the events and become millionaires: Court Vision ($3,746,658), Rachel Alexandra ($3,506,730), Lawyer Ron ($2,790,008), Pure Clan ($1,987,498), Shackleford ($1,985,803), Super Saver ($1,889,766), Macho Again ($1,825,767), Giant Oak ($1,484,829), First Dude ($1,442,140), Swift Temper ($1,296,688), General Quarters ($1,220,930), Fly Down ($1,187,935) and Any Given Saturday ($1,083,533).

Closing day of the 21-day Fall Meet is Sunday and Churchill Downs will offer free general admission to all patrons.

CLARK HANDICAP QUOTES

Charlie Lopresti, trainer of Wise Dan (winner): “It was perfect and I was pretty confident going into the race, other than about whether he could go the 1 1/8 miles on the dirt. But I thought he was going to run one of his best races today. I would have been disappointed if he didn’t do it. It looked like the Fayette. It was the same kind of race. He’s a pretty good horse. Just stay out of his way and try to take care of him.”

Q. What allows him to be so consistent on multiple surfaces?  “I just think he loves to run. We galloped him two miles the other day and the exercise rider came back and said he could have gone around five more times. He just doesn’t get tired. He just loves to run.”

Q. What are the plans for next year? “We’re going to give him the winter off, just like Turallure. We’ll give him some time to be a horse and then bring him back in the spring.”

Q. What went into the decision to ride John Velazquez for the first time? “Julien (Leparoux) rides all of our horses and he couldn’t ride him a few times and that’s why Jon Court got the mount on him (on thee occasions earlier this year). Jon Court has done a great job on him and it’s nothing he did wrong. Julien is our number one rider and rode him in the Fayette and when he won the Fayette he had already committed to ride in California today (Never Retreat in the Grade I Matriarch). I talked to the owner (Mort Fink) and he asked if we could get John Velazquez to ride him and I said I didn’t know if he would come. I called Angel Cordero (Velazquez’s agent) and he called me back in five minutes and said they were coming. Mr. Fink said any time that you can get John Velazquez on a horse you should try it.”

Q. How does it feel to win this race after being taken down with Successful Dan in last year’s Clark? “I was really disappointed last year. I just didn’t understand why they took his number down, but they saw it that way and I have to respect their opinion. I jokingly said surely we don’t get taken down this year. It’s a dream come true to be back here with this many good horses.”

John Velazquez, jockey on Wise Dan (winner): “I like these pickup mounts. It worked out perfect. I was on the outside and the trainer (Charlie Lopresti) told me he was going to be pulling pretty strong, but to keep him third or fourth. Right from the start I got him back and he settled pretty good. He was strong in hand and when I got to the quarter-pole he took off and moved so smoothly. He was very confident in himself.”

Todd Pletcher (via phone from New York), trainer of Mission Impazible (runner-up): “He’s run two big races, but unfortunately he’s been a bridesmaid twice there this year in the two Grade Is (the Stephen Foster Handicap and Clark Handicap). But it was another big effort from him and we’re proud of him.”

Q: Everything looked possible at the head of the stretch …“I thought at the three-eighths pole you could see Wise Dan was really loaded up, and then I thought we might have snuck away from him for just a half a second, but he (Wise Dan) was just too good on the day and hats off to him. He ran a big race and I’m very proud of our second.”

Q: Assuming he’ll race next year, so what will be the early plan for his 5-year-old campaign? “We might take a look at the (Grade I) Donn (Handicap at Gulfstream Park), and of course he loves the Fair Grounds, so those races there would certainly be possibilities. We feel like he’s a Grade I horse and we’ve been very unlucky not to win one, so that’s our main objective.”

Javier Castellano, rider on Mission Impazible (runner-up): “He loves Churchill. We had a beautiful spot today; we were where I wanted to be in the race. He settled down beautifully and I loved the way he did it. I think we were just second-best today. I’m very satisfied and very happy with the way he did it today. I’m not disappointed at all. I know we got beat and he finished second, but you’ve got to give a lot of credit to the winner. He was very impressive.”

“Scooter” Dickey, trainer of Flat Out (third as the favorite): Q: Jockey Alex Solis said he believed Flat Out just does not care for this racetrack.  What are you thinking? “I think that’s what we’ve got to kind of face. I saw him and he was laying perfect over there and he started his move, and I said ‘Well, if he likes this track he’s going to run good today. But he just looked like he got to fightin’ it, and Alex said when asked him to run he just can’t handle it. He said he had a hold of him and he had a lot of horse, and he was very happy with where he was laying. But when he asked him, it wasn’t there.”

Q: That’s amazing because he works so well over this track … “Yeah, but you know he’s only working five-eighths and all that. He laid right there with ‘em and he looked good, but that was it. He came back and seemed fine. I looked at his legs and they’re fine and everything, but it’s just one of those things, I guess.”

Q: You have talked about trying him on the grass next year. Is that still a thought? “Well, I’m going to Florida and I’m going to work him on it down there and see how he likes that. But we’ve enjoyed him. We’ve had a good time this year.”

Alex Solis, rider on Flat Out (third as the favorite): “He broke really good and I got a good position. He went really nice when he was in hand, but as soon as asked him to drop his head he’d just start swimming around. He struggled over the track too much.”

Q: You think he just doesn’t care for the track at Churchill Downs? “Definitely, because when you see the replay you can see him stumbling and losing his footing and he’s a horse that needs to get in a rhythm.”

Kelly Breen, trainer of Ruler On Ice (fifth): “Just looking back, they say he may not be at his best when he has to take all the dirt in his face and the one-post kind of put us there.  Garrett (jockey Garrett Gomez) didn’t mention anything negative about it, but knowing the horse it didn’t help our cause.”

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.

Preston Stables LLC’s Flat Out and George and Lori Hall’s Ruler On Ice, two major players from the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade I) run at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5, will be searching for Eclipse Award championship momentum when they face 11 rivals on the famed Louisville track in Friday’s 137^th running of the Grade I, $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare.

The 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up is the centerpiece of the “Black Friday” racing card that in recent years has been the most heavily-attended racing program of the Fall Meet.  The Clark Handicap is scheduled as the 11^th event on a 12-race Thanksgiving Holiday weekend program that will get underway with the first race 12:40 p.m. (all times EST).  Post time for the Clark is set for 5:42 p.m.

Flat Out, fifth behind WinStar Farm’s victorious Drosselmeyer as the slight favorite in the Classic, is the 5-2 favorite for the Clark in oddsmaker Mike Battaglia’s morning line odds for the 13-horse Clark field.  Co-second choices at 4-1 are Classic winner Ruler On Ice, the upset winner of the Belmont Stakes (GI) and third in the Classic, and Morton Fink’s Wise Dan, a graded stakes winner on synthetic tracks and turf who is coming off an impressive win in Keeneland’s Fayette (GII).

Following two days of upset-laden racing in this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Eclipse Award championships in several divisions remain uncertain.  The Clark contenders with the most to gain with regard to year-end honors are Flat Out and Ruler On Ice.  The field includes four winners of Grade I stakes races and four horses with career earnings that exceed $1 million.

Flat Out, a 5-year-old son of Flatter with wins in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) and Suburban Handicap (GII) at Belmont Park, could gain an edge in the race for champion older horse with a win over his home track in the Clark.  Although he trains brilliantly at Churchill Downs for veteran conditioner Charles “Scooter” Dickey, he has yet to hit the board in three career starts over the traditional dirt surface at the famed Louisville track.

Veteran jockey Alex Solis, who has been aboard the Clark favorite in his last five starts, will be back in the saddle when Flat Out breaks from post six in the field of 13 horses.  Flat Out was assigned highweight of 123 pounds and will concede from three-to-nine pounds to his rivals.  His career record stands at 5-3-0 in 13 races with earnings of 1,259,713 heading into the Clark.

A victory over a strong field of older rivals in the Clark could push Ruler On Ice, who upset Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Preakness winner Shackleford in the Belmont Stakes, into the wide-open race for champion 3-year-old.   The Belmont victory is the only stakes win of the year for trainer Kelly Breen’s gelded son of Roman Ruler, but Ruler On Ice finished third to older rivals in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and has recorded top-four finishes in the Haskell Invitational (GI), Travers (GI) and Pennsylvania Derby (GII) since his Belmont triumph.

Ruler On Ice drew the rail post for the Clark and will have Garrett Gomez in the saddle.  He was assigned 118 pounds and brings a record of 3-3-3 in 11 races and earnings of $1,603,500 into Friday’s race.

Wise Dan will pursue his first victory in a Grade I race and owner Fink and trainer Charles Lopresti will seek a bit of redemption for last year’s Clark in which their Successful Dan was disqualified from his apparent victory.  The versatile Wise Dan has career victories on dirt, grass and synthetic courses, but has yet to win a stakes race on traditional dirt.  He has three races on the Churchill Downs dirt that include maiden and allowance wins, both over sloppy surfaces, and a solid sixth-place finisher in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in which he was beaten by just 2 ½ lengths by the victorious Big Drama.  He won the Firecracker (GII) on the Churchill Downs grass in early July, and since then two stakes wins over synthetic surfaces: a victory over Tapeta in the Presque Isle Downs Mile and a four-length romp in his most recent start in the Fayette over Keeneland’s Polytrack surface.

John Velazquez will make his debut in the saddle aboard Wise Dan, who drew post 11 and will carry an impost of 120, the second-highest weight in the Clark.

Another 3-year-old hoping to finish 2011 in a big way is Zayat Stables LLC’s Prayer for Relief, who was entered in the Breeders’ Cup Classic but scratched by trainer Bob Baffert the following day.  The son of Jump Start ran off a three-race winning streak during the summer that included the Iowa Derby (GIII), West Virginia Derby (GII) and the Super Derby (GII).  Third to Redeemed in his most recent run in the Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park, Prayer for Relief will break from post 12 under Rafael Bejarano.  The 5-1 fourth choice will carry 117 pounds in the Clark.

Another horse that competed in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and returns for a run in the Clark is Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Headache, who was last of 12 in the Classic after wins in the Hawthorne Gold Cup (GII) and the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker (GIII).  The two remaining Grade I winners in the field are Thomas McCarthy owned-and-trained General Quarters and Thomas and Jack Conway’s Stately Victor.  Both won Keeneland’s Toyota Blue Grass (GI) over Polytrack at three – General Quarters won in 2009 and Stately Victor last year, and the former also won the 2010 renewal of the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) over Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Turf Course.

The remaining 2011 Clark Handicap contenders include Twin Creeks Racing Stables’ Mission Impazible, a narrow loser for trainer Todd Pletcher in this year’s Stephen Foster Handicap and Alysheba (GIII) at Churchill Downs and winner of Fair Grounds’ 2011 New Orleans Handicap (GII) and the 2010 Louisiana Derby (GII); Pleasant Prince, fourth to Afleet Again in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon (GII) and winner of the 2010 Oklahoma Derby and Ohio Derby (GIII); Lothenbach Stables’ Mister Marti Gras, accomplished on both turf and dirt and winner of the Ack Ack (GIII) at Churchill Downs last time out; Pattons Creek Farm’s Will’s Wildcat, winner of the Jimmy V at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4; Demarcation, winner of the 2009 Ack Ack who will compete in his third consecutive running of the Clark for trainer Paul McGee; and Pletcher’s Alma D’Oro, runner-up in the Ack Ack and winner of the Carpenter Memorial at Delaware Park in July.

The Clark Handicap was run for the first time in 1875 during the first racing meet at Churchill Downs, which was then known as the Louisville Jockey Club.  Like the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and Kentucky Oaks (GI), the Clark has been renewed annually without interruption since its first running.  Two years ago the race was won by Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s 3-year-old Blame, who returned to the track in 2010 to win the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) and downed previously unbeaten Zenyatta her only defeat in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.   The 2011 renewal featured a rough-and-tumble stretch run in which Successful Dan edged Giant Oak at the finish, but stewards disqualified the former and elevated the latter to the victory.

Other recent winners of note include Saint Liam, who won the 2004 Clark en route to a 2005 campaign that included a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and an Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year.  Silver Charm, winner of the 2007 Kentucky Derby, returned to Churchill Downs take the Clark the following year.  And the 3-year-old filly Surfside wrapped up an Eclipse Award as the champion of her division with a victory over males in the 2000 Clark.

The field for the 137^th Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (from the rail out with rider, weight and morning line odds) includes: Ruler On Ice, (Gomez, 118, 4-1), Alma D’Oro (Jesus Castanon, 116, 20-1) Demarcation (Corey Lanerie, 114, 15-1), Stately Victor (Victor Lebron, 115, 30-1), Mission Impazible, (Javier Castellano, 116, 12-1), Flat Out (Solis, 123, 5-2), Pleasant Prince, (Julio Garcia, 114, 20-1), Headache (Edgar Prado, 115, 12-1), Mister Marti Gras (Rajiv Maragh, 117, 12-1), Will’s Wildcat (Calvin Borel, 112, 30-1), Wise Dan (Velazquez, 120, 4-1); Prayer for Relief (Bejarano, 117, 5-1) and General Quarters (Jon Court, 116, 20-1).

FLAT OUT PREPS FOR CLARK; DICKEY HOPES FOR BETTER DRAW – Jockey Club Gold Cup (Grade I) winner Flat Out impressed his connections Saturday morning with a four-furlong breeze in :48 on the main track at Churchill Downs in preparation for Friday’s 137^th running of the $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI).

Under jockey Greta Kuntzweiler, Flat Out recorded fractions of :12.60, :24.40 and :36 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01. The four-furlong time was the eighth fastest of 91 at the distance on a very busy morning beneath the Twin Spires.

“The horse worked perfectly,” trainer Scooter Dickey said. “The owners were here to watch him and we were all really happy. He’s doing great.”

Flat Out was doing so great Saturday morning that Dickey noted Kuntzweiler had to restrain him more than usual to keep the 5-year-old son of Flatter from working too quickly.

“We didn’t want her (Kuntzweiler) to really pull on him and make him throw his head, but she had a better hold of him than she usually does and he still worked pretty fast,” Dickey said. “We wanted him to do it all by himself and that’s how he did it. He loves to work.”

Flat Out returned to Dickey’s barn in good order following the breeze.

“He cooled out great,” Dickey said. “He was acting like he didn’t even work this morning.”

Owned by Preston Stables LLC, Flat Out has raced twice at Churchill Downs this year, finishing sixth to Pool Play in the Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI) and fifth to Drosselmeyer in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI).

In both races, Flat Out broke from an inside post – breaking from the rail in the Stephen Foster and post position two in the Classic. With the scratch of Prayer for Relief, who had drawn the rail, in the Classic, Flat Out once again drew further inside than any other starter. (Note: Post one was left open following the scratch of Prayer for Relief.)

“It wouldn’t exactly make me mad if we drew further outside,” Dickey said with a grin. “We’ve been inside both times he’s gotten beat here this year. We’re hoping to not draw the one, but that’s out of our hands.”

ON FIRE BABY BREEZES SEVEN-EIGHTHS IN PREP FOR GOLDEN ROD – Anita Cauley’s On Fire Baby, winner of the Oct. 30 Pocahontas (GII) at Churchill Downs, breezed seven furlongs in 1:27.20 on the main track beneath the Twin Spires on Saturday and it appears that all systems are “go” for run the $150,000-added Golden Rod next Saturday.

“She worked super,” trainer Gary Hartlage said. “She did everything exactly how we wanted her to do it. It was a nice, cruising seven-eighths and she galloped out a good mile. She’s doing great and we’re set to go for the Golden Rod.”

On Fire Baby recorded fractions of :13, :25.40, :37.80, :50.40, 1:02.60, 1:14.80 and galloped out a mile in 1:41.40.

On Fire Baby, a half-sister to High Heels, who was finished third in the 2006 Golden Rod and was also third to eventual Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Rags to Riches the following spring in the Kentucky Oaks (GI), has carried high hopes since the day she stepped into the Hartlage barn.

“A lot of times you think you have a good one, but you never know for sure until they prove it,” Hartlage said. “I think she proved how good she is in the Pocahontas.”

While Hartlage is hopeful that On Fire Baby will run well in the Golden Rod, the ultimate goal for this daughter of Smoke Glacken is another six months away.

“We’re hoping to have her back here in the spring for the big one (the Kentucky Oaks),” Hartlage said.

The 68^th running of the Golden Rod will be the co-feature with the 85^th running of the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) on Stars of Tomorrow II at Churchill Downs on Nov. 26.

FLAT OUT NAMED HIGH WEIGHT FOR 137^TH CLARK HANDICAP – Flat Out, winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (Grade I) and beaten favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI), has been assigned the high weight of 123 pounds by Churchill Downs racing secretary Ben Huffman for Friday’s 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.

Preston Stables LLC’s Flat Out is expected to make his third start beneath the Twin Spires this year in the Clark. Trained by Scooter Dickey, Flat Out finished sixth to Pool Play in the Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI) in June and ran fifth to WinStar Farm’s Drosselmeyer in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5.

In between runs at Churchill Downs, Flat Out experienced a great deal of success in New York. In his four races in the Empire State, Flat Out recorded wins in the Suburban Handicap (GII) and Jockey Club Gold Cup and was second in both the Whitney Handicap (GI) and Woodward (GI).

Next on the roster of Clark Handicap weight assignments at 120 pounds is Morton Fink’s Wise Dan, who won the Fayette (GII) at Keeneland by four lengths in his most recent start. A 4-year-old gelded son of Wiseman’s Ferry, Wise Dan also has stakes victories this year in the Firecracker Handicap (GII) on grass at Churchill Downs and the Presque Isle Downs Mile over a synthetic Tapeta surface at the Pennsylvania track.

Six 3-year-olds were nominated to the Clark, led by Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Ruler On Ice, who has been assigned 118 pounds. A 3-year-old gelded son of Roman Ruler, the Kelly Breen-trained Ruler On Ice finished third behind Drosselmeyer and Game On Dude in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Horses expected to be entered in the Clark on Tuesday include Flat Out (weighted at 123 pounds), Wise Dan (120), Ruler On Ice (118), Mister Marti Gras (117), Prayer for Relief (117), General Quarters (116), Mission Impazible (116), Headache (115), Stately Victor (115) Demarcation (114), Equestrio (114) and Pleasant Prince (114).

Weights for the 96^th running of the Falls City Handicap (GII) were also released Friday and Arena Elvira and Super Espresso have been named co-high weights at 121 pounds. The Falls City Handicap for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Churchill Downs will be run on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24.

Carolyn Wilson’s Arena Elvira currently sports a three-race wining streak and most recently took the Turnback the Alarm Handicap (GIII) at Aqueduct by 6 ¾ lengths. Trained by Bill Mott, Arena Elvira has never been off the board in 11 career starts.

Super Espresso, owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, captured the Allaire DuPont Distaff (GIII) at Pimlico in May. A $1.1 million Keeneland September Yearling, Super Espresso finished seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4 in her most recent start.

Entries for the Falls City will be taken Sunday and horses expected to be entered include Super Espresso (weighted at 121 pounds), Ravi’s Song (117), It’s Tea Time (116), Masked Maiden (115), Secret File (115), Spring Party (114) and Brushed by a Star (111).

BARN TALK – Trainer Steve Asmussen became the fifth trainer to reach the 6,000-win plateau when Basalt won the first race at Remington Park on Friday night. Asmussen, who turned 46 Friday, is fifth in the all-time trainer standings at Churchill Downs with 422 victories. …

It is “Pony Up for Charity” weekend beneath the Twin Spires. Patrons attending Churchill Downs during the weekend’s races will have the opportunity at all food and beverage points of sale to add $1 or more to their tab to benefit the day’s designated charitable organization. Saturday’s proceeds will be donated to The Lord’s Kitchen and Sunday’s donations will benefit Horses and Hope.

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockey over the last five racing days (Nov. 12-18) is Julien Leparoux (11-for-33). Mike Maker (4-for-12), Ken McPeek (4-for-12) and Dale Romans (4-for-13) are the hottest trainers over the same period and Ken and Sarah Ramsey (3-for-11) are the hottest owners.

WORKTAB – Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC’s Mission Impazible and Bourque Goldstein Thoroughbreds LLC’s Alma d’Oro breezed four furlongs in company on a fast main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning in :47.60 for trainer Todd Pletcher. The works were the third fastest of 91 at the distance.  Mission Impazible is expected to make his next start in the Clark Handicap. …

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Pleasant Prince, fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon (GII) in his most recent start, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 for trainer Wesley Ward. It was the fifth fastest five-furlong breeze Saturday morning. Pleasant Prince is expected to make his next start in the Clark Handicap.

Bluegrass Hall LLC’s Optimizer, eighth in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) in his most recent start, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The work was the fourth fastest of 50 at the distance. Optimizer is expected to make his next start in the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) on Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs…

WinStar Farm LLC’s Gemologist, winner of an allowance at Churchill Downs on Oct. 30 as part of Stars of Tomorrow I, breezed five furlongs in company with Dancing Solo in 1:01.40 and the duo recorded fractions of :13.20, :26, :37.80, :49.60 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.60. Gemologist is expected to make his next start in the Kentucky Jockey Club.

Mrs. Yoshio Fujita’s Ravi’s Song breezed three furlongs in :37 for trainer Carl Bowman. The work was the second fastest of eight at the distance. Ravi’s Song is expected to be entered in Thursday’s $175,000-added Falls City Handicap for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Churchill Downs. …

Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Country Day, second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII) in his most recent start, breezed a “bullet” four furlongs in :47 for trainer Steve Margolis. …

Stoneway Farm LLC’s Exfactor, winner of the Bashford Manor (GIII) at Churchill Downs in July, breezed four furlongs in :48.80 for trainer Bernie Flint. It was the 14^th fastest half-mile breeze Saturday morning.

CORRECTION: Friday’s Barn Notes listed Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Ice as a colt.  The Clark Handicap contender is a gelding.

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.

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).

Preston Stables’ Flat Out headed for the main track at Churchill Downs Sunday morning a little after 7 o’clock for “a strong gallop to put air in his lungs,” according to trainer Scooter Dickey.

With jockey Greta Kuntzweiler up, Flat Out was given credit for a mile work in 1:43.60 by Churchill Downs clockers. Fractions for the move were :13.80, :27, :39.60, :52.20, 1:04.80, 1:18, 1:31.20 and out a mile and an eighth in 1:58.40.

“I got him in 1:43 and it was just what we wanted,” Dickey said. “Greta handled it perfectly. If it had been a real work, no telling what he would have done, maybe 1:39 or 1:40, by himself.

“I have done this before. At Monmouth, it probably would have been 1:39, but I know that track is faster. I have another week to figure out what I want to do next, but it will be nothing like this. This is what he does. He loves to train.”

Winner of the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup in his most recent start, Flat Out figures to be one of the main contenders for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade I) to be run Nov 5.

A victory in the Classic would cap off what has been a year of good fortune for Dickey, who has five horses in his care at Churchill Downs.

“I’ve been thinking about this a lot, that this has to be my year,” Dickey said. “I survived the tornado when it hit here in June, survived the hurricane (Irene) at Monmouth Park and I was sitting in the airport with (Tampa Bay Downs racing secretary) Allison De Luca when the earthquake hit the East Coast and it knocked us off our chairs.

“This is exciting. It is building. More people are coming in and more people are calling. I’ve got five good horses I get to come out to every morning and I like that.”

ROYAL DELTA, TO HONOR AND SERVE WORK FOR MOTT – Pailides Investments N.V. Inc’s Grade I, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic hopeful Royal Delta and the Live Oak Plantation’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) prospect To Honor and Serve worked early Sunday morning on the main track for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Working first was Royal Delta, with exercise rider Rodolphe Brisset up. Winner of the Alabama (GI) and runner-up in the Beldame Invitational (GI) in her most recent start, Royal Delta covered five furlongs in 1:02.60 with fractions of :14, :27, :38.60, :50.40, out six furlongs in 1:15.20 and seven-eighths in 1:29.80. The five-furlong move was the 23^rd fastest of 47 at the distance over a fast track.

Brisset then came out with To Honor and Serve and the Pennsylvania Derby (GII) winner covered five furlongs in 1:02, the 14^th fastest of 47 at the distance. Fractions for the work were :13.40, :25.40, :37.80 and :49.60 with out times of 1:15.60 for six furlongs and 1:31 for seven-eighths.

Mott, who has saddled six Breeders’ Cup winners including Unrivaled Belle in last year’s Ladies’ Classic here, liked the works.

“Royal Delta finished up well and galloped out good. She progressed as the work went on and her last three-eighths was in 35 and change. She moves well over the track,” Mott said. “To Honor and Serve worked very well. He has had two nice works here and it looks like he moves well over the track.”

Mott has five likely Breeders’ Cup runners here in Barn 19 and two of them worked Saturday: Drosselmeyer (Classic) and Birdrun (Marathon) in 1:01.20 for five furlongs. Courageous Cat, runner-up to Goldikova in the 2009 TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI) and a neck away from being unbeaten in three 2011 starts, is scheduled to work on the grass Monday.

"This is where I want to be,” said Mott, who has been at Churchill Downs nearly two weeks and away from his main base at Belmont Park. “All the horses are doing well, but then they have to do it in the afternoon. I have a good feeling. They are all eating well and moving well over the track.”

WORKMATES MISSION IMPAZIBLE AND AIKENITE BREEZE HALF-MILE – The Todd Pletcher-trained duo of Mission Impazible and Aikenite breezed a half-mile together over a fast Churchill Downs track Sunday morning. Mission Impazible stopped the clock in :48.20 and Aikenite finished about a length behind in :48.40.

The two 4-year-old colts ran evenly through fractions of :12.20 and :24 and then Mission Impazible, on the outside, slowly edged away from his workmate during the final quarter-mile. Mission Impazible galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.60 with Aikenite about four lengths behind in 1:02.40.

“We’re happy with the way both horses worked and they were certainly on their toes,” assistant trainer Michael McCarthy said. “Mission Impazible is a tremendous workhorse and definitely has an affinity for this racetrack. Aikenite likes this track as well, but he’s not a great worker. We expected Mission Impazible to finish a little better and Aikenite tends to come off the bridle when he’s inside of another horse.”

The plans for Dogwood Stable’s Aikenite are still undecided, while the schedule for Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC’s Mission Impazible this fall is clear.

The next start for Aikenite, who won this year’s running of the Grade II Churchill Downs by a nose over Apriority on the Kentucky Derby Day undercard, remains uncertain. The dark bay or brown son of Yes It’s True will run in the $1.5 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) or the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI).

“He could run in either race, but I believe we are leaning toward running in the Sprint,” McCarthy said. “It’s a possibility that he will be pre-entered in both races.”

Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup World Championship races close Monday.

“Mission Impazible is going to the Fayette (GII),” McCarthy said. “It should set him up nicely for the Clark.”

The Fayette at 1 1/8 miles on Polytrack will be the feature race on Keeneland’s closing-day program Oct. 29, while the $500,000 Clark Handicap (GI) will be run beneath the Twin Spires for the 137^th consecutive year on Friday, Nov. 25.

HAVELOCK HAS FIRST WORK SINCE WOODFORD WIN – Silverton Hill LLC’s Havelock, winner of the Woodford (GIII) at Keeneland in his most recent start, worked five furlongs in 1:05.80 shortly after the track opened at 6 o’clock Sunday morning.

The work was the 44^th fastest of 47 at the distance but trainer Darrin Miller was not looking for any bullet effort.

“That comes in a couple of weeks,” Miller said with a laugh referring to the 4-year-old gelding’s anticipated start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII). “He got across the ground good and relaxed. It was his first work back from the Woodford and he was comfortable out there and looked relaxed.”

Miller’s 17-year-old son Chase was aboard for the work and is expected to be in the saddle next Sunday when Havelock has his final work for the Breeders’ Cup.

Havelock has won his past three sprints on grass at 5 ½ furlongs, but the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint is run at five furlongs, which is a concern to Miller for his late-running star.

“He has won at five-eighths before, but not against the kind of field he’ll face here,” Miller said. “He has improved this year and I feel better about him after his last two sprint races.”

Havelock is following in the footsteps of another Silverton Hill runner, St. Joe, who turned into a solid turf sprinter in 2009 as a 4-year-old when he won two five-furlong dashes on the grass at Churchill Downs and ran third in the Arlington Sprint Handicap, a race that Havelock won this summer.

St. Joe has won 8 of 29 career starts and earned $267,652, but is not in Havelock’s league according to Miller.

“This horse has a little more class than St. Joe,” Miller said.

PRIORESS WINNER HER SMILE HEADS LIST OF CHILUKKI NOMINATIONS – Bobby Flay’s Grade I-winning filly Her Smile leads a group of 26 nominees for the 26^th running of the $150,000-added Chilukki (GII) for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up at one mile on the main track at Churchill Downs scheduled to be run as part of the Breeders’ Cup Saturday undercard Nov. 5.

Previously owned by her breeder William Backer, Her Smile was purchased by Flay shortly after finishing second in the Comely (GIII) at Aqueduct with the goal of competing in the Kentucky Oaks (GI). The dark bay or brown daughter of Include would run in the Oaks, but was never a factor and finished 11^th in the field of 13.

Her Smile would prove herself to be a smart purchase shortly after the Oaks with two impressive performances at Belmont Park, a third in the Acorn (GI) and a victory in the Prioress (GI). After disappointing efforts in her previous two starts, the Todd Pletcher-trained Her Smile is on schedule to attempt to rebound in the Chilukki and she breezed a half-mile Sunday morning at Churchill Downs in :48.20 in preparation for the race.

The eighth running of the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (GIII) is scheduled to kick off Breeders’ Cup World Championships weekend on Thursday, Nov. 3. The list of 24 nominations for the 1 1/16 mile race for 3-year-olds to be run on the Matt Winn Turf Course is highlighted by a duo of Grade I winners: Santa Anita Derby winner Midnight Interlude and last year’s Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity winner J. B.’s Thunder.

Arnold Zetcher LLC’s Midnight Interlude has a record of 1-1-0 in four starts on turf including a win in the Tsunami Stakes at Hollywood Park and a narrow defeat to Banned in the Del Mar Derby (GII). Midnight Interlude was fourth as the favorite in his most recent start, the Oak Tree Derby (GII).

J. B.’s Thunder returned from a near 10-month layoff with a fourth place finish in an allowance over the turf at Saratoga. The bay son of Thunder Gulch, who races under the colors of Columbine Stable, was third in a 1 1/16 mile allowance race at Keeneland in his most recent start.

The 19^th running of the $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap (GIII) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the main track to be run as part of the Breeders’ Cup Friday undercard Nov. 4 closed with 27 nominations led by dual Grade I winner Giant Oak. The Virginia H. Tarra Trust’s Giant Oak, who was promoted to first place in the Clark Handicap (GI) beneath the Twin Spires during the 2010 Fall Meet, captured the Donn Handicap (GI) this year. The Donn Handicap is the lone victory of the year for the 5-year-old chestnut son of Giant’s Causeway.

Weights for the Ack Ack Handicap will be announced Friday.

Closing out Breeders’ Cup weekend on Sunday, Nov. 6 is the 38^th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (GIII). The list of 29 nominations for the 1 1/8 mile race for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up to be run on the Matt Winn Turf Course is headed by Just a Game (GI) winner C. S. Silk. Owned by William Pacella, George Bonomo and Fred Barbara, the 5-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro boasts a record of 2-1-1 in five lifetime starts over the Matt Winn Turf Course including a third in the 2010 Locust Grove (GIII).

Weights for the Cardinal Handicap will be announced next Sunday, Oct. 30.

BARN TALK – Several horses trained by Todd Pletcher, including Mike Repole’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) hopefuls Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty, are scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Monday at approximately 10 a.m. EDT and be stabled in Barn 34. …

Making the rounds on the backstretch Sunday morning was jockey Shaun Bridgmohan. Bridgmohan, who sustained a broken collarbone in a spill at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 10, is planning to ride on the opening-day card here next Sunday.

WORK TAB – Cathy and Bob Zollars’ Daddy Nose Best, a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII), worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:02.20 for trainer Steve Asmussen. The work was the 18^th fastest of 47 at the distance. …

At the nearby Trackside Training Center, trainer Mike Maker worked three possible Breeders’ Cup runners. Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Headache (Classic) covered five furlongs in 1:01.20 over a fast track, the fifth fastest of 24 at the distance. Also working were Marathon hopefuls Baryshnikov, owned by Jeffrey Columbro and Connie Apostelos, and Tom and Jack Conway’s Stately Victor. Baryshnikov worked in 1:00.80 (third fastest of 24) and Stately Victor in 1:01.40 (seventh fastest of 24). Maker also worked Tracy Farmer’s La Gran Bailadora, a nominee for the Nov. 6 Cardinal Handicap (GIII). Third in the Juddmonte Spinster (GI) in her most recent start, La Gran Bailadora worked five furlongs in 1:03.40.

FLAT OUT TAKES DICKEY ON THE RIDE OF HIS LIFE – Trainer Scooter Dickey thought he had hit the top of the racing game long before Flat Out came into his barn.

“I had always hoped for a horse like this,” Dickey said Tuesday morning as Flat Out went to the track for his morning exercise under Otto Aguilar. “I thought I had reached the pinnacle in 1984 in the Preakness (with Wind Flyer). Gate Dancer beat me as far as he did in a maiden race, six lengths.”

Owned by Preston Stables, Flat Out came to Dickey in the summer of 2008 and made his debut at Churchill Downs that November, running sixth in a 6 ½-furlong race.

“We took three good babies to Saratoga that summer, but he did not get to run,” Dickey said. “The first time he ran, he ran green but he closed ground and the next time out he won at the Fair Grounds.”

A victory in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park in his 3-year-old debut put Flat Out on the Kentucky Derby trail and respectable showings in the Southwest and Arkansas Derby kept him there until a shoulder injury less than two weeks before the Run for the Roses ended that dream.

The shoulder injury and battles with persistent quarter cracks kept Flat Out away from the races for 20 months.

Did Dickey ever think of throwing in the towel?

“Only one time,” the 70-year-old native of Anthony, Kan., said. “We had brought him back after the shoulder had healed and the quarter cracks had healed. We were two or three works away (from a start) and that old quarter crack behind the wall blew out and they had to cut his foot away like they did with Big Brown and we had to give it time to grow back. That was the only time.”

After a victory in his return in December in New Orleans, Flat Out battled quarter cracks again before starting on a run that has propelled him to the upper echelon of the handicap ranks in North America and into a leading role for the Grade I, $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.“He just takes everything in stride,” Dickey said of Flat Out, who worked a bullet five furlongs in :59.80 last Saturday under Greta Kuntzweiler. “He just wants to go out there and work.”

There is a chance that Flat Out’s work may not be done after the Nov. 5 Classic.

“We haven’t really talked about it,” Dickey said of retiring Flat Out after the Classic. “But a while back I was talking with Art (Preston) and said ‘Remember when we worked him on the turf in case we didn’t go in the Stephen Foster but the Firecracker instead and he worked really good?’ He said we ought to try him on the turf some time and point to the Arlington Million next year. I told him, ‘I like the way you think.’ ”

NO DECISION YET FOR NORTHERN PASSION AFTER HALF-MILE WORK – In her first work over a dirt surface, John Oxley’s Northern Passion, winner of the Grade III Natalma on turf at Woodbine in her most recent start, breezed four furlongs in :51.80 over a fast Churchill Downs track Tuesday morning under regular exercise rider Melanie Giddings in preparation for the GII $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf or the GI $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

"She went off the first eighth (of a mile) in about :14 (officially :13.80),” assistant trainer Norman Casse said. “It was her first time not working in company so she didn’t really know what was going on at the beginning. The important thing is that she finished strong and she looked good. We’re happy.”

Northern Passion was awarded an automatic berth in the starting gate for the Juvenile Fillies Turf following her victory in the Natalma, a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” race; however, she could appear in the Juvenile Fillies on the dirt if she shows enough potential over the surface in the mornings.

“The slow time is just a reflection of the slow opening eighth,” Casse said. “I think she handled the dirt fine and she’s already won on two surfaces so I don’t know why she wouldn’t be able to handle the dirt. Also, my dad (Mark) has always said the Churchill surface is very comparable to Polytrack. A lot of turf and synthetic horses seem to like it on this dirt more than anywhere else.”

The Casse barn has had success this year with horses trying the Churchill dirt for the first time after previously racing exclusively on turf and synthetic surfaces, including a victory in the GI Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi with Pool Play.

Northern Passion, a $220,000 OBS Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale purchase, will have another work on the dirt beneath the Twin Spires early next week before a final decision is made on her next start.

“Dad is coming to Kentucky next week for the Fasig-Tipton yearling sale and she’ll work while he is here,” Casse said. “That’s when we’ll decide where to go.”

Spirited Miss, another 2-year-old filly in the Casse barn who races under the Oxley colors, is also being considered for the Juvenile Fillies Turf and Juvenile Fillies. The bay daughter of Sky Mesa ran fourth to her stablemate in the Natalma prior to finishing second in the Mazarine at Woodbine in her most recent start. She is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Tuesday and will be stabled in Barn 24. There are currently no plans for when she will first work over the Louisville track.

BARN TALK – Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence’s Sum of the Parts worked five furlongs in 1:03.40 before the renovation break and trainer Tom Amoss said the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint “is a possibility” for the colt. Amoss also said that Jerry Namy’s Shared Property, winner of the GIII Arlington-Washington Futurity and sixth as the favorite in the GI Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity, would not run in the Breeders’ Cup. “We are going to do something a little less ambitious,” Amoss said of Shared Property, who is nominated to the GIII, $100,000-added Iroquois at a mile on Oct. 30. “We think he will be his best as a 3-year-old and we are going to take a little time with him.” …

Kendall Hansen’s Hansen, undefeated winner of the Kentucky Cup Juvenile at Turfway Park on Sept. 24 by 13 ¼ lengths, worked five furlongs at the Trackside Training Center. Trained by Mike Maker, Hansen is a possible hopeful for the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. …

C R K Stable’s Switch, one of the leading prospects for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, worked a half-mile in :47.40 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01 at Keeneland Tuesday morning. Switch is scheduled to van to Churchill Downs on Wednesday. 

C.R. Trout, owner-breeder and trainer of Shotgun Gulch, said the 4-year-old Oklahoma-bred filly is scheduled to van to Churchill Downs on Oct. 29 from Remington Park for a run in the $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint to be run Nov. 4. Winner of the GI Vinery Madison at Keeneland in April, Shotgun Gulch finished fifth in the GI Humana Distaff in May in her lone start at Churchill Downs. …

Camp Victory, winner of the Los Angeles Handicap who was second in both the Triple Bend Handicap and Pat O’Brien this year, has been confirmed for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint by trainer Mike Mitchell.  He  will be ridden by eight-time Churchill Downs leading rider Julien Leparoux. …

Marketing Mix, runner-up to Together-IRE in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, is scheduled to make her next start in the GII Mrs. Revere at Churchill Downs on Nov. 12. Trainer Tom Proctor had previously stated that Marketing Mix would be given the rest of the year off. “What changed my mind?” Proctor said. “$175,000.” …       

Chamberlain Bridge, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint over the Matt Winn Turf Course, is scheduled to work on the main track beneath the Twin Spires on Wednesday morning; however, inclement weather could push the work back to Thursday. …

Nominations for four graded stakes races to be run at Churchill Downs over Breeders’ Cup weekend will close Wednesday. The eighth running of the GIII, $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course will be contested on Thursday, Nov. 3. The 19^th running of the GIII, $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the main track will be part of the undercard on Breeders’ Cup Friday. The 26^th running of the GII, $150,000-added Chilukki for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up at one mile on the main track will be contested on Breeders’ Cup Saturday. The 38^th running of the GIII, $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course will be run Sunday, Nov. 6.

WORKTAB – Gaillardia Racing LLC’s Wilkinson, a 3-year-old graded stakes winning son of Lemon Drop Kid who was third in the Grade I Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park in his most recent start, breezed four furlongs in :50 Tuesday morning for trainer Neil Howard.

 

Preston Stables’ Flat Out, winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (Grade I) and a leading contender for the $5 million Breeder’ Cup Classic (GI) on Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs, displayed continued sharpness Saturday in a ‘bullet’ five-furlong work over his home track.

The 5-year-old son of Flatter stepped onto the “fast” one-mile oval at the home of the Kentucky Derby (GI) just after 7 a.m. (EDT) and then zipped five-eighths of a mile under jockey Greta Kuntzweiler in :59.80.  The work was the fastest of 46 moves at the distance on the crisp autumn morning at Churchill Downs.

Trained by veteran Charles “Scooter” Dickey, Flat Out completed the work in fractional times of :12, :24, :35.80 and :47.60.  He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80 and seven-eighths in 1:28.80.

“We broke him off at five-eighths and he finished real strong up the stretch,” Dickey said.  “He cooled out good and he’s doing great right now.  I hope we can keep him going.”

Plagued by quarter cracks through most of his career, Flat Out has overcome those foot woes this year in what is easily the most successful campaign of his racing career.  He has run six times with a record of 2-3-0 and earnings of $992,613.  His career mark stands at 5-3-0 in 12 races with earnings of $1,109,713.

Along with victories in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Suburban (GII) at Belmont Park, he ran second to the 4-year-old filly Havre de Grace, the current future betting favorite for her expected run against males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, in the Woodward (GI) and was runner-up to expected Classic competitor Tizway in the Whitney (GI).  Both of those races were run at Saratoga.

Dickey plans two more works for Flat Out prior to the 1 ¼-mile Classic.

“There’ll probably be one more light work, and more kind of serious work,” Dickey said.  “But he’s fit and ready to go.”

If all goes well over the next three weeks, Flat Out will be the first Breeders’ Cup starter for the 70-year-old Dickey, whose training career spans 48 years.

“You can’t imagine how much fun it’s been,” Dickey said.  “It just keeps getting better.  We’ve waited on the horse and he’s rewarding us now and taking good care of us.  He’s just something to be around.”

Other possible Breeders’ Cup contenders to work on Saturday at Churchill Downs included Grade I winner Court Vision (possible for Mile), who breezed five furlongs in 1:02 under exercise rider Tammy Fox.  Spendthrift Farm’s 6-year-old son of Gulch, now trained by Dale Romans, ran fourth and fifth, respectively, to Goldikova in the last two renewals of the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Preston Stables’ Brooklyn (GII) winner Birdrun (Marathon) worked four furlongs in :48.80 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the all-time training leader at Churchill Downs.  The move was sixth fastest of 54 at the distance.

POOL PLAY WORKS, FLAT OUT POINTS TO BREEDERS CUP AFTER NEW YORK ROMP – William S. Farish Jr.’s Pool Play worked on Sunday morning at Churchill Downs in his first serious training move since his upset victory in the 30^th running of the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (Grade I).

The 6-year-old son of Silver Deputy breezed five furlongs under regular exercise rider Melanie Giddings in 1:03 over a fast main track for trainer Mark Casse.

“We just wanted him to go nice and easy,” said assistant trainer Norman Casse, the son of the Woodbine-based trainer. “Everything went fine.”

Pool Play, whose Stephen Foster came in his debut over a traditional dirt surface, will likely have one more work beneath the Twin Spires before he heads to New York for the summer.

“We’ll give him another easy one (work) before going to Saratoga,” Casse said. “The plan right now is to ship (to Saratoga) on the tenth (of July) and work him a day before (on July 9). We’ll save the big works for when we get him up there.”

Bred in Canada by Windfields Farm, Pool Play has a career record of 6-6-5 from 28 starts with earnings of $909,556. He will be pointed to the Whitney Handicap (GI) at Saratoga on Aug. 6, with the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5 being the ultimate year-end goal.

Pool Play defeated an impressive group of older horses in the Stephen Foster that included Preston Stables LLC’s Flat Out, who traveled to New York on Saturday for a 6 ½-length romp in Belmont Park Park’s Suburban Handicap (GII) in his first start since his fifth-place run in the Foster.

"I think it proves how good the Stephen Foster field was this year,” Casse said. “It also further showed just how big Pool Play ran.”

Flat Out, a 5-year-old son of Flatter, received a Beyer Speed Figure of 113 for his demolition of his Suburban rivals.  That is the highest Beyer recorded this year for a race on traditional dirt at a mile or farther.

"We are really proud of him,” trainer Scooter Dickey said. “We really thought he would run well, but didn’t know he would whoop ‘em like that.”

Flat Out, who shipped to Dickey’s stable at Monmouth Park following his victory in Saturday’s Suburban, is also being pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“We still don’t know just how good he is,” Dickey said. “I talked to the owner and we decided we’ll find out how good he is in the Breeders’ Cup.”

Bred in Florida by Nikolaus Bock, Flat Out has a career record of 4-1-0 from nine starts and earnings of $359,713. No decision has been made regarding his next start.   Flat Out has been plagued by quarter cracks that have limited in racing and training over the past two years, but his feet are fine right now.

“There are a lot of options,” Dickey said. “I think we’ll look to run him at either Saratoga or Monmouth, but we really haven’t discussed it much.”

BOREL, LANERIE SIZZLE WITH LEPAROUX OUT OF TOWN AND JOCKEY RACE TIGHTENS – Leading jockey Julien Leparoux traveled to New York on Saturday for a successful raid on Belmont Park and a victory aboard George Bolton and Stonestreet Stable’s The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (GIII) runner-up Dominus in the Grade II Dwyer.

But if Leparoux was keeping track of happenings back home in Louisville, the seven-time leading rider at Churchill Downs witnessed fireworks by Calvin Borel and a flurry of wins by Corey Lanerie, his closest pursuer in the battle for leading rider honors in Churchill Downs’ 38-day Spring Meet.

Borel, the three-time Kentucky Derby winner and three-time leading jockey at its home track, tallied five wins in Saturday’s 13 races.  The memorable was capped by a dazzling win aboard Stoneway Farm’s Exfactor in the 110^th running of the $100,000-added Bashford Manor (GIII) for 2-year-olds.

“It was an awesome day,” Borel said.  “I’m riding some good babies (2-year-olds) this year.  Even my brother, Cecil, has a good baby.  I think it’s going to be another good year.”

Cecil Borel trains Brown Eyed Jozi, an eight-length winner under Calvin Borel in the colt’s second career start at Churchill Downs on June 18.

Borel’s big day lifted his Spring Meet win total to 32, good for fourth place in the race for leading rider.

As Leparoux returned to Louisville to prepare for Sunday’s races, he should have been able to again feel Lanerie’s breath on his neck.  A blistering three-week hot streak by Leparoux had allowed the French-born rider to overcome what had one point had been an 11-win lead by Lanerie and surge to a seemingly comfortable six-win advantage in the race for top jockey.  But Lanerie, bidding for his first Churchill Downs riding crown, got out the gate quickly on Saturday with three wins in the day’s first four races.  That burst narrowed Leparoux’s lead to 49-46 with head-to-head competition over two days and 23 races remaining in the Spring Meet.

Leparoux was scheduled to ride in 10 of Sunday’s 12 races and has mounts in all 11 races on Monday’s closing day program.  Lanerie was set to ride in 11 races on Sunday and all but one of Monday’s races.

MCGEE AND JAY EM ESS STABLE: A WINNING COMBINATION – Louisville-native Paul McGee has enjoyed a long run of success for Mace and Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable since he started training for that California-based operation in the early 1990’s, and the ongoing 2011 Spring Meet has provided more of the same for the owner-trainer team.

McGee, who will celebrate his 49^th birthday on July 10, has saddled seven winners during the meet and six were owned by Jay Em Ess Stable. Two Jay Em Ess horses won Saturday when Shameless took Race 7 and Reserved Indian won the ninth.  Both winners were ridden by Calvin Borel.

“I’ve trained for the Siegels for a long time and they’re great people to train for,” McGee said.

McGee, who has 294 career wins beneath the Twin Spires, has trained several high-quality horses for the Siegels, including Miss Pickums and Suave. Miss Pickums, the dam of Shameless, won the Grade II Golden Rod at Churchill Downs in 2000 on her way to $376,809 in career earnings. Suave, a multiple graded stakes winner of over $1.3 million, captured Churchill Downs’ Grade III Northern Dancer (now the Matt Winn) and lost by a narrow head to Magna Graduate in the 2005 Clark Handicap, which was then a Grade II event.

Jay Em Ess Stable is currently second in the owner standings with six wins, two behind Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc., and will have their final starter of the Spring Meet with Ready to Taunt in Sunday’s eighth race, a maiden-special at 1 1/8-miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

“He was just second in the same race a few weeks ago (May 22) and so we’re running him right back,” McGee said. “He should have a good shot.”

It will be the fourth start for the 3-year-old gelded son of More Than Ready, who debuted in June of 2010 at Churchill Downs on the main track. Following a 10-month layoff, Ready to Taunt ran third in a $50,000 maiden claiming race on Keeneland’s Polytrack prior to his runner-up effort on the Matt Winn Turf Course at Churchill Downs.

Sunday’s eighth race has a post time of 4:25 p.m. and Ready to Taunt, who will be ridden by Corey Lanerie, is 6-1 on the morning line.

WISE DAN A ‘GO’ FOR TURF DEBUT IN MONDAY’S FIRECRACKER ‘CAP – With just over 24 hours to go before the turf debut of Morton Fink’s homebred Wise Dan in Monday’s $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap Presented by GE (GII), trainer Charles Lopresti reported that all systems were “go” for what could be a pivotal race for his veteran stakes winner.

Wise Dan tuned up for his turf bow last Tuesday when he worked four furlongs in :48.80 around the dogs on the Matt Winn Turf Course in his first experience on grass.  On the same day Preston Stables LLC’s Flat Out, who dominated his foes in Saturday’s Suburban Handicap (GII) on at Belmont Park, breezed a half-mile over the same surface in :50.20.

“He’s doing good,” Lopresti said by telephone from Lexington on Sunday.  “He came out of that breeze good and his blood work is good.  It just depends on whether he likes the grass or not.

A Firecracker victory by Wise Dan would make him the first horse in its 19 renewals on grass to win the one-mile test for 3-year-olds and up without the benefit of a previous race on grass.  The quality of last week’s work over the Matt Winn Turf Course encouraged Lopresti to think that the homebred son of Wiseman’s Ferry possesses the ability to be a major factor in the race.

“Everybody told me that it was really a phenomenal work,” Lopresti said.  “I was watching up in the clocker’s stand and down the backside he (Wise Dan) didn’t know what he was doing at first.  It was like, ‘What am I supposed to be doing on this thing?’  Then when he hit the half-mile pole and went around the turn, I saw Jon lower down and he said he kicked it for home.

"Jon said he eased him up, because I didn’t want him to do too much with him.  I kind of like my outside post, and it wouldn’t bother me if we got a little rain because there was a good cut in the course the other day when he worked.”

Wise Dan has a record of 4-0-0 in nine races, with his biggest win to date coming in last fall’s Phoenix (GIII) at six furlongs over synthetic Polytrack at Keeneland.  He followed that effort with a good sixth place finish in which he finished fewer than three lengths behind the victorious Big Drama in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) at Churchill Downs.

He is 0-for-3 in 2011, but has a pair of good fourth-place finishes in tough races this season.  He ran fourth to Dogwood Stable’s Aikenite in the Commonwealth (GII) at Keeneland and that rival returned to win the seven-furlong, $300,000 Churchill Downs (GII) on Kentucky Derby Day in his next outing.  After an eighth-place run in his first attempt at a two-turn distance in the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba (GIII) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day, Wise Dane rebounded with a good fourth-place finish in a seven-furlong allowance race on dirt at the Louisville track.  That stakes-quality race was won by multiple stakes winner Native Ruler and the runner-up was two-time Grade I winner General Quarters, the morning line favorite for Monday’s Firecracker.

The change in surface is a bit of a gamble by Lopresti, but a good run by Wise Dan will present new options for the 4-year-old gelding’s future.

“If he likes the grass, that’ll be good,” Lopresti said.  “It will be a pivotal race.  We’ll just figure out where to go from there.”

The field for the Grade II, $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap Presented by GE in post position order (with jockey, weight, and morning line odds) includes General Quarters (Jamie Theriot, 119, 3-1), Omniscient (Manoel Cruz, 113, 20-1), Mister Marti Gras (Shaun Bridgmohan, 115, 5-1), El Caballo (Corey Lanerie, 114, 9-2), Mystic (Jesus Castanon, 114, 12-1), Joshua Reynolds (Brian Hernandez Jr., 114, 30-1), Baryshnikov (Julien Leparoux, 117, 4-1), Plutonium (James Lopez, 112, 30-1), Strike Impact (Robby Albarado, 117, 8-1), Wise Dan (Court, 115, 6-1) and Lubash (Kent Desormeaux, 115, 12-1).

Mister Marti Gras is expected to scratch from the race, a move that would move Wise Dan down to post position nine in the Firecracker starting gate.

BARN TALK – Corey Lanerie, who rode Courtlant Farms’ Power World to a runner-up effort in the Grade III Bashford Manor on Saturday at Churchill Downs, hopped on a plane to Louisiana after that race to ride Brittlyn Stables Inc.’s Star Guitar in the $100,000 Louisiana Showcase Classic at Evangeline Downs for trainer Al Stall Jr.  Star Guitar won the race by 1 ¾ lengths at odds of 1-5. …

Leading rider Julien Leparoux recorded his 499^th Churchill Downs victory aboard Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Raven Hawk in Friday’s eighth race for Steve Asmussen, the leading trainer of the Spring Meet. Leparoux will attempt to become just the tenth jockey to record 500 wins at Churchill Downs with one of his ten mounts Sunday (Races 1-6, 8-11). …

During the final two days of the Spring Meet, Churchill Downs will offer special all-day $1 Budweiser drafts and $1 hot dogs on the bricks of the paddock area to celebrate “Red, White, and Blues Weekend” Presented by GE. Also, there will be live blues music on the paddock stage between races each day from 2-6 p.m. V-Groove will play Sunday and Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons are set to perform on closing day, Monday, July 4. …

The 3^rd Annual Horsemen’s Golf Scramble at Glenmary’s Country Club on Monday, Aug. 29. Registration begins at 11 a.m. and the cost is $100 per player with four players to a team. Lunch will also begin at 11 a.m. and the shotgun start is at 12:30 p.m. Those interested may pick up a form from The Backside Learning Center and return it by Friday, Aug. 12.

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockey over the last five racing days (June 25-July 2) is Calvin Borel (10-for-32). Bill Mott (4-for-8), Mike Maker (4-for-11) and Eddie Kenneally (4-for-13) are the hottest trainers over the same period. Mace and Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable (3-for-3) are the hottest owners.

WORKTAB – Ed Few’s Lil Cherokee, who won the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sale Futurity at Lone Star Park in his second career start, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 on a fast track under Brian Hernandez Jr. on Sunday morning at Churchill Downs for trainer Bret Calhoun. Lil Cherokee, a 2-year-old son of Cherokee Run, was scratched from Saturday’s Grade III Bashford Manor after the earlier scratch of Laurie’ Rocket placed him in the number one post for the race. “He’s perfectly healthy,” assistant trainer Dennis Geier said on Saturday.  “We just didn’t like the post.”

Dr. Joseph Witek’s homebred Joes Blazing Aaron breezed four furlongs in :51.80 on the main track for trainer Mike Maker on Sunday morning. A 3-year-old gelded son of Graeme Hall, Joes Blazing Aaron, who won the Palm Beach (GIII) at Gulfstream Park in March, was fourth in his most recent start, a 1 1/16-mile allowance race that was taken off the Matt Winn Turf Course because of rain and run over a “good” main track beneath at Churchill Downs on June 19.

WEATHER – Sunday: partly sunny with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 91. Monday: partly sunny with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 89. Tuesday: mostly sunny, 88. Wednesday: mostly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 88. Thursday: partly sunny with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 89. Friday: mostly sunny, 89. Saturday: mostly sunny, 89.