Todd Pletcher

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB QUOTES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.”

WINSTAR’S UNBEATEN GEMOLOGIST HOPES TO FOLLOW SUPER SAVER’S FOOTSTEPS IN JOCKEY CLUB – WinStar Farm LLC and trainer Todd Pletcher teamed up to win the 2009 running of the Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II) with Super Saver, and returned to Churchill Downs with the colt the following spring to capture the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI).

Those connections hope for similar good fortune with Gemologist, their latest juvenile star who puts an unbeaten record on the line in Saturday’s 85^th running of the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the main track beneath the Twin Spires.

“Certainly we’ve had luck in this race before and have had horses run well and then go on to bigger and better things as 3-year-olds,” assistant trainer Michael McCarthy said. “I’m sure we’ll start thinking about it (the Kentucky Derby) after the race Saturday. But you’re always thinking about it – especially in this operation.”

A big, handsome son of Tiznow, Gemologist still has plenty of upside and McCarthy believes he could be able to follow in Super Saver’s footsteps and develop into a 3-year-old of Derby and Triple Crown quality.

“He’s a lot of horse and a fantastic looking animal,” McCarthy said. “I think he’ll get better with racing and I see no reason why he won’t develop into a nice 3-year-old. He’s still got a lot of maturing to do; not so much physically, but mentally.”

Gemologist, purchased as a weanling for $310,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November Sale, cruised to a five-length victory in his career debut over Turfway Park’s Polytrack surface.  He followed that with a two-length allowance victory at the Kentucky Jockey Club distance on Churchill Downs’ Stars of Tomorrow I card.

"He’s two-for-two and has a little bit of a buzz around him,” McCarthy said. “Anytime a horse has won going a distance of ground at this stage of their career it’s good, and to have a win over the racetrack is a feather in your cap.”

Gemologist will break from post nine under Javier Castellano when he faces 10 rivals in the Kentucky Jockey Club. His main competition could come from Augustin Stable’s Ever So Lucky, a flashy 3 ¼-length maiden winner for steeplechase training legend Jonathan Sheppard at Churchill Downs on Nov. 11.  Ever So Lucky, a bay son of Indian Charlie, was supplemented to the Kentucky Jockey Club for a fee of $7,500.

"There are a lot of horses in the race that look like they have a lot of upside,” McCarthy said. “Certainly Jonathan Sheppard’s horse is one of them. He did nothing wrong in his debut and anytime you see Sheppard do something like bring a horse back on short rest, then you definitely need to pay attention.”

Ever So Lucky will break from the rail and is expected to challenge for the early lead, a development McCarthy would welcome.

“I think Gemologist will be fairly forwardly placed,” McCarthy said. “It’d be nice if someone would go to the lead and we could sit off him and have Gemologist learn a little something.”

Named in honor of the holding company that operated Churchill Downs at the time of the race’s inaugural running in 1920, the Kentucky Jockey Club is the co-featured event with the $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII) for 2-year-old fillies on the Stars of Tomorrow II program,.  It will be run as race 11 with a scheduled post time 5:42 p.m. (all times EST).  Post time for the day’s first race is 12:40 p.m.

FLASHY DEBUT WINNER EVER SO LUCKY RETURNS IN KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB – Those who watched the impressive 3 ¼-length debut victory by Augustin Stable’s Ever So Lucky at Churchill Downs on Nov. 11 might have been surprised to learn the Indian Charlie colt is trained by Jonathan Sheppard.

Sheppard, who last year became the first trainer to saddle 1,000 steeplechase winners in the United States, is not known for having precocious juveniles in his barn, but finds himself with one of the Fall Meet’s most-discussed horses the colt owned by George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable. The $600,000 sales topper at Fasig-Tipton’s Mid-Atlantic Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale at Maryland’s Timonium, Ever So Lucky was installed by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Jockey Club.

“I was absolutely delighted with his first race,” Sheppard said. “He broke a step slowly and (jockey Julien) Leparoux asked him to move up and it seemed like he took the lead in just a few jumps. He was under pressure on the lead and when Julien asked him to run, he responded and won with a lot left. He ran like an old pro.”

Ever So Lucky’s flashy debut so impressed his connections that they paid $7,500 to make him a supplemental nominee to the Kentucky Jockey Club.

“It was a mutual decision between myself and Mr. Strawbridge,” Sheppard said. “We were trying to decide what to do with him and we decided to give him a second race at the track he was at and seems to like. This also gives him a race going two turns and sets him up nicely to get a breather and then get him ready for the big 3-year-old races next spring.”

One of those “big 3-year-old races” Sheppard was referring to is the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI). Sheppard, who will turn 71 on Dec. 2, has never saddled a starter in the Run for the Roses.

“I’m not going to push them and make them do something they’re not ready for,” Sheppard said. “We usually stick to the theory that you can have a good young horse or a good older horse, but you can’t have both. However, I think he (Ever So Lucky) has the disposition to be a good horse next year. He has a very good mind and is a really nice horse. I don’t want to jinx myself though because you really never know.”

Ever So Lucky will break from the rail post in the Kentucky Jockey Club. Some would be nervous about a 2-year-old breaking the inside gate, but Sheppard does not see the post as an issue for Ever So Lucky.

“The rail is not a bad spot if you have a horse with some speed,” Sheppard said. “I think Leparoux will be able to get him out of there fine.”

KENTUCKY OAKS TRAIL FOR CUSTOMER BASE BEGINS WITH THE GOLDEN ROD – Glen Hill Farm’s Customer Base is unbeaten on synthetic surfaces in her young career, but she moves to traditional dirt for Saturday’s 68^th running of the $150,000-added Golden Rod (Grade II) at Churchill Downs in hope that the race will be a first step on a trail to next spring’s $1 million Kentucky Oaks (GI).

“If she can get lucky and win Saturday then she’ll be nominated to the Kentucky Oaks, which is what I want because if she runs well then we’ll definitely point that way with her,” trainer Tom Proctor said.

Customer Base was a winner on debut over synthetic Polytrack footing at Del Mar and improved her record to a perfect two-for-two with a 1 ½-length victory over Keeneland’s Polytrack surface. The only poor effort in her career came Customer Base drew post 13 in a bid for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) on Nov. 4.  She finished 11^th of 14 fillies that day behind the victorious Stephanie’s Kitten.

“She ran so well over the Polytrack that I decided to put her in the Juvenile Fillies Turf,” Proctor said. “I wasn’t sure if she’d like the turf or not, but honestly I still don’t know because she lost all chance with a bad trip. Her pedigree says she can run on the turf or the dirt.”

A 2-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid, Customer Base was installed as the 7-2 second choice for the Golden Rod by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia.

“If she likes the dirt then she’ll be tough in there,” Proctor said. “I don’t know why she wouldn’t. She’s trained well over it and is doing really good.”

While the Kentucky Oaks is the primary long-term goal for Customer Base, Proctor has a backup plan for his filly if things don’t go as planned Saturday.

“If she doesn’t run well then I’ll take her to Tampa Bay and get her ready for the Florida Oaks (at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Feb.4),” Proctor said.

Customer Base will break from post eight in the field of 11 under leading-rider Julien Leparoux. Post time for the Golden Rod, the co-featured event on the Stars of Tomorrow II program, is 4:42 p.m.

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (Nov. 17-23) are Corey Lanerie (8-for-44) and Julien Leparoux (7-for-29). Nick Zito (3-for-4), Eddie Kenneally (3-for-6), Ken McPeek (3-for-9) and Mike Maker (3-for-13) are the hottest trainers over the same period. Carolyn Wilson (2-for-2) and Ken and Sarah Ramsey (2-for-8) are the hottest owners.

BARN TALK – Arena Elvira, winner of Thursday’s Falls City Handicap (GII) at Churchill Downs, exited the race in good order, according to assistant trainer Kenny McCarthy. The 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper will be given some time off before she begins a 5-year-old campaign. …

The second and third-place finishers in the Falls City, Afleeting Lady and It’s Tea Time, also came out of the race well.  No firm plans are in place for either filly, but both are expected to run next year. …

A reminder that a memorial service for the late trainer Robert Holthus will be held Saturday, Nov. 26 at 10:30 a.m. (EST) at Christ Chapel on the Churchill Downs backside. 

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. …

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

WORKTAB – Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Tapizar, winner of the Sham (GIII) in January and fifth to Caleb’s Posse in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) in his most recent start, breezed five furlongs on the fast main track at Churchill Downs on Friday morning in 1:03.20 for trainer Steve Asmussen. The work was the 11^th fastest of 17 at the distance. …

Also working for Asmussen on Friday morning was Thiskyhasnolimit, winner of the Texas Mile (GIII) in April. Owned by Mark Wagner and Bob and Cathy Zollars, the 4-year-old son of Sky Mesa breezed five furlongs in 1:05.40.

Augustin Stable’s Ever So Lucky, a dazzling winner in his Churchill Downs debut, and WinStar Farm LLC’s Gemologist, perfect in two outings at Turfway Park and Churchill Downs, put their spotless racing records on the line Saturday as the promising colts head a field of 11 2-year-olds entered for Saturday’s 85^th running of the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II), the co-featured event on the Stars of Tomorrow II program devoted to juvenile runners at Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky Jockey Club, run at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, shares Saturday’s Stars of Tomorrow II marquee with the $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII), a race at the same distance for fillies.  Named in honor of the holding company that operated Churchill Downs at the time of the race’s inaugural running in 1920, the Kentucky Jockey Club will be run as race 11 with a scheduled post time  5:12 p.m. (all times EST).  Post time for the day’s first race is 12:40 p.m.

Trained by steeplechase legend Jonathan Sheppard, Ever So Lucky made the much-discussed date of 11.11.11 at Churchill Downs extra memorable with an impressive 3 ¼ length romp under jockey Julien Leparoux in his 6 ½-furlong racing debut. The son of Indian Charlie, the $600,000 sale topper in May at the Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic auction at Maryland’s Timonium, will break from the rail post under Leparoux in the Kentucky Jockey Club.  Ever So Lucky, a supplemental entry to the race at a cost of $7,500, was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite by oddsmaker Mike Battaglia.

Gemologist, a son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow trained by Todd Pletcher, reeled off strong victories in his racing debut at Turfway Park and an allowance race at the Kentucky Jockey Club distance on the Stars of Tomorrow I program that kicked off the Churchill Downs Fall Meet.  Those efforts prompted Battaglia to install Gemologist as the 3-1 second choice in the morning line and Gemologist will break from post nine under jockey Javier Castellano.

WinStar Farm and Pletcher won the 2009 Kentucky Jockey Club with Super Saver, who returned to Churchill Downs the following spring to win the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI).  The Derby victory by Super Saver was the first for both WinStar Farm and Pletcher.

Despite the star power of the favorites, the Kentucky Jockey Club is far from a two-horse race as the field includes the  promising New York invader Cyber Secret and stakes veteran Optimizer.

Another unbeaten colt,  Gary and Mary West Stables’ Cyber Secret make his stakes debut in the Kentucky Jockey Club on the heels of a 6 ½-furlong maiden win over a muddy surface on Oct. 20  at New York’s Belmont Park.  Trained by Chad Brown, the Kentucky-bred son of Broken Vow will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan in his stakes debut.  Cyber Secret drew post five and is the 6-1 third choice in Battaglia’s Kentucky Jockey Club morning line.

Bluegrass Hall LLC’s Optimizer, a 2-year-old of English Channel and the 8-1 fourth choice in the Kentucky Jockey Club, which will make his second consecutive start over the main track at Churchill Downs after competing over grass and synthetic surfaces in his first three outings. Trained by Hall of Famer and four-time Kentucky Jockey Club winner D. Wayne Lukas, Optimizer finished eighth behind unbeaten Hansen after breaking from the outside post in a field of 13 in the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5.   Prior to his Breeders’ Cup run, Optimizer won his debut on the Saratoga turf and was the runner-up to State of Play over the same surface in the With Anticipation (GII).  Lukas’ colt also ran third to Dullahan in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (GI) over Keeneland’s Polytrack.

Optimizer will break from post six under Robby Albarado, who won the 1999 renewal of the Kentucky Jockey Club with Captain Steve.

Other stakes veterans in Saturday’s race include Thomas Conway and Mike Maker’s Mr. Prankster and Silverton Hill LLC’s Fine.

Mr. Prankster, trained by co-owner Maker, was the runner-up to longshot Big Wednesday in the $150,000 Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial over the synthetic Tapeta surface on Oct. 1 at Pennsylvania’s Presque Isle Downs.  The son of It’s No Joke, a 10-1 shot in the Kentucky Jockey Club morning line, drew post four and will have Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Edgar Prado in the saddle.

The Bret Calhoun-trained Fine was a distant runner-up to Hansen in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile and fourth to Motor City in Churchill Downs’ Iroquois (GIII).  Brian Hernandez Jr. will ride the son of Flatter, who is a 20-1 risk in the morning line and will break from post seven.

The field for the Kentucky Jockey Club, from the rail out (with trainer, jockey and morning line odds), is as follows: Ever So Lucky (Sheppard, Leparoux, 5-2), Africanist (Eddie Kenneally, Corey Lanerie, 10-1), Timely Tally (Ian Wilkes, Calvin Borel, 10-1), Mr. Prankster (Maker, Edgar Prado, 10-1), Cyber Secret (Brown, Bridgmohan, 6-1), Optimizer (Lukas, Albarado, 8-1), Fine (Calhoun, Hernandez, 20-1), Atigun (Ken McPeek, Manny Cruz, 10-1), Gemologist (Pletcher, Castellano, 3-1), Seve (Dale Romans, Mark Guidry, 20-1) and Saint Honore (Nick Zito, Jesus Castanon, 12-1).    

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).

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay hopes for a Thanksgiving Day feast at Churchill Downs when his 4-year-old filly Super Espresso faces nine rivals in the 96^th running of the $175,000-added Falls City Handicap (Grade II), the centerpiece of the annual holiday program at the home of the Kentucky Derby.

The Falls City, which was won last year by Dundalk 5 LLC’s Dundalk Dust, is scheduled to be the 11^th event on Thursday’s 12-race holiday program with a post time of 4:24 p.m. (all times EST).  Post time for the first race on Thanksgiving Day is 11:30 a.m.

The Falls City is one of four stakes races created in 1875 by Churchill Downs founder Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark for the inaugural meet of the track then known as the Louisville Jockey Club.  Clark’s original stakes schedule included the Kentucky Derby on Monday, the Kentucky Oaks on Wednesday, the Falls City on Thursday and the Clark Handicap on the Saturday’s closing-day.

The Falls City will be the second consecutive start on the main track beneath Churchill Downs’ historic Twin Spires for Super Espresso.  In her most recent start the daughter of Medaglia D’Oro ran seventh to Royal Delta in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (GI) on Nov. 4.  A $1.1 million Keeneland September yearling purchase, Super Espresso captured the Allaire DuPont Distaff (GIII) at Pimlico prior to competing in  a string of five straight Grade I events leading up to the Falls City.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, who won the 2005 Falls City with Indian Vale, Super Espresso will break from post eight under jockey Javier Castellano as the race’s 121-pound co-highweight.

Flay is seeking his first victory in a Churchill Downs stakes race, although has does own a major stakes win at the Louisville track.  His 2-year-old filly More Than Ready won last year’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) over Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Turf Course, and his 3-year-old filly Her Smile ran third to Musical Romance in the $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) at the Louisville track on Nov. 4.

Also slated to carry121 pounds in Thursday’s Falls City is Carolyn Wilson’s Arena Elvira, who sports a three-race winning streak highlighted by a 6 ¾-length victory in her most recent outing in Aqueduct’s Turnback the Alarm Handicap (GIII). She is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs who previously won the Falls City with Donut’s Pride in 1985, Feasibility Study in ’97 and its 2000 running with Bordelaise (ARG).

Arena Elvira drew the rail post for the Falls City and is scheduled to be ridden by Junior Alvarado, but Mott’s New York-based filly might not make the trip to Louisville.  The 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper was cross-entered in the Go for Wand (GII) at Aqueduct, which will be run on Friday.

The field for the Falls City, from the rail out, is as follows: Arena Elvira (Alvarado, 121 pounds), It’s Tea Time (Manny Cruz, 116), Riviera Chic (Jesus Castanon, 115), Spring Party (Ben Creed, 114), Juanita (Edgar Prado, 116), Brushed by a Star (Brian Hernandez Jr., 111), Secret File (Julien Leparoux, 115), Super Espresso (Castellano, 121), Afleeting Lady (Kent Desormeaux, 114) and Ravi’s Song (Corey Lanerie, 117).  

FLINT HAS KENTUCKY DERBY DREAMS FOR BASHFORD MANOR WINNER EXFACTOR – Exfactor, an impressive 2 ¾-length winner of the Bashford Manor (Grade III) beneath the Twin Spires in July, is back in serious training after taking the summer off and the colt’s autumn activity has veteran trainer Bernie Flint dreaming about a special day at Churchill Downs in the spring.

The gray colt son of Exchange Rate breezed four furlongs on the fast main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning in :48.40.  The move pleased Flint, who hopes Exfactor has what it takes to become his first career starter in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI).

“What we’re trying to do is get him to the Kentucky Derby,” Flint said. “That’s what everyone is trying to do. Whether we get there or not is another question.”

Exfactor recorded fractions of :11.80 and :23.40 in a work that was the third fastest of 40 at the distance.

Stoneway Farm LLC’s Exfactor raced three times at Churchill Downs during the 38-day Spring Meet. He finished second behind Sum of the Parts in his career debut and then broke his maiden by 4 ½ lengths in his second start. The Bashford Manor win was the third start for Exfactor and then he was turned out. He recorded his first work in nearly four months at Churchill Downs on Oct. 30.

“He was tired so we turned him out at the farm for a few months,” Flint said. “Nothing was wrong with him; he just needed a break. I want a fresh horse for next spring, not a burnt-out horse for the winter.

“All the 2-year-olds that ran all summer and in the Breeders’ Cup are tired,” Flint said. “You have to stop on them sometime and give them a break, but when are you going to stop on them now? You can’t.”

Flint, who is fourth all-time in training wins at Churchill Downs with 433, strongly believes that young horses should be given plenty of time to develop and was reminded of this the last time he went against his own philosophy with a precocious 2-year-old.

“I learned my lesson with Unbridled Express. We beat (eventual Kentucky Derby winner) Street Sense in a maiden race (at Churchill Downs). I thought we’d run him seven-eighths and then run him long, so we brought him (Unbridled Express) back in the Hopeful (GI). He ran third behind Circular Quay and Scat Daddy and came out of the race with a cracked pastern.

"The writing is on the wall,” Flint said. “You’ve got to give those (young) horses a break.”

Unbridled Express would return to the track six months after the Hopeful to run second in an allowance at Oaklawn Park prior to an eighth-place finish in an allowance at Churchill Downs. The latter was the final start of his career.

Flint has since not steered away from his philosophy and now that Exfactor has had his rest and relaxation it is time to start looking for a spot for him to return to the races.

“He worked really well today and we’ll bring him to Fair Grounds with us and put him in a stake somewhere,” Flint said. “I’m not exactly sure where he’ll run though.”

Bred in Kentucky by Bo Hirsch LLC, Exfactor was purchased at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearlings Sale for $27,000. His lifetime earnings currently stand at $109,348.

MISSION IMPAZIBLE WORKS TOWARD CLARK HANDICAP – Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC’s Mission Impazible, a narrowly-beaten runner-up earlier this year in the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI), breezed five furlongs Saturday in preparation for a run in the $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade I) to be run beneath the Twin Spires on Nov. 25.

The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Unbridled’s Song covered the distance on the fast main track prior to the renovation break in 1:00.80.

Working on his own, Mission Impazible recorded fractions of :12.40, :24.40, :36.60, :48.40 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 and seven furlongs in 1:28.40. The five-furlong work was the sixth fastest of 47 at the distance.

“I’m happy with the work,” assistant trainer Michael McCarthy said. “He’s always been a decent work horse, but I thought today was a nice move for him. The track seemed to be playing a little slow today, but he still went well. He likes this track.”

Mission Impazible, who finished a neck behind Pool Play in the Stephen Foster Handicap, will enter the Clark off a ninth-place finish as the 2-1 favorite in the Fayette (GII) on the synthetic Polytrack at Keeneland.

"I think the only excuse is that he didn’t handle the Polytrack,” McCarthy said. “I would draw a line through that race.”

Mission Impazible could face a very tough group of horses in the Clark as the list of nominations for the 137^th running of the 1 1/8-mile race includes several Grade I stakes winners, led by Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) winner Flat Out, Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Ruler On Ice and defending Clark winner Giant Oak.

The race is always a pretty decent heat, but this year’s race could be very good,” McCarthy said.

Mission Impazible, whose career is highlighted by wins in the Louisiana Derby (GII) and New Orleans Handicap (GII), has a record of 3-4-2 in 14 lifetime starts and earnings of $948,563.

SCOTUS RETURNS TO CHURCHILL DOWNS IN SUNDAY ALLOWANCE – Scotus, winner of the Matt Winn Presented by Emirates Equestrian Federation (Grade III) at Churchill Downs in June, returns to the site of his most prestigious victory in Sunday’s featured ninth race, an allowance/optional claiming event for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Peter Callahan’s Scotus has raced three times since his Matt Winn triumph, finishing seventh in the Jim Dandy (GII) at Saratoga, fifth in the Smarty Jones at Parx and most recently third in an allowance race over at Keeneland’s Polytrack.

“He’s doing really well and he likes it here (at Churchill Downs),” trainer Ken McPeek said. “This should be a good spot for him.”

Scotus, a 3-year-old son of Successful Appeal, was hindered by a wide trip after breaking from post 12 in his most recent start at Keeneland.

“He ran well, but got hung extremely wide around both turns,” McPeek said. “He probably would have won that race with a better post.”

Scotus appears to have drawn a “better post” for Sunday’s race at Churchill Downs and will break from post six under Manny Cruz in the field of nine.

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockey over the last five racing days (Nov. 5-11) is Julien Leparoux (11-for-36). Mike Maker (6-for-18) is the hottest trainer over the same period. Ken and Sarah Ramsey (4-for-13) is the hottest owner.

WORKTAB – John Oxley’s Spirited Miss breezed five furlongs on a fast main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning in 1:02.40 for trainer Mark Casse. Spirited Miss, who was second by a head in the Mazarine at Woodbine in her most recent start, is nominated to the $150,000-added Golden Rod (Grade II), which is to be run at 1 1/16 miles on the main track beneath the Twin Spires on Nov. 26.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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).

PLETCHER SETTLES IN; SIDNEY’S CANDY WORKS ON TURF – Trainer Todd Pletcher, who saddled three of his six Breeders’ Cup winners at last year’s World Championships at Churchill Downs, began the process of improving on his career total Tuesday morning starting at 6 o’clock with light exercise from Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) hopefuls Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty and concluding just before 10 o’clock with a half-mile grass work from Sidney’s Candy for the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI).

“I am here through the Breeders’ Cup,” said Pletcher, whose last contingent of World Championship runners arrived from New York on Monday morning.

Leading that contingent was the Repole Stable-owned duo of Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty. Uncle Mo jogged once around the main track under Hector Ramos, while Stay Thirsty galloped a mile with Fernando Zamora up.

Pletcher plans to work both colts on Sunday.

“We pre-entered 11 altogether,” Pletcher said. “Hunt Crossing (Sentient Jet Juvenile Sprint), Stopshoppingmaria (Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies), Sweet Cat (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Her Smile (Sentient Jet Filly & Mare Sprint), Super Espresso (Ladies’ Classic),Finale (Juvenile Turf), Rule (Dirt Mile), Sidney’s Candy (Mile), and Aikenite who was cross-entered in the Sentient Jet Sprint and Dirt Mile, plus Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty.”

Uncle Mo won the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) last year and Pletcher’s other winners were Pluck in the Juvenile Turf and More Than Real in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“I feel good about all my horses and it looks like the ones that came in yesterday all shipped well,” Pletcher said. “We have some important works coming up and you hold your breath (until the event is here).”

Pletcher was asked if there were any of his runners that might be flying under the radar coming into this year’s championships.

"We’ve got a few that are in that category,” Pletcher said with a laugh. “Her Smile won the Prioress (GI) and got the perfect set-up and would need something similar. Super Espresso, we are going off her work here the other day (five furlongs in 1:01.60 over a fast track Saturday). She trained here in the spring before going to Pimlico (for a victory in the GIII DuPont Distaff), so for her it is racetrack related. Aikenite runs well here.” 

WinStar Farm and Rubio B Stable’s Sidney’s Candy covered a half-mile on firm turf in :50 under exercise rider Annie Finney. Clockers got the first quarter in 27 seconds flat and a gallop-out time of 1:03.40 for five furlongs.

“It was a good work,” Pletcher said of Sidney’s Candy, who ran third in the Shadwell Turf Mile (GI) at Keeneland in his most recent start on Oct. 8. “It looked like he got over the ground well and finished strong.”

FIELDS TAKING SHAPE FOR OPENING-DAY POCAHONTAS AND IROQUOIS – A trio of Grade III winners are expected to be among the names to pass the entry box Thursday for the 43^rd running of the $150,000 Pocahontas (GII) at a mile on the main track to be run Sunday.

The Pocahontas and the 30^th running of the $100,000-added Iroquois (GIII) share top billing on Sunday’s opening-day program of the 21-day Fall Meeting that runs through Nov. 27. Sunday’s card, “Stars of Tomorrow I” will feature racing exclusively for 2-year-olds.

Heading the list of probables according to Churchill Downs racing officials are Believe You Can, Flashy Lassie and Georgie’s Angel.

Brereton Jones’ Believe You Can has won her past three starts, capped by a victory in the Tempted (GIII) at Belmont Park on Oct. 2. Barry King’s Flashy Lassie won the Debutante (GIII) here in June and Georgie’s Angel, beaten favorite in the Tempted, won the Schuylerville (GIII) at Saratoga. Georgie’s Angel is owned by Sheffer Racing Stable, Ronald Stocks, Betsy Wells and Kelly Weitsma.

Other probable starters for the Pocahontas, won last year by Dancinginherdreams, include And Why Not, Aubby K, Best of Times, Glinda the Good, Heart of Destiny,Spirited Miss and Taxi Dancer.

Lantern Hill Farm’s Motor City, third in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII), tops the list of probables for the Iroquois. Other likely starters for the Iroquois, won last year by Astrology, include Hollywood Script, Mark Valeski, Purely Determined andSeven Lively Sins.

BARN TALK – Buff Bradley, trainer and co-owner of Groupie Doll, plans to bring the 3-year-old filly back in the Nov. 12 Mrs. Revere (GII) at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Groupie Doll finished second in last Saturday’s Lexus Raven Run (GII) at Keeneland. …

Bisnath Parboo, trainer of Breeders’ Cup hopefuls Giant Ryan and Trinniberg, plans to work both horses Wednesday morning. Trinniberg (Sentient Jet Juvenile Sprint candidate) is scheduled to work three furlongs or a half-mile out of the gate at 7:15 with Giant Ryan (Grade I Sentient Jet Sprint) slated to work a half-mile or five furlongs after the renovation break. Willie Martinez is scheduled to be in the saddle for both works.

WORK TAB – Tom McCarthy’s General Quarters, working toward an expected start in Saturday’s Fayette (GII) at Keeneland, breezed three furlongs in :36.20 over a fast track. …

Lantern Hill Farm’s Motor City, a candidate for Sunday’s 30^th running of the $100,000-added Iroquois (GIII), worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 before the renovation break under Calvin Borel. The work was the fifth fastest of 37 at the distance. …

Working six furlongs in 1:18.40 on the firm Matt Winn Turf Course was Gaillardia Racing’s Wilkinson, who was third in the Jamaica Handicap (GI) in his most recent start.