Bill Mott

Carolyn Wilson’s Arena Elvira outdueled longshot Afleeting Lady in deep stretch to grind out a win in the 96^th running of the $193,725 Falls City Handicap (Grade II) for fillies and mares by a neck on Thanksgiving Day at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Arena Elvira raced near the inside rail about two lengths behind pacesetters Juanita and Afleeting Lady as the former led the field of eight through fractions of :24.40, :49.04 and 1:12.83. The leaders got a jump on Arena Elvira on the final turn, but Alvarado switched her to the outside and she wore down the competition in deep stretch for the narrow win in 1:50.76 for 1 1/8 miles over a fast track.

“(Alvarado) made the right decision and went for the right spot leaving the quarter pole,” Mott said. “When they were turning for home, he had a choice to make of who to try to get in between and he selected the right spot.”

Alvarado suggested that despite winning his filly may not have handled the Churchill Downs dirt oval very well. “When we turned for home, she switched leads and I knew I had plenty of horse, but when she got real close to the other horse (Afleeting Lady) she didn’t really want to go by her,” Alvarado said. “I always thought I had enough horse to get there by the wire, though. She’s a nice filly. She ran great last time and ran well again today.”

Arena Elvira has won seven of her last nine starts – including four in a row – and seven of 12 overall. She collected her first graded stakes win in her previous start, the Turnback the Alarm (GIII) at Aqueduct on Nov. 4.

"We’ve brought her along very conservatively, never running in graded stakes until the last couple of times,” Mott said. “But it’s gotten her there. She’s got her confidence up and she’s handled every challenge.”

Arena Elvira is a Kentucky-bred daughter of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper out of the Twining mare Two Item Limit. The victory was worth $116,506 and increased Arena Elvira’s earnings to $391,436.

Sent to post as the even-money favorite, Arena Elvira, who carried 121 pounds, returned $4, $3 and $2.80. Afleeting Lady, who carried 116 pounds under Kent Desormeaux at odds of 13-1, returned $8 and $4.40 in finishing three lengths in front of It’s Tea Time, who paid $5.20 to show under Manny Cruz while tacking 116 pounds. Juanita, Super Espresso, Brushed by a Star, Secret File and Riviera Chic completed the order of finish. Spring Party and Ravi’s Song were scratched.

Mott, Churchill Downs’ all-time leader with 656 wins, is enjoying a dream Fall Meet beneath the Twin Spires. This was his fourth stakes win of the 21-day meeting. He also won the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic with Drosselmeyer; the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic with Royal Delta; and the Cardinal Handicap (GIII) with Deluxe. Overall, he leads all trainers with 84 local stakes wins, which is a dozen more than runner-up D. Wayne Lukas. This season, he boasts a record of 19-7-2-2—$4,144,208, which is good for a tie for fourth in the local trainer standings.

"It’s been good,” Mott said. “It’s not much fun when it doesn’t work out well, but it’s fun when it does work well.”

Arena Elvira also gave Mott his fourth win in the Falls City Handicap, one back of trainer Harvey Vanier’s record. Mott won the first division in 1985 with Donut’s Pride, the 1997 renewal with Feasibility Study and the 2000 edition with Bordelaise-ARG.

Racing resumes Friday with a 12-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m. (all times Eastern). Highlighting the card is the 137^th running of the $500,000-added Clark Handicap presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) that drew a field of 13. Post time for the Clark, the 11^th race on the program, is 5:42 p.m.

FALLS CITY HANDICAP QUOTES

Bill Mott (by telephone from New York), trainer of Arena Elvira (winner): Q: You had a choice of staying at Aqueduct to run in the Go for Wand or ship here for the Falls City, and your decision worked out … “We looked like we’d be competitive in either spot, but this race was at the nine furlongs that she’s been running at.  It worked out. Sometimes you get lucky. There was a plane coming on Tuesday, and it worked out well.”

Q: What is her future – will she run next year? “I would imagine. She’s only four. I guess she deserves a little bit of a break right now and we’ll bring her back later on. But she’s stepped up. We’ve brought her along very conservatively, never running in graded stakes until the last couple of times. But it’s gotten her there. She’s got her confidence up and she’s handled every challenge.”

Q: She had to fight today. It looked like she was going to run on by, then Afleeting Lady came back and she had to dig in again … “I thought it was good and the boy (jockey Junior Alvarado) rode her good. He made the right decision and went for the right spot leaving the quarter pole. When they were turning for home, he had a choice to make of who to try to get in between and he selected the right spot.”

Q: You’ve had a very good Fall Meet, with the two Breeders’ Cup wins and now this stakes win and a top five spot in the leading trainer standings …“It’s been good. It’s not much fun when it doesn’t work out well, but it’s fun when it does work well.”

Kenny McCarthy, assistant trainer to Bill Mott who trains Arena Elvira (winner): “We figured the five (Juanita) was the speed and thought we’d get a good comfortable spot with her. Certainly around the turn she looked like she was under a little pressure, but I thought once she straightened out in the lane and switched leads that she would really finish up. It was a little close at the end, but I think she proved her mettle at the end today.”

Q. What’s the upside for this filly? “She’s definitely going the right way, so the sky’s the limit.”

Q. This has definitely been a meet to remember, right? “Definitely. We kicked things off with Mr. (James) Karp’s filly (Anecdote) giving Mr. Mott his 650^th win at Churchill Downs and we’ve just rolled since then.”

Junior Alvarado, rider of Arena Elvira (winner): “She was kind of bobbling throughout and not really handling the track. When we turned for home, she switched leads and I knew I had plenty of horse, but when she got real close to the other horse (Afleeting Lady) she didn’t really want to go by her. I always thought I had enough horse to get there by the wire, though. She’s a nice filly. She ran great last time and ran well again today.”

Dale Romans, trainer of Afleeting Lady (runner-up): “She’s doing good. She’s just been an improving mare all summer and fall, so she just keeps getting better and better.”

Q: What about that finish – she looked like she was beat and then she came back …“It looked like she was going to back way up, then she surged again. But she just couldn’t hold her off. That’s a good filly that beat her. I think she’s going to be tough next year.”

Kent Desormeaux, rider of Afleeting Lady (runner-up): “She’s still a little green, so I think there’s room for improvement, which is exciting, you know?  She’ll gain some racing maturity from that race. The other one (winner Arena Elvira) had an edge in experience over her, and it looks like the light went on with the other one a long time ago. We’ll get her light turned on after today, hopefully.”

“Rusty” Arnold, trainer of It’s Tea Time (third): “I was happy with her race. She made a huge run around the turn. She might have hung a little bit, but I think that was because of the pace. I was pretty happy with it.”

Manny Cruz, rider of It’s Tea Time (third): “She ran a big race. We sat off the pace and she gave a lot to me in the end. The pace was a little slower than I hoped and that didn’t help me. Hopefully we’ll get a better pace next time.”

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).  

Hall of  Fame trainer Bill Mott, the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs, reached the 650-victory milestone Wednesday afternoon when James Karp’s favored Anecdote won the eighth race in wire-to-wire fashion under Jesus Castanon.

The 58-year-old native of Mobridge, S.D., saddled his first winner at Churchill Downs during the 1978 Fall Meet and has won nine training titles. Dale Romans is the closest to Mott in victories with 529.

Mott, who will send out five starters in this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships, also is Churchill Downs’ leader in stakes victories with 80, eight more than D. Wayne Lukas.

In Wednesday’s featured Movember Purse, Mott picked up victory No. 651 when Pam and Marty Wygod’s Clear Attempt ($7.40) rallied from off the pace under Jose Lezcano to edge favored Quantity in the 1 1/8-mile allowance test over the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Racing continues Thursday with a 12-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m. (ET). Highlighting the card is the eighth running of the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (Grade III), at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course that features the return to Churchill Downs of Pluck, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII). Post time for the Commonwealth Turf is 5:43 p.m.

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).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

A trio of Breeders’ Cup 2011 contenders from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott – To Honor and Serve (Classic), Royal Delta (Ladies’ Classic) and Courageous Cat (Mile) – worked on Sunday at Churchill Downs to complete a busy weekend for the five horses the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs is pointing toward Breeders’ Cup races on Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5.

Live Oak Plantation’s To Honor and Serve, the winner of the recent $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (Grade II) who was considered a strong candidate for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) before he went to the sidelines with an injury, was credited by Churchill Downs clockers with a four-furlong work over a “fast” track in :50.  His official fractions for the work were :13.60, :25.60 and :37.60 and he was credited with a five-furlong gallop-out in :1:03.

Mott was pleased with To Honor and Serve’s work under Rudolph Brisset, but the trainer felt the move was faster than the official time credited to the 3-year-old son of Bernardini.

“Kenny (assistant Kenny McCarthy) had him from the three-eighth (pole) to the seven-eighths in :48-and-three (fifths),” said Mott, who watched the work on the track atop a stable pony. “He galloped our strong over there and my guess is he went a little better than :50.  It was his first work here and we weren’t asking for too much.”

Palides Investments’ Royal Delta, winner of the Alabama (GI) and the Black-Eyed Susan (GII), also worked over the Churchill Downs track for the first time and covered four furlongs in :48.40.  Brisset was in the irons aboard the 3-year-old daughter of Empire Maker as she covered the distance in fractional clockings of :13, :25 and :36.80, with a five-furlong gallop-out of 1:02.60.

“She’s doing well,” Mott said.  “It was her first work here and she did it very easily.  She came back good.”

Royal Delta’s work tied as the eighth-fastest of 52 moves at the distance.

Courageous Cat, Pam and Martin Wygod and William S. Farish’s winner of the Shoemaker Mile (GI) on turf at Hollywood Park, was the fastest of Mott’s Sunday workers as he breezed four furlongs over the main track in :48.40, which tied as second-fastest of 52 works at the distance.  The 5-year-old son of Storm Cat worked in company with stablemate Clear Attempt, who finished his half-mile in :48.40.

The remaining two horses in Mott’s quintet of Breeders’ Cup contenders worked together over a fast track on Saturday.  WinStar Farm’s Drosselmeyer (Classic), winner of the 2010 Belmont Stakes (GI) and runner-up to Flat Out in the recent Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI), and Preston Stables’ Brooklyn (GII) winner Birdrun (Marathon) worked four furlongs in company.  Drosselmeyer finished the work in :47.60, the fastest of Saturday’s 54 half-mile works, while Birdrun completed his workout in :48.40, a time posted as the sixth-best of the day at the distance.

Other Breeders’ Cup 2011 contenders on the Churchill Downs track on Sunday included Hamazing Destiny (Sprint), who worked four furlongs in :48.60 for all-time Breeders’ Cup win leader D. Wayne Lukas.  Barry Butzow and Westrock Stable’s 5-year-old son of Salt Lake was the runner-up to Big Drama in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs.  Bluegrass Hall LLC’s Optimizer (Juvenile or Juvenile Turf), third in the recent Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland and also trained by Lukas, worked a half-mile :48.40.  Optimizer’s move also tied as second-fastest work at the distance.

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.

Repole Stable’s Uncle Mo, the unbeaten 2-year-old champion of 2010 and winner of last fall’s Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Grade I) at Churchill Downs, is a strong individual favorite in the first of three betting pools in Churchill Downs’ 2011 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”).  But the mutuel field, or “All Others”, is expected to again be the bettors’ choice when the Feb. 18-20 pool completes its run early Sunday evening.

The mutuel field (#24), the betting interest that includes all 3-year-old Thoroughbreds other than the 23 individual horses in the three-day pool, has been the Pool 1 favorite in each of the previous 12 years of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which was launched in 1999. Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia installed “All Others” as the 5-2 morning line favorite to continue the trend, but the Todd Pletcher-trained Uncle Mo (#23) is a clear overall second choice at 9-2.  Among individual horses, the 3-year-old son of Indian Charlie is the clear favorite as the horses rated closed to the champion – co-second choices To Honor and Serve (#22) and Dialed In (#7) – were rated at odds of 10-1.

Uncle Mo showed every sign of being something special during his perfect 2-year-old season,” said Battaglia, who sets the morning line odds for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and all races run at the Derby’s historic home track.  “He was an easy winner in each of his races, and those wins were incredibly appealing to the eye and very exciting on-paper for fans of speed figures and other handicapping data.  Uncle Mo is a horse with real star power and has good chance to close at odds lower than 9-2, but that makes this year’s opening Derby Future pool even more fun because the lower Uncle Mo’s odds go, the prices on other individual horses will rise and become more appealing.”

Betting on KDFW Pool 1 opens at noon (all times Eastern) on Friday, Feb. 18 and concludes at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20..  Pool 2 mutuel payouts on Kentucky Derby Day will be determined by the odds in place at the conclusion of betting at North American racetracks, off-track betting facilities and advance deposit wagering outlets.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager provides fans with opportunities to wager on potential Derby contenders odds that could be considerably more attractive than those available on the day of the respective race.  It offers win and exacta wagering, and all bets are $2 minimum wagers.  No refund will be made on any wager made during any Kentucky Derby Future pool.  If it is determined during the pool that any individual betting interest has suffered an illness, injury or other circumstance that would prevent the horse from competing in the race, wagering on that horse will be suspended immediately.

Last year’s winning payouts on WinStar Farm’s victorious Super Saver in all three pools of the 2010 Derby Future Wager were significantly larger than the $18 mutuel returned for a $2 wager on the Pletcher-trained colt in the race itself. A $2 Derby Future win wager on Super Saver returned $43.20 in Pool 1, $51.20 in Pool 2 and $73 in Pool 3.  The Derby Future bet’s $2 exacta in Pool 3 for the 1-2 Kentucky Derby finishers, Super Saver and Ice Box, returned $1,077.40 – a record payout in the brief history of the Derby Future exacta.  The Derby Day exacta returned $152.40.

Uncle Mo won his three 2010 starts by a combined margin of 23 ¼ lengths.  Along with his 4 ¼-length win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the champion scored an easy win in the Champagne (GI) at Belmont Park.  He is one of two Pool 1 contenders owned by the stable of Mike Repole, who also races the Pletcher-trained Stay Thirsty (#18), runner-up in the Hopeful (GI) at Saratoga and fifth to his stablemate in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.  Pletcher, who also trains WinStar Farm’s unbeaten Sam F. Davis (GIII) winner Brethren (#3), is the only trainer who conditions more than one wagering interest in KDFW Pool 1.

The co-second choices in Battaglia’s morning line – Live Oak Plantation’s To Honor and Serve and Robert LaPenta’s Dialed In – have taken different approaches so far in their 3-year-old campaigns.  To Honor and Serve is training at Florida’s Payson Park in preparation for his 2011 debut for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott..  The son of Bernardini won three of four races last year, including the Remsen (GII) and Nashua (GII) at Aqueduct.  Dialed In, trained by Hall of Famer and two-time Kentucky Derby winner Nick Zito, won his racing debut at Churchill Downs in November and returned to competition in late January with a dazzling victory in the Holy Bull (GIII) at Gulfstream Park,

Several KDFW horses will compete in a trio of Kentucky Derby prep races scheduled during the upcoming Presidents Day holiday weekend.   Saturday’s $300,000 Risen Star (GIII) at New Orleans’ Fair Grounds has drawn a field of 10 3-year-olds that includes Decisive Moment (#6), Machen (#12), Mucho Macho Man (#13), Rogue Romance (#14) and Santiva (#15).  Sunday’s $150,000 San Vicente (GII) at Santa Anita is expected to attract The Factor (#20) and Indian Winter (#9).  Monday’s $250,000 Southwest at Oaklawn Park, which will be run the day after Pool 1 closes, will be headed by J P’s Gusto (#10).

Information on the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Derby Future Wager – including real-time KDFW Pool 1 odds – is available at the official event Web site at www.KentuckyDerby.com.

Wagering interests for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager are chosen by a three-member committee that includes Daily Racing Form national handicapper Mike Watchmaker and West Coast correspondent Brad Free, and John Asher, vice president of Racing Communications at Churchill Downs.

Two more KDFW pools will be conducted before the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby is run on Saturday, May 7.  Pool 2 is set for March 11-13 and the year’s final pool will run from April 1-3.

KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER
Pool 1, Feb. 18-20

     
Program #    KDFW Pool 1 Wagering Interest    Morning Line Odds       
1    Anthony’s Cross    30-1       
2    Astrology    30-1       
3    Brethren    15-1       
4    Clubhouse Ride    50-1       
5    Comma to the Top (g)    20-1       
6    Decisive Moment    50-1       
7    Dialed In    10-1       
8    Gourmet Dinner    30-1       
9    Indian Winter    50-1       
10    J P’s Gusto (r)    20-1       
11    Jaycito    20-1       
12    Machen    30-1       
13    Mucho Macho Man    30-1       
14    Rogue Romance    30-1       
15    Santiva    30-1       
16    Silver Medallion    20-1       
17    Soldat    20-1       
18    Stay Thirsty    30-1       
19    Sweet Ducky    50-1       
20    The Factor    20-1       
21    Tiz Blessed    30-1       
22    To Honor and Serve    10-1       
23    Uncle Mo    9-2       
24    Mutuel Field (All Other 3-Year-Olds)    5-2       
(g) – gelding   (r) - ridgling       
Morning Line Odds by Mike Battaglia    

A jockey colony headed by 2009 Eclipse Award winner Julien Leparoux and three-time Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) winner Calvin Borel and a roster of trainers led by Steve Asmussen, America’s Eclipse Award top trainer of 2008 and 2009, should ensure that the human star power is equal to the equine variety when Churchill Downs opens its 121st Fall Meet on Sunday, Oct. 31.

The 21-day meet runs through Sunday, Nov. 28 and includes a record seventh visit by the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to Churchill Downs on Friday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov. 6.  It is the first stop by the year-end Thoroughbred racing championships since it adopted a two-day format and expanded its offerings to 14 races.  It also will be the first of back-to-back visits to the home of the Kentucky Derby by the Breeders’ Cup, which will return to Churchill Downs in 2011.

Leparoux, a 27-year-old native of Senlis, France, will bid for his seventh Churchill Downs riding crown.  An injury kept him on the sidelines for most of the 2010 Spring Meet, but Leparoux will shoot for his fourth consecutive fall title in the meet that opens Sunday.  He has won three of the last four Fall Meet titles outright and shared the other with Borel.

The popular Borel took advantage of Leparoux’s absence in the spring to score 52 victories – including his third Kentucky Derby victory aboard WinStar Farm homebred Super Saver – to earn his first spring riding crown.  Borel, who has won or shared three Fall Meet titles, earned his 1,000th Churchill Downs victory during the 2010 spring session and ranks second to all-time leader Pat Day in career wins beneath the Twin Spires.

Veteran riding stars Robby Albarado, Shaun Bridgmohan, Corey Lanerie, Miguel Mena, Jamie Theriot and Jon Court also return to the talent-laden jockey colony, as does rising star Freddie Lenclud, the leading apprentice jockey of the 2010 Spring Meet.

New faces among riders at Churchill Downs include Michael Baze, a runaway winner of leading jockey honors at this year’s Arlington Park meet, and Rosemary Homeister Jr., who moves north from her fall base at Florida’s Calder Race Course.  The 23-year-old Baze, a native of Renton, Wash., is a cousin to all-time racing win leader Russell Baze and Southern California-based Tyler Baze.  The 38-year-old Homeister, whose mother and father both spent time in the saddle as jockeys, rode in the 2003 Kentucky Derby aboard Supah Blitz and finished 13th to the victorious Funny Cide.

Asmussen, who guided Curlin (2007, 2008) and Rachel Alexandra (2009) to the last three Eclipse Awards that honored America’s Horse of the Year, leads U.S. trainers in victories in 2010.  He won the Spring Meet training crown – his third consecutive training title at Churchill Downs and his eighth overall.  The native of South Dakota and is rapidly climbing the all-time victory list at Churchill Downs and currently ranks fifth with 378 wins heading into Sunday’s Fall Meet opener.

The roll call of trainers stabled at Churchill Downs and its Trackside Louisville training center again includes Hall of Fame conditioners Bill Mott, D. Wayne Lukas, Nick Zito and Carl Nafzger.  Mott is the track’s all-time win leader with 633 victories.  Louisville native Dale Romans, who has earned 507 wins at Churchill Downs to rank second in career victories at his hometown track, is back after finishing second to Asmussen in the spring race by a margin of 24-19.

A new face in the training ranks who could have an immediate impact include Eric Guillot, whose stable includes Acorn (GI) winner and Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) contender Champagne d’Oro.