Zenyatta

ZENYATTA EXPERIENCE LEAVES LASTING IMPRESSION ON PENROD – Trainer Steve Penrod has been stabled at Churchill Downs for more than 20 years, most of the time in Barn 41.

He has seen a lot of top horses walk that shedrow, but nothing prepared him for last week when he shared his barn with Zenyatta.

“There have been a lot of horses here that people knew about like A.P. Indy, Fusaichi Pegasus and Sunday Silence, but I have never seen anything like that and I doubt we will ever see it again,” Penrod said. “It was just the right combination of the horse and the connections.”

Zenyatta arrived at Churchill Downs last Tuesday and returned to California on Sunday night after her runner-up finish to Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). Wherever she went, traffic came to a halt.

“I had no idea it would be like that until the first day she got here with the police escort and 200 to 300 people just waiting to see her,” Penrod said.

On Sunday, trainer John Shirreffs brought Zenyatta out for extended periods of time to graze near the fence that runs along Longfield Avenue so that people, both inside the track and those on Longfield, could see the mare.

“People were asking John if they could get their picture taken with Zenyatta,” Penrod said. “He told me that if he could have cut a hole in the fence, he would have let everybody in. She would do anything. The Mosses (owners Jerry and Ann Moss) were signing autographs and posters and so was John. It was incredible. People were coming out in taxis to see her.”

Another trainer who was stunned at the Sunday gathering was Tony Reinstedler.

“I came back to the barn about 4:30 to help Drew (Coontz) get his filly (Askbut I Won’ttell) ready for the Cardinal (Handicap), and I saw cars parked all along Longfield,” said Reinstedler, who was an assistant to Shug McGaughey when 1988 Juvenile champion and beaten 1989 Kentucky Derby favorite Easy Goer was in the barn. “Easy Goer was fan friendly, but I never saw anything like this.”

THERIOT SAVORS BREEDERS’ CUP RIDING DOUBLE – Jockey Jamie Theriot still was beaming Wednesday morning, four days removed from completing a Breeders’ Cup riding double over the weekend.

Have you come down yet?

“Nope, not yet,” said the 31-year-old Louisiana native, who earned his first Breeders’ Cup victory on Friday with Dubai Majesty’s 2 ¼-length victory in the Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) and came back the next day to win the Turf Sprint on Chamberlain Bridge by 1 ½ lengths.

"I have been fortunate enough to ride in these types of races and do well,” said Theriot, one of three riders to earn their initial Breeders’ Cup victories over the two-day Championships at Churchill Downs. “You work 363 days a year for days like that and then it is back to Ground Zero. There are a lot of people involved and it is great to be able to compete in the event.”

What made the victories even sweeter was that both horses were trained by Bret Calhoun.

“I have been riding for Bret for eight or nine years,” Theriot said. “To see people from Louisville do well was very gratifying.”

HOMEISTER ENJOYS FAST START TO EXTENDED CHURCHILL STAY – One rider who has gotten a fast start out of the gate at the meet is Rosemary Homeister Jr., who has notched four victories from just 13 mounts, including a riding double on Sunday.

The 38-year-old Florida native is riding at Churchill Downs on a full-time basis for the first time in her career that has been spent mostly at Florida and Mid-Atlantic region tracks.

“My agent Steve Elzey has my book at Tampa and he suggested I come to Kentucky after Delaware Park ended and ride the mini-meet before going to Florida,” Homeister said. “It’s a good opportunity and I’ve had a good start.”

Homeister’s first trip to Churchill Downs came in 2003 when she rode in the Kentucky Derby on Supah Blitz, who finished 13th behind Funny Cide after breaking from the No. 1 post position.

“I was on the one horse the other day and it felt like I was back at the Derby being the first one on the track,” Homeister said. “Churchill Downs is such a prestigious track. When I come back next spring for the Derby, I will feel like I have this track down pat.”

Also coming to Churchill Downs from Delaware Park is Irwin Rosendo, who also is represented by Elzey.

The Delaware Park meet ended Saturday and Rosendo will see his first local action Thursday when he is named on three mounts.

A 31-year-old native of Venezuela, Rosendo finished fourth in the rider standings at Delaware Park with 81 victories and previously has ridden at Tampa as well as at tracks in Ohio.

BARN TALK – The portable fencing around Barn 45 that served as one of the quarantine barns during the Breeders’ Cup is scheduled to begin coming down Wednesday according to track superintendent Butch Lehr. However, the fencing around Barn 42 will remain up.

“We are going to use it again next year, so we will just leave it up,” Lehr said. “There are gates, so horses can still to back there to graze and the horsemen like it because it will keep people back from their horses.”

ROMANS, PLETCHER, SADLER HORSES TOP BUSY MORNING OF BREEDERS’ CUP WORKS SATURDAY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – A beautiful, crisp autumn morning – complete with thick early frost on the turf course – greeted a crowd of Breeders’ Cup contenders from the prominent barns of Todd Pletcher, Dale Romans and John Sadler on a busy Saturday packed with works by Cup hopefuls.

The horses that will compete on Friday’s opening day of the first two-day renewal of the Championships at Churchill Downs turned in their final works for Pletcher, including his Ladies’ Classic (Grade I) duo of Cynthia DeBartolo’s Life At Ten and Edward Evans’ Malibu Prayer.

Life At Ten, working for the first time over the Churchill Downs surface, worked four furlongs in company with Colizeo, a 3-year-old colt who won the Northern Dancer (GIII) at Churchill Downs in June, covered the distance in :48.20.  She started a length back of her workmate and was a head back on the outside of Colizeo at the finish.

Pletcher said Life At Ten often has company in her works.

“To make sure that Life At Ten gets a good honest work, we put her in company,” he said.  “She generally does a little better in company and I thought this work went very smoothly.

“It was her first work here and I thought she got over the track very well.”

Malibu Prayer, on the other hand, won the Chilukki (GII) over the Churchill Downs last November.  The winner of the Ruffian (GI) worked a half-mile in :49.  Malibu Prayer covered her first quarter in :25 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.

“I thought Malibu Prayer was typical of herself, as she’s generally a very genuine work horse,” said Pletcher.  “I had her going :48-and-change with a last quarter in :23-and-change,  She had a good finish with a good gallop out and we’re very pleased with the way she was getting over the ground.”

Another Breeders’ Cup hope turning in her first work over the Churchill Downs track for Pletcher was E. Paul Robsham Stables, LLC’s R Heat Lightning, who is bound for Friday’s Juvenile Fillies (GI).  The winner of Saratoga’s Spinaway (GI)  breezed four furlongs in :48.40 and covered the distance in fractional splits of :12.40, :24 and :36 and galloped out five furlongs in :1:01.60.

"I thought R Heat Lightning worked well, which she usually does,” Pletcher said.  “She’s a very tricky filly to ride.  She’s a little bit difficult going to the pole, but once she set off in her work I thought it was very smooth with a good finish and a good first eighth gallop-out.  It was just what we were looking for.”

The most eventful moves of the morning for horses from the powerful Pletcher camp came on the Matt Winn Turf Course, where Bobby Flay’s More Than Real, bound for the the Juvenile Fillies Turf, worked in company with stablemate, Team Valor’s Pluck, a colt bound for the Juvenile Turf.

The pair hit the finish together in :49.80 over “firm” footing with the dogs up on the one-mile course, but the Pletcher duo found themselves outside of Arch Support, who is also pre-entered for the Juvenile Fillies Turf, in a three-way training move.

"It’s amazing that there were probably only four horses on the track and we managed to end up in company with another one,” Pletcher said.  “But it seemed to go well.  There was a little traffic to maneuver through and it kind of set More Than Real into the bridle a little bit and she was full of run throughout, and Pluck kind of got stuck out in the middle of the track.  But I thought both horses very well.”

All in all, it was a satisfactory morning for Pletcher’s Friday Breeders’ Cup contenders, with works scheduled Sunday morning from the horses that will run in next Saturday’s Cup races.  That group will include Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) contender Quality Road and Juvenile (GI) hopes Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty.  Also slated to work are Aikenite (Dirt Mile) and Rose Catherine (Turf Sprint).

“For the most part, these are all fit horses,” said Pletcher.  “They’re all running well and ready to go.”

Both of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) contenders trained by Romans – Donegal Racing’s Paddy O’Prado and Donald Dizney’s First Dude – worked five furlongs over their track on Saturday in their final major tune-ups for the big race.

First Dude, runner-up in the Preakness (GI) a close second to Classic rival Morning Line in the recent Pennsylvania Derby (GII), hit the track shortly after 7 a.m. (EDT) and covered the distance in 1:01.20 under former jockey Tammy Fox.  He worked in fractional times of :11.80, :24, :36.20 and :48.60 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.

Fox also was aboard Paddy O’Prado as the gray son of El Prado went to the track shortly after the mid-morning break for track maintenance.  The move by the third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and winner of Arlington Park’s Secretariat  (GI) on turf was timed in 1:01.  Paddy O’Prado’s internal fractions for were :12.40, :24.40, :35.60 and :48 and the gray colt galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.

"Both of them worked just like we wanted,” Romans said.  “They galloped out strong, and kept galloping out.  The second eighth in the gallop-out was good.  So it’s exactly what we were looking for with both of them.  All the big work’s done.  Now we just take it easy.”

The Louisville-born Romans knows both of his 3-year-olds are outsiders in a Classic in which pre-race talk has centered on the exploits of unbeaten reigning champion Zenyatta, Blame, Quality Road and Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky.  Romans is happy with the progress of his horses, who are still at home and waiting for the world to come to them for next Saturday’s race.

“It’s a good feeling – no more stress,” he said.  “As long as everything’s good tomorrow, and we’re not expecting any problems, then we just coast from here.

“They are outsiders, but they are both horses who are doing great, they’re both horses that have proven they run well on this racetrack and that they’re maturing and getting better.”

Sadler sent three of his four Breeders’ Cup candidates out for works after the morning renovation break with the fourth, Sidney’s Candy (Mile), scheduled to work on the grass Monday morning.

First up for Sadler was Tell a Kelly (Juvenile Fillies) with Calvin Borel up. Tell a Kelly worked six furlongs in 1:15.60 with fractions of :12.80, :25.40, :37.60, :50, 1:02.60 and out seven furlongs in 1:30.40.

Switch (Filly & Mare Sprint) was next up under Lupillo Alferez, working five furlongs in 1:01 with fractions of :11.40, :34.60 and out six furlongs in 1:16.60.

Borel then brought Hurricane Ike (Dirt Mile) out for a six-furlong work in 1:12.60. Fractions were :13, :25, :37, :48.80 and out seven furlongs in 1:27.20.

“They were all fine,” Sadler said. “Tell a Kelly is not a big work horse. Switch’s work was actually six furlongs and I got her in 1:13 and change and Hurricane Ike looks like a horse for course here. I thought the track was a little slow this morning.”

Morning bullets for four and five furlongs were provided after the break by Champagne d’Oro (Filly & Mare Sprint) and Smiling Tiger (Sprint).

Southern Equine Stable and Mike Smith’s Champagne d’Oro worked a half-mile in :.47.40 under jockey Miguel Mena. Fractions were :24.40, :35.40 and out five-eighths in 1:00.80 for the best of 36 at the half-mile distance. “I really wanted to go in :45 and the last eighth in 10 and change,” trainer Eric Guillot said, tongue firmly planted in cheek. “But the last eighth in :11 will have to do. We are ready.”

Smiling Tiger had a best of 41 five-furlong work under exercise rider Mario Urive in :58.40 in a move that came with some unexpected company.

Smiling Tiger started off about 10 lengths behind two sets of workers, a set for Ken McPeek that included fifth-place Kentucky Derby finisher Noble’s Promise and a set for Steve Hobby, including Telling, who was working for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Smiling Tiger went past the Hobby duo and then hooked the McPeek pair after three-eighths in :34.20 and finished on even terms with Noble’s Promise. Smiling Tiger galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.

Hobby was not happy with the morning developments.

“I wanted him to go in 1:02 or 1:03 and he didn’t need to eat all that dirt,” Hobby said of Telling, who was partnered by Greta Kuntzweiler and worked in company with Silent Money. “Fortunately, his last work at Delaware Park (on Oct. 23) was excellent.”

It marked the second consecutive year that Telling’s final pre-Breeders’ Cup work did not go as planned.
“I only worked him on the grass once and that was here last year before going out to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup,” Hobby said. “He got out there around the ‘dogs’ and just galloped and never worked.

Churchill Downs (GII) winner Atta Boy Roy (Sprint) worked a half-mile under Borel in :48.20 after the break, the fifth best of 36 at the distance. Fractions were :12, :24, :35.60 and out five furlongs in 1:02.60.

“I told him to go easy,” trainer Valorie Lund said of Borel. “Just start off even and finish.”

Atta Boy Roy is stabled at the nearby Trackside Training Center and Lund said she would bring the 5-year-old to Churchill Downs on Wednesday.

Red Desire (JPN) worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:00 under jockey Kent Desormeaux. Fractions were :12.80, :25, :36.20, :48 and out six furlongs in 1:13.40.

“She was fantastic getting over the ground, very smooth,” Desormeaux said of the filly who is cross-entered in the Filly & Mare Turf and Turf.  “I am hoping she does very well this year so they can bring her back next year for the Classic.”

Among the turf workers Saturday was Arch Support (Juvenile Fillies Turf) who covered six furlongs in 1:18.60. Fractions on the work were :14.80, :27.40, :40.80 and :54.20.

“I thought it was excellent,” trainer Gary Contessa said. “She was like 50 feet out in the middle of the course and then she got hooked up with two Todd Pletcher horses (More Than Real and Pluck) who were working a half-mile and she held her own.”

Working before the break was new Churchill Downs arrival Rinterval (IRE), who covered a half-mile in :49. Fractions for the work were :12.20, :24.60 and out five furlongs in 1:03.40. It was Rinterval’s second work here since finishing sixth in the Juddmonte Spinster (GI) on Oct. 10 at Keeneland, where she is stabled.

"We left at 4 in the morning last week to come over and work,” trainer Eric Reed said. “We came over last night and will stay here. I just wanted to let her get over the track and she seemed to handle it well.”

Other works included Due Date (Turf Sprint): Half-mile in :49 (:12.80, :25.60 and out five furlongs in 1:03.60) on the turf; Seeking the Title (Ladies’ Classic): Half-mile in :50.20 with Calvin Borel up (:12.80, :25.20 and :37.60. Out five furlongs in 1:04); My Jen (Filly & Mare Sprint): Half-mile in :48.60; A.U. Miner (Marathon): Half-mile in :48.60 (:12.20, :24.20 and :36.40. Out five furlongs in 1:01.80, six furlongs in 1:17); and, Prince Will I Am (Marathon): Half-mile in :49.40.

At Keeneland on Saturday morning, two 2-year-olds for Ken McPeek worked in company: Rogue Romance (Juvenile) and Harlan’s Ruby (Juvenile Fillies). The duo covered five furlongs in :59.40, the best of 33 at the distance, with fractions of :13, :24.60, :36.20 and :47.80. Rogue Romance galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.80. Also for McPeek, working on the turf in company were Bridgetown (Turf Sprint) and Kathmanblu (Juvenile Fillies Turf) who covered five furlongs in 1:01 (:37.6 and out in 1:14.20). Also on the turf was trainer Michael Stidham’s two Juvenile Turf pre-entrants, Rough Sailing and Willcox Inn, who worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 (:38 and out in 1:14.60). Working on the main track were Mad Flatter (Dirt Mile) going :46.40 for a half-mile, the second fastest of 64 at the distance, and Silver Timber (Turf Sprint), a half-mile in :48.40 (11th fastest of 64). …

Some works of note at other venues Saturday morning included Zenyatta (Classic) at Hollywood Park: six furlongs in 1:11.80; Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Blind Luck (Ladies’ Classic): five furlongs in 1:00; and Jaycito (Juvenile): six furlongs in 1:13.40.  Other Breeders’ Cup workers at other venues included Typhoon Slew (Juvenile Turf): Five furlongs in 1:02.80 at Trackside Training Center, the 11th best of 24 at the distance; Havre de Grace (Ladies’ Classic): Half-mile in :48.20 at Delaware Park; Rightly So (Filly & Mare Sprint): Half-mile in :47.60 at Delaware Park; Big Drama (Sprint): Half-mile in :46.40 and out five furlongs in :58.40 at Calder.

One work that did not place was one from Carl Moore Management’s Chamberlain Bridge for the Turf Sprint. “There was a little abscess in a foot yesterday and it popped this morning,” trainer Bret Calhoun said. “We canceled the work and we will probably skip the breeze altogether. He will be back on the track in the morning.”

In addition to Pletcher’s contingent, other works on tap for Sunday include Classic pre-entrants Haynesfield and Espoir City (JPN), Acoma (Ladies’ Classic) at 6:30 with jockey Robby Albarado up, Mine That Bird (Dirt Mile) and Atoned (Marathon).

INTERNATIONAL STARS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE SATURDAY AFTERNOON – Defending Breeders’ Cup winners Goldikova (IRE) (Mile) and Midday (GB) (Filly & Mare Turf) and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (GI) winner Workforce (GB) are scheduled to arrive in Louisville early Saturday evening for their engagements in next weekend’s World Championships at Churchill Downs.

Also scheduled to arrive this afternoon was the Godolphin Racing European contingent.

Arriving this morning on a charter from New York were a string of horses for trainer Nick Zito, including Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) hopefuls Fly Down and Morning Line and Dirt Mile (GI) candidate Cool Coal Man.

Two domestic charters are scheduled to arrive in Louisville on Sunday; one from California that will include the 1-2 finishers in this spring’s Kentucky Oaks (GI), Blind Luck and Evening Jewel, and one from New York that will include leading Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) contender Winter Memories.

Two flights are scheduled for Monday arrival headed by a flight from Ireland bringing the Ballydoyle contingent for trainer Aidan O’Brien. Slated to arrive from Baltimore-Washington are horses for trainers Graham Motion and Tony Dutrow including Havre de Grace for Dutrow who is a top contender for the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI).

The undefeated defending Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) winner Zenyatta is scheduled to arrive at Louisville International Airport shortly before noon Tuesday. On the same flight is expected to be one of her major rivals, Lookin At Lucky, for trainer Bob Baffert.

On Tuesday afternoon, a flight from New York is scheduled to bring $4.6 million earner Gio Ponti, who is cross-entered in the Classic as well as the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI).

DEFENDING CHAMP DEMARCATION ASSIGNED 117 POUNDS FOR ACK ACK – The Amerman Racing Stables’ Demarcation, 10-1 upset winner for trainer Paul McGee in last year’s Ack Ack Handicap (GIII), has been assigned 117 pounds by racing secretary Ben Huffman for the 18th running of the $100,000-added race scheduled for Friday.

The impost is the same as that assigned to Super Derby (GII) winner Apart, who is expected to start in the 1 1/16-mile main track event. Apart is trained by Al Stall Jr., and owned by Adele Dilschneider.

Marianne and Brandon Chase’s Here Comes Ben was assigned top weight of 122 pounds, but the Charles Lopresti trainee is pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) next Saturday. Second high weight at 119 pounds is Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s Redding Colliery, who is being pointed to the Grade I Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare on Nov. 26.

Next on the weight list is David Holloway Racing’s Dubious Miss at 118 pounds.  Dubious Miss, who is also trained by McGee, is entered in today’s Fayette (GII) at Keeneland.

Entries for the Ack Ack will be taken Tuesday.

PLETCHER’S STRONG BREEDERS’ CUP CONTINGENT HITS TRACK – Trainer Todd Pletcher has 11 horses pre-entered for the 27th Breeders’ Cup World Championships that will be held Nov. 5 and 6 at Churchill Downs and he likes the hand he is holding.

“From top to bottom, this is the best group we’ve had,” said Pletcher, who has three Breeders’ Cup victories on his resume. “Certainly it is the best we’ve had for the Classic.”

The Classic candidate is Edward Evans’ four-time Grade I winner Quality Road, who went to the track at 6 o’clock Wednesday morning under exercise rider Patti Barry. Quality Road arrived at Churchill Downs at 4 a.m. (Eastern) on Tuesday after vanning from Belmont Park with Ladies’ Classic contender Malibu Prayer, also owned by Evans.

With the exception of Michael Tabor’s Allure d’Amour (Juvenile Fillies Turf), all of Pletcher’s Breeders’ Cup horses are at Churchill Downs more than a week before their races.

"I wanted Quality Road to have some extra time here and the others I wanted to have them have a work over the track for the first time so it made sense to bring them all in,” Pletcher said. “Allure d’Amour would fly in on Sunday (the 31st) once we are confident she will get in.”

Pletcher plans to work his Friday race entrants – More Than Real (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Life At Ten (Ladies’ Classic), Malibu Prayer and R Heat Lightning (Juvenile Fillies) -- on Saturday with the remainder of his Breeders’ Cup roster – Quality Road, Rose Catherine (Turf Sprint), Aikenite (Dirt Mile), Pluck (Juvenile Turf), Stay Thirsty (Juvenile) and Uncle Mo (Juvenile) – working on Sunday.

John Velazquez, who scored the first of his seven Breeders’ Cup victories here in 1998 aboard Da Hoss in the Mile, has the riding assignment on six Pletcher horses. Velazquez’s mounts are Quality Road, Uncle Mo, Life At Ten, R Heat Lightning, Aikenite and Allure d’Amour.

Pletcher will use Garrett Gomez and Javier Castellano on his other horses. Gomez is named on More Than Real, Pluck and Malibu Prayer. Castellano will ride Rose Catherine and Stay Thirsty.

Pletcher’s horses usually attract a lot of interest and the trainer was asked which member of this year’s Breeders’ Cup roster could be flying under the radar.

“Stay Thirsty may be under the radar because he has the same owner (Michael Repole as Uncle Mo, so he may be somewhat overlooked,” Pletcher said. “He broke his maiden impressively and was second in the Hopeful (GI). He is bred to run a lot further than he has.”

JAPAN’S RED DESIRE HAS EASY MORNING ON FIRST DAY ON TRACK AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – The Tokyo Horse Racing Co.’s Red Desire (JPN) had an easy morning on her first day at the track at Churchill Downs as she began local preparations for the Breeders’ Cup.

With exercise rider Takashi Saito up, Red Desire had an easy canter once around the main track accompanied by a pony after spending five minutes in the mile chute.

“She will do the same tomorrow, but a little faster,” said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for the 4-year-old filly’s ownership. Red Desire is expected to work Saturday and Kent Desormeaux will have the Breeders’ Cup mount.

Red Desire, who was cross-entered in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (GI) as well as the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI) which was the first preference, has had success against colts before. She broke her maiden at first asking against males and then ran third in the Japan Cup (GI) to close out 2009.

“She ran so well against the colts in the Japan, beating among others (two-time Breeders’ Cup Turf winner) Conduit, that we decided to go to Dubai,” Tada said. “We thought about a prep on turf against fillies, but she would have had to carry a lot of weight, so we tried the all-weather track and beat them all (in the Group II Maktoum Challenge’s third round).”

Red Desire finished 11th in the Dubai World Cup (GI) and then returned to Japan.

“She was not herself in the World Cup,” Tada said. “Her next race in Japan, she ran OK (finishing fourth), but was not in good condition. She was getting ready for a race in June and she bled in a workout and we gave her some time off.

“It was decided to bring her to the United States so she can be treated with Lasix,” Tada added.

Red Desire arrived at Belmont Park on Sept. 16 and two weeks later ran third as the favorite in the Flower Bowl Invitational (GI) under Desormeaux. She arrived at Churchill Downs on Tuesday morning after training hours.

HOBBY HAS TELLING READY FOR SECOND BC TURF TRY – Trainer Steve Hobby has one wish for the Breeders’ Cup regarding Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Telling.

“I just wish they’d run this at Saratoga,” Hobby said with a laugh as he prepared to take Telling to the track Wednesday morning.

It is understandable, given that Telling has won twice in two years with both victories coming in the Grade I Sword Dancer at Saratoga.

Telling completed 2009 with a seventh-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (GI) last year at Santa Anita. On Monday, Telling arrived at Churchill Downs from Delaware Park for a run in this year’s renewal of the $3 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf.

“I think he is a little better this year,” Hobby said. “He came out of the Belmont Park race (the Grade I Turf Classic Invitational) really well. He was more tired this time last year.”

After the Breeders’ Cup, Telling got a five-month break.

“That break was good for him,” Hobby said. “That was something he had not had before and he started this year fresh.”

Telling, who will be ridden in the Breeders’ Cup by Javier Castellano, finished fifth in the Louisville Handicap (GIII) over the Matt Winn Turf Course in May.

“The turf was soft (yielding) that day and he wasn’t fit yet,” Hobby said of Telling’s second start of the year. “You really have to watch the weather here, because he is much better on firm ground.”

Hobby plans to work Telling on Saturday.

BARN TALK – How strong is the field pre-entered for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic? Try these figures on for size: There are eight Grade I winners among the 16 pre-entrants and nine millionaires. Combined, the field has won 49 percent of its starts, cumulatively winning 65 graded stakes including 34 Grade I events. Zenyatta, who will be seeking to close out her career with a spotless 20-for-20 record when she goes in the Classic, tops all pre-entrants in earnings ($6,404,580), victories (19), graded stakes wins (17) and Grade I wins (13). Only two-time Mile winner Goldikova (IRE) has double-figure totals in graded-stakes wins (12) and Grade I wins (11) among the other Breeders’ Cup pre-entrants. …
Richland Hills Stable and John Kuehl’s Secret Gypsy worked a bullet half-mile in :47.40 over a track labeled as fast after the morning renovation break. Fractions on the work, best of 32 at the distance, were :11:80, :23.40 and out five furlongs in 1:02.80. Trained by Ronny Werner, Secret Gypsy will enter the $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) on a three-race win streak. Robby Albarado has the mount. …

Horses for the Breeders’ Cup continued to make their way to Churchill Downs on Wednesday. Arriving shortly after noon from Keeneland were Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame (Classic) and Columbine Stables’s J. B.’s Thunder (Juvenile) for trainer Al Stall Jr. Next to arrive from Keeneland was Darrell and Evelyn Yates’ Jordy Y (Juvenile Fillies or Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Gary and Mary West’s Major Gain (Juvenile Turf) for trainer Wayne Catalano. Slated for an early evening arrival from California was the Craig Family Trust’s Sidney’s Candy (Mile) for trainer John Sadler.

Continuing her quest for perfection in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic  and reign among the greatest names in sports history, the undefeated Zenyatta leads the list of a record 184 horses pre-entered, 26  from overseas, for the 2010 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

The 27th Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious global event, consisting of 14 races and purses totaling $26 million over the two-day event, will be held at Churchill Downs on Friday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov. 6. This will be a record seventh time that Churchill Downs will host the Championships.

The Breeders’ Cup will be televised live on ABC/ESPN and in more than 130 foreign countries.

“The overall depth and quality of this year’s pre-entered fields are higher than at any previous occasion,” said Tom Robbins, Chairman of the Breeders’ Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. “The international contingent is particularly strong and is bolstered by high ratings for Zenyatta, Workforce and Goldikova.”

In perhaps the most dramatic moment in Breeders’ Cup history, Zenyatta came from last to first to win the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic, becoming the first female to capture the race, and the first horse to win two different Breeders’ Cup races. (In 2008, she was the winner of the Ladies’ Classic.) Brought out of a brief retirement by her owners Jerry and Ann Moss, Zenyatta returned as a 6-year-old mare this year and has won all five of her starts to increase her unbeaten streak to 19 consecutive races. Under the care of trainer John Shirreffs, Zenyatta captured the Santa Margarita at Santa Anita, the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park, the Vanity at Hollywood Park, the Clement Hirsch at Del Mar and most recently the Lady’s Secret by a half-length at the Oak Tree meeting at Hollywood Park. Tiznow, in 2000 and 2001, is the only horse to win back-to-back Classics.

If Zenyatta is to repeat, she will have to do it against one of the strongest Classic fields ever assembled. Among the 16 horses pre-entered for the 1 ¼ mile race is  Adele Dilschneider’s and Claiborne Farm’s 4-year-old Blame, winner of the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs and the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga, before finishing second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup; the Bob Baffert-trained Lookin at Lucky, the nation’s top 3-year-old, who won the Preakness Stakes, the Haskell Invitational and the Indiana Derby; the 4-year-old Quality Road, who had to be scratched at the gate prior to last year’s Classic, but returned this year with sparkling victories in the Donn Handicap, the Metropolitan Handicap and the Woodward Stakes, and the versatile 5-year-old Gio Ponti, who finished second to Zenyatta in last year’s Classic and was both champion older male and champion turf horse of 2009. Trained by Christophe Clement, Gio Ponti has two grade I stakes victories on turf this year in the Man O’ War at Belmont and the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland.

Others prominent in the pre-entered Classic field are Haynesfield, a front running 4-year-old who defeated Blame in the Jockey Club Gold Cup; Fly Down, second in the Travers Stakes and Paddy O’Prado, the top 3-year-old American turf horse, and also third in this year’s Kentucky Derby. The Classic is brought further intrigue by the Japanese 5-year-old Espoir City (JPN), who won last year’s Japan Cup Dirt and was twice victorious in three 2010 starts.      

Zenyatta is not the only superstar shooting for an unprecedented third consecutive Breeders’ Cup win. Alain and Gerard Wertheimer’s 5-year-old Goldikova (IRE) is seeking her third consecutive $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile on turf, leading the charge of overseas participants in this year’s Breeders’ Cup. In 2009, European horses won six Breeders’ Cup races. Goldikova, trained by Freddy Head, has won four of five starts this year, three of them over males in the Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp, the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, and most recently, the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp. Challenging Goldikova will be Juddmonte Farms’ 5-year-old mare Proviso (GB), who has won her last four starts on the turf this year for trainer Bill Mott, including the Frank Kilroe Mile over males at Santa Anita Park; Woodbine Mile winner Court Vision, who was fourth in last year’s TVG Mile and Paco Boy (IRE), a formidable rival to Goldikova this year, having lost the Prix de la Foret to her by just a half-length. Gio Ponti is also pre-entered in the Mile as a second preference.

There has yet to be a winner of both the Arc de Triomphe and the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf in the same year, but trainer Sir Michael Stoute is going to try with Khalid Abdullah’s 3-year-old Workforce (GB), who also captured the Epsom Derby earlier this year. The $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf, run at 1 ½ miles on the Matt Winn Turf course, will also have Behkabad (FR), who qualified for the race by winning the Prix Niel at Longchamp through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series and also won the Grand Prix de Paris. Two other Breeders’ Cup Challenge winners who have been pre-entered for the Turf are Debussy (IRE), winner of the Arlington Million for trainer John Gosden and Champ Pegasus, who won the Clement Hirsch at Oak Tree at Hollywood Park. Winchester, winner of both the Manhattan Handicap and the Turf Classic at Belmont Park, has also been pre-entered.

On Championship Friday, for the first time ever, the Breeders’ Cup will finish under the lights, and the focus will be on the female races, headlined by the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic at 1 1/8 miles.

Leading the field is the fast closing 3-year-old filly Blind Luck, who has won five races this year, including the Kentucky Oaks, the Delaware Oaks and the Alabama Stakes for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Contrasted with Blind Luck is the front running 5-year-old mare Life At Ten, who has been beaten just once this year in six starts. Trained by Todd Pletcher, who leads all trainers with 11 pre-entered horses, Life At Ten has captured two grade 1 races this year in the Ogden Phipps and the Beldame Stakes.

Juddmonte Farms’ Midday (GB) came from Great Britain to Santa Anita last year and scored a one-length victory in the $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Midday is back as one of six previous Breeders’ Cup Champions pre-entered for this year’s event (along with Zenyatta, Goldikova, California Flag, Informed Decision and Forever Together), and she appears stronger than ever in facing a tough international cast. Trained by Henry Cecil, the 4-year-old filly has won three times in four starts in 2010, including consecutive Group 1 victories in the Nassau Stakes, the Yorkshire Oaks and the Prix Vermeille.  She will face the likes of the French 4-year-old filly Plumania (GB) who defeated male rivals in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and was second to Midday in the Prix Vermeille. The 3-year-old Harmonious, trained by Shirreffs, could also be dangerous in this race with grade 1 wins to her credit in the American Oaks at Hollywood Park, and recently, the Queen Elizabeth II at Keeneland. Japan will be represented by the 4-year-old Red Desire (JPN), third in last year’s Japan Cup and third earlier this month in the Flower Bowl at Belmont Park after a five-month layoff.

The competition in the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles shapes up as a battle among a pair of two-year-old stars on each coast. In the East, Boys at Tosconova was the summer’s early star after capturing the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga, but the latest Eastern star is Repole Stable’s Uncle Mo, a dominant 4 3/4-length winner of the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park for trainer Todd Pletcher.   In California, Gem Stable’s J P’s Gusto dominated the Western division with wins in the Best Pal and Del Mar Futurity before being upset by Zayat Stables’ Jaycito by one length in the Norfolk Stakes at Oak Tree at Hollywood Park.

Trainer Bob Baffert has won the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies two times. This year he sends out Zayat Stables’ A Z Warrior, winner of the Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park. The Todd Pletcher-trained R Heat Lightning was the favorite in that race following a victory in the Spinaway. From Florida comes the undefeated Awesome Feather, a winner of five career starts and most recently an
8 1/4-length victory in the My Dear Girl Stakes at Calder.

The $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint at 6 furlongs appears wide open with Smiling Tiger, winner of two grade 1 races in the Bing Crosby at Del Mar and the Ancient Title at Oak Tree at Hollywood Park the top runner from the West. The 5-year-old Kinsale King journeyed from California this spring to win the Golden Shaheen Stakes in Dubai.

The $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at 7 furlongs drew 22 pre-entered horses. The Jonathan Sheppard-trained Informed Decision is back to defend her title following a hard charge to finish third in the Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland behind the 5-year-old mare Dubai Majesty. Others who could figure prominently in the wide open race are the 3-year-old Test Stakes winner Champagne d’Oro and Ballerina Stakes winner Rightly So.

The $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile also appears to be wide open. The 5-year-old Tizway arrives off a five-length victory in the one mile Kelso at Belmont Park. Here Comes Ben, a 4-year-old Street Cry (IRE) colt, has won his last four races, capping the streak with the grade I Forego at Saratoga. D. Wayne Lukas, the leading all-time Breeders’ Cup trainer with 18 victories, has also pre-entered 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

California Flag seeks to win a second $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at 5 furlongs, the shortest of the 14 races, for trainer Brian Koriner. The 6-year-old gelding faces Woodford winner Silver Timber and the 3-year-old filly Rose Catherine, a winner of five races this year.

A maximum of 14 starters are allowed in each of the 14 Breeders’ Cup World Championships races. Breeders’ Cup Limited has adopted a field selection system to select runners in the event fields are oversubscribed. This system ranks horses in order of preference based on (i) Breeders’ Cup Challenge race winners, (ii) a point system, and (iii) the judgment of a panel of racing experts.  The field selection system was implemented following the taking of pre-entries on Monday, Oct. 25, to officially rank the oversubscribed fields.  The Racing Secretaries and Directors Panel (the “Panel”) will ranked all the horses pre-entered in the oversubscribed races.  After pre-entry, any vacancies in the fields will be filled by horses in order of panel preference. Entry for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships races will be Tuesday, Nov. 2 by 10:00 a.m. (ET).  At the time of entry a maximum of 14 horses will be accepted for entry in each race based on the order of preference in the rankings established at pre-entry. 

The complete list of pre-entries for the races of the 2010 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs is available on the official Breeders' Cup Web site.

There will be up to two (2) also-eligible horses for each Championship race. The also-eligible horses will be designated in accordance with the Breeders’ Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel’s order of preference for each Championship race that is oversubscribed at the time of pre-entry. Scratch time for all Championships races to be contested on both Championship Friday and Championship Saturday will be 7:00 a.m. ET, Friday, Nov. 5. 

ESPOIR CITY HAS FIRST CHURCHILL DOWNS WORK FOR BC CLASSIC – Espoir City (JPN), Japan’s hope for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) to be run at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6, had the first of his planned two works beneath the Twin Spires on Sunday morning, covering six furlongs over a fast track in 1:18.20 under jockey Tetsuzo Sato.

Espoir City spent about 20 minutes loosening up in the mile chute before beginning his work that consisted of fractions in :14.20, :28.40, :41.60, :54.20, 1:06.40 and out seven furlongs in 1:33.60. After the work, Espoir City walked around outside Barn 42 in the grassy area of the quarantine section for another 20 minutes under exercise rider Toshiyuki Abematsu.

“We are coming to this race with the image of a mile and a quarter race and today was a step in that direction,” Sato said through an interpreter. “The work this morning went as planned. We are not here to pursue speed, just conditioning.”

Espoir City switched leads several times in the stretch, but Sato was not concerned.

“He is up front in most of his races and sometimes he loses a little focus and fools around a bit because he knows he has no competition,” Sato said.

Espoir City arrived at Churchill Downs on Tuesday and Sato was asked how he felt the 5-year-old horse handled the shipping.

“Much better than I had imagined,” Sato said. “He has shipped within Japan and become accustomed to it. He was a little tired when he got here, but he is over it now.”

Trainer Akio Adachi is scheduled to return to Louisville from Japan for Espoir City’s final work, the day of which has not been determined. Sato, who also has been getting on horses for trainers Dale Romans and Todd Pletcher, was scheduled to return to Japan on Monday but would return for the final work.

SPINSTER WINNER ACOMA WORKS FIVE FURLONGS IN 1:01.60 FOR BC LADIES’ CLASSIC – Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma had her first work since winning the Juddmonte Spinster (GI) at Keeneland on Oct. 10, covering five furlongs in 1:01.60, the 11th fastest of 32 at the distance.

Working on her own before the renovation break under jockey Tony Farina, Acoma carved out fractions of :12.60, :24.80, :37.20 and out six furlongs in 1:15.40.

“It was a nice work and she did it well within herself,” trainer David Carroll said. “I was going to work her a half, but she went five-eighths to get the edge off. Tony knows her and will give me good feedback.”

The Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI) will be the final race for Acoma, who has spent the majority of her three-year career at Churchill Downs. She has raced here seven times, going two-for-two on the dirt and winning three graded stakes on the grass.

“It’s huge,” Carroll said of what amounts to Acoma’s home-field advantage in the Breeders’ Cup. “If it were anywhere else, we would not be running. She has trained here, had a lot of success here and is very happy here. She has never had a bad race here. She was fourth once (in this summer’s Locust Grove), but she was right there at the wire.”

Robby Albarado, who has ridden Acoma three times, will have the mount in the Ladies’ Classic and Carroll said Albarado may work Acoma in her next work, scheduled for next Sunday.

“She had an extremely good week last week,” Carroll said. “I am confident she can run well. It is just a question of being good enough.”

SWITCH TUNES UP FOR BREEDERS’ CUP FILLY & MARE SPRINT – The first time C R K Stable’s Switch ran against older fillies and mares, she turned in a performance that was nearly one for the record books.

In the Lady’s Secret (GI) at Hollywood Park on Oct. 2, the 3-year-old Switch cut the corner at the top of the stretch, opening a daylight lead on a field of five that included the undefeated Zenyatta.

“It is etched in my mind,” trainer John Sadler said with a laugh Sunday morning. “The thing about it was the place went quiet for a few seconds when Switch spurted clear.  And then Zenyatta came on and the place erupted.”

Zenyatta is scheduled to come to Churchill Downs on Tuesday, Nov. 2, in a bid to complete her career 20-for-20 with a run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, a race she won last year against males on a synthetic surface at Santa Anita.

Meanwhile, Switch continued to get ready for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) by working five furlongs in 1:00.20 on Sunday morning at Churchill Downs under exercise rider Lupillo Alferez.

Working on her own after the renovation break, Switch recorded fractions of :12.20, :23.80, :35.40, :47.40 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80. The five-furlong time was the second fastest of 32 at the distance and comes on the heels of a bullet half-mile move in :47 on Oct. 17.

“It was nice and smooth and she looked good doing it,” Sadler said. “I told him to go in a minute, so that was fine.”

The Lady’s Secret was run at 1 1/16 miles, but Sadler opted to cut back to the seven-furlong Filly & Mare Sprint rather than 1 1/8-mile Ladies’ Classic.

“I am not sure she wants a mile and eighth as a 3-year-old,” Sadler said. “If the Sprint was six furlongs, she would not run but it is not really a ‘sprint’ sprint. Seven-eighths to a mile is her best distance. Next year we can come back in the (Ladies’) Classic at a mile and an eighth. She was fourth earlier in the year at a mile and eighth when she shipped to Gulfstream Park, but she didn’t get the right trip that day.”

BARN TALK – Turtle Bird Stable’s Haynesfield, winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) at Belmont Park in his most recent start, worked six furlongs in company with Kensei after the renovation break at Churchill Downs in 1:13.60 under exercise rider Ceasar Garcia for trainer Steve Asmussen. The two worked on even terms with Haynesfield on the outside through fractions of :12.60, :25, :37.20, :49.20 and galloped out seven furlongs in 1:27.40 with Haynesfield kicking clear of his workmate. It was the second Churchill Downs work for Haynesfield, who covered five furlongs in 1:02.20 last Sunday in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. …

Team Valor International’s Pluck, winner of the Summer (GIII) at Woodbine in last time out, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 in company with Hammock Beach before the renovation break in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII). The move under jockey Garrett Gomez was the fourth fastest of 32 at the distance. The two raced on even terms through fractions of :12.60, :36.40, :48.60 and out six furlongs in 1:14.80. …

Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame, winner of the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) here in June and the Clark Handicap (GII) here last fall, worked five furlongs at Keeneland in :58.80 on Sunday morning in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Working in company with Super Derby (GII) winner Apart, Blame recorded fractions of :12.20, :23.80, :35.80, :46.80 and out six furlongs in 1:11.60. Trained by Al Stall Jr., Blame is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs on Wednesday and will be housed in Barn 47.

Other Breeders’ Cup works across the nation Sunday included Quality Road (Classic) 1:01.42 for five furlongs at Belmont Park; Uncle Mo (Juvenile) :49.97 for a half-mile at Belmont Park; Stay Thirsty (Juvenile) 1:01.38 for five-eighths at Belmont Park; Rose Catherine (Turf Sprint) 1:04.26 for five furlongs on the main track at Belmont Park; Persistently (Ladies’ Classic) :49.62 for a half-mile at Belmont Park; Gio Ponti (Classic or Mile) 1:03.55 for five furlongs on the turf at Belmont Park; Winchester (Turf) 1:03.86 for five furlongs on the turf at Belmont Park; Gayego (Dirt Mile) 1:00.18 for five furlongs at Belmont Park; Vineyard Haven (Dirt Mile) 1:02.48 for five furlongs at Belmont Park and Air Support (Juvenile Turf) :48.42 for a half-mile on the main track at Belmont Park. At Keeneland, Moontune Missy (Filly & Mare Sprint) worked six furlongs in 1:11.60. At Calder, Jessica Is Back (Filly & Mare Sprint) worked a half-mile in :50.60.

The main story line surrounding Saturday’s running of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade I) at Santa Anita is whether the undefeated Zenyatta can beat the boys.
    It was odds-on that in a sampling of Churchill Downs trainers Friday morning that opinions ran in many directions.
    “I think Zenyatta will love the mile and a quarter,” said Carl Nafzger, who won the 1990 Classic with Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled. “I think she will do it. Getting through the traffic will be her biggest problem.”
    “Zenyatta is a good filly and she loves those synthetic tracks,” Forrest Kaelin said. “She runs her race every time, but she will have to step it up a little more and I think she will on that surface. You don’t know about the others.”
    “I probably should pull for Zenyatta,” said Lynn Whiting, who saddled Lil E. Tee to win the 1992 Kentucky Derby. “But I think she will have a tough time with those boys. It is a big field (13), and with her running style … those boys aren’t going to lie down for her.”
    Paul McGee went in a different direction.
    “I don’t think she wins it,” McGee said. “I am looking at Gio Ponti and Regal Ransom. And Mine That Bird, I think he is going to run a good race and I will have him in my tri ticket.”
    Locally based Einstein, trained by Helen Pitts-Blasi, had his backers.
    “I hope Helen wins it,” Scooter Dickey said.
    “I like Einstein, because I have seen him so much,” said Buff Bradley, whose stable star Brass Hat has run against Einstein several times and is stabled in the barn next to Einstein.
    “I like our horse, Einstein,” said Hal Wiggins, who trained leading Horse of the Year candidate Rachel Alexandra to a Kentucky Oaks victory. “It’s a good field and should be a very interesting race.”
    Dallas Stewart, whose Stephen Foster (GI) winner Macho Again was knocked out of Breeders’ Cup consideration by a cough, liked a trio of horses, Zenyatta, Einstein and Summer Bird.
    Summer Bird, sixth in the Kentucky Derby behind Mine That Bird before winning the Belmont (GI), Travers (GI) and Jockey Club Gold Cup, had a supporter in Jinks Fires.
    “I’d like to see Summer Bird win it,” Fires said. “Tim Ice has done a great job with him and the owners (Drs. K.K. and Vilasini Jayaraman) have invested a lot in the business and been good for the game.”

CLEAR SKIES WELCOME SIGHT FOR JONESBORO – The prospect of a fast track for today’s 17th running of the Grade III Ack Ack Handicap was music to the ears of trainer Randy Morse for his veteran campaigner Jonesboro.
“He hates the mud,” Morse said of the 7-year-old, who is owned by Michael Langford.
But mud is what he got in his most recent start, a seventh-place finish in the Hawthorne Gold Cup (GII) that represented Jonesboro’s worst showing of 2009.
“It had rained for part of the day and began to clear up and it looked like we were going to OK, but then about 30 minutes before the race it just poured,” Morse said.
Since the Gold Cup, Jonesboro has put in two solid half-mile works at his home base at Remington Park and shipped to Churchill Downs on Thursday. It was a homecoming of sorts for Jonesboro, who has won five graded stakes in his six-year, 42-race career.
“He has trained here a lot and probably put a million miles in over this track,” said Morse, who for many years was a regular member of the Churchill Downs backstretch. “He just hasn’t run here that much.”
Jonesboro’s record at Churchill Downs is 4-0-1-0 with his most recent start here coming in the 2008 Stephen Foster (GI) when he finished sixth behind Horse of the Year Curlin.
A good showing in the Ack Ack could prompt an encore appearance before the end of the meet.
“The Clark (Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare) is an option if he runs good today,” Morse said referring to the Grade II test to be run Nov. 27. “Also it will depend on who else goes in there.”

QE II WINNER HOT CHA CHA TOPS PROBABLES FOR MRS. REVERE – Nelson McMakin’s Hot Cha Cha, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (GI) at Keeneland on Oct. 17 in her most recent start, headlines a list of 10 probables for the 19th running of the $175,000-added Mrs. Revere (GII) for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday, Nov. 14.
    In addition to Hot Cha Cha, who also won the Grade III Pucker Up at Arlington Park on Sept. 7, three other Grade III stakes winners on the turf in 2009 are on the probables list, according to Churchill Downs Vice President of Racing Donnie Richardson.
The trio includes Dell Ridge Farm’s Bluegrass Princess, winner of a division of the Valley View at Keeneland on Oct. 23 in her most recent start, Barbara Hunter’s Keertana, winner of the Regret at Churchill Downs on June 13 and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Mary’s Follies, winner of the Boiling Springs on June 27 at Monmouth Park.
    Another probable is William Pacella, George Bonomo and Fred Barbara’s C.S. Silk, winner of the Grade III Arlington-Washington Lassie on Polytrack in 2008.
    Other probables are June Judd’s Aaroness, Jess Yawitz and Gary Zwerling’s Alice’s Smart, Andrew Farm, Connie Scanlon and Frank O’Connor’s Obsequious, Brereton Jones’ Silver Reunion and Lothenbach Stables’ Single Solution. Considered as “possible” for the race is NP Bloodstock’s Bum Bum (Fr).
    Entries for the 1 1/16-mile race to be contested over the Matt Winn Turf Course will be taken Wednesday.

FLORENTINO HEADLINES PROBABLES FOR COMMONWEALTH TURF – Darley Stable’s Florentino (Jpn), winner of the Grade II Jefferson Cup here at Churchill Downs in June, is among seven 3-year-olds considered as “probable” for the sixth running of the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (GIII) scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 15 at 1 1/16 miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course.
    Should Florentino prove successful on his return to Churchill Downs, he would join Inca King in 2007 as the only horse to win the Jefferson Cup and Commonwealth Turf.
    Other graded stakes winners on the turf on the probables list of Donnie Richardson, Churchill Downs Vice President of Racing, are Sullimar Stables’ Get Stormy and William Stiritz’s Proceed Bee.
    Get Stormy won Keeneland’s Bryan Station (GIII) on Oct. 18 in his most recent start and Proceed Bee, in his previous outing, won the Grade III Hawthorne Derby at Hawthorne Park. Proceed Bee also won the Grand Canyon, an overnight turf stake, here last fall on closing day.
    Other Commonwealth Turf probables are Hugh Robertson’s Grizzled Robert, Richard Shultz’s Major Marvel, Red Dog Stables’ Perfect Bull and Marilyn Seltzer’s Spectacular Kid.
    Entries for the Commonwealth Turf will be taken on Thursday.

BARN TALK – Elusive Sparkle, half-sister to 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, ran her last race on Thursday according to trainer Carl Nafzger. Elusive Sparkle, a 4-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality, finished ninth in the eighth race to end her career with a record of 18-2-4-3 for earnings of $112,028 for owner James Tafel. “One retired yesterday and one debuts today,” Nafzger said, referring to Broadway Ticket, a 3-year-old half-sister to Street Sense. Broadway Ticket, a daughter of Distorted Humor out of Bedazzle, is owned by Randall Bloch, John Seiler and Robert Manfuso. She is in the seventh race.

For the first time since 1999, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be simulcast during Churchill Downs’ Fall Meet. Racing’s year-end global championship event, which consists of 14 races and $25.5 million in prize money, will be run at Southern California’s Santa Anita on Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7.
 
Churchill Downs admission gates will open at 11:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) on Nov. 6-7 with the first of 10 live races scheduled for 12:40 p.m. each day.

Led by the undefeated Zenyatta, Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, Belmont Stakes and Travers winner Summer Bird, and European standouts Goldikova-IRE and Rip Van Winkle-IRE, 166 horses, including 10 defending or former Breeders’ Cup Champions, were pre-entered for the 26th Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

A simulcast of the nine-race Championship Friday card from Santa Anita will begin at 2:15 p.m. and the Breeders’ Cup will cover Races 3-8. Championship Saturday’s 10-race program will commence at 1:05 p.m., cover Races 2-9 and culminate with the Grade I, $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at 6:45 p.m.

The Championship Friday program will consist of six Breeders’ Cup races, beginning with the $500,000 Marathon, and will be followed by five consecutives races for females, culminating with the Grade I, $2 million Ladies’ Classic.

In addition to the simulcasts interspersed between live races, Churchill Downs will present a stakes race each day. Older horses will be showcased Friday in the 17th running of the Grade III, $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap at one mile. Saturday’s card is topped by a stakes doubleheader for fillies and mares: the 24th edition of the Grade II, $150,000-added Chilukki at one mile and the $60,000-added Dream Supreme, an overnight stakes at six furlongs.

Customers who attend Churchill Downs on Friday will be able to advance wager on the entire Championship Saturday program from Santa Anita. There is no advance wagering on-track Thursday for the Championship Friday program.

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships is scheduled to return to Churchill Downs for the first time since 2006 and an unmatched seventh occasion in 2010.

    Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2010. The track will conduct its 2009 Fall Meet from Sunday, Nov. 1 through Saturday, Nov. 28. Churchill Downs is scheduled to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on November 5 and 6, 2010. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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Domino Stud of Lexington’s Miss Isella squeezed through a narrow opening along the rail in defeating 1-2 favorite One Caroline by three-quarters of a length  to win the 24th running of the $379,700 Louisville Distaff (Grade II) on Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Ian Wilkes, Miss Isella gave Borel his fifth victory in the Louisville Distaff.

One Caroline, who had won her first five career starts with two victories at Churchill Downs, shot to the lead out of the gate under Edgar Prado and led the field of six through fractions of :23.96, :47.65 and 1:11.72.

Turning for home One Caroline was challenged on the rail by Miss Isella and Swift Temper on the outside.

The trio raced as a team to the eighth pole when Swift Temper dropped back, leaving One Caroline and Miss Isella to battle it out with the latter drawing clear at the sixteenth pole.

Miss Isella returned mutuels of $19.40, $4.40 and $3.20. One Caroline paid $2.20 and $2.10 in finishing 8 1/4 lengths clear of Swift Temper, who paid $3.40 to show under Garrett Gomez.

Miss Isella, who closed 2008 with a victory in the Grade II Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs, covered the mile and a sixteenth on a “sloppy” track in 1:42.75.

Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss’ Zenyatta, the undefeated 2008 Eclipse Award-winning mare, was scratched from the race by trainer John Shirreffs because of track conditions.

The victory was worth $235,414 and increased Miss Isella’s earnings to $438,157 with her fifth win in 14 starts and fourth at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE DISTAFF QUOTES

CALVIN BOREL (rider of winner Miss Isella) – “I don’t know if (One Caroline) finished the way (Edgar Prado) thought she would or she wasn’t handling the track or whatever, but she went nice and comfortable on the lead. But my filly loves this racetrack. She’s an incredible filly on this track. She’s a totally different filly on this track and any other track. The whole track was fine. I just couldn’t get out of (the inside) with two horses outside of me. He got his filly relaxed two or three (paths) off the fence and I took the opportunity to move on in there and go on.”

IAN WILKES (trainer of winner Miss Isella) – Home-court advantage? “I think so. We have a muddy track and our filly loves the mud. Rusty’s (Arnold) filly ran good. She’s a nice filly.  Let’s give her all credit. She did all the work up front and we had a cozy little trip.”

EDGAR PRADO (rider of second-place finisher One Caroline) – “We were in tight there coming for home, but it wasn’t a case of a foul. I knew he was there and there was just enough room for him to get through. My filly tried hard. She just couldn’t get it done today.”

RUSTY ARNOLD (trainer of second-place finisher One Caroline) – “I don’t know who was doing what, but they were in there pretty tight. It’s horse racing. I’m not surprised the way the race played out. She got out there easy on the lead and was coasting right along. The other filly just ran a big race. Give her credit.”

GARRETT GOMEZ (rider of third-place finisher Swift Temper) – “I had a good trip. I saved all the ground around the first turn and I was in a good spot. She gave it her best. She couldn’t quite get there today.”

Mr and Mrs Jerome Moss’ Zenyatta, the undefeated 5-year-old who earned a 2008 Eclipse Award as the nation’s top older filly or mare was one of three finalists for “Horse of the Year” honors, will face seven challengers Friday in the 24th running of the $350,000-added Louisville Distaff (Grade II) on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs.

The 12-race card Friday, highlighted by the 135th running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (Grade I), will begin with a 10:30 a.m. ET post time. Five other stakes will be on the card, four of them graded.

Trained by John Shirreffs, Zenyatta closed out a seven-for-seven campaign with a last-to-first triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (Grade I) at Santa Anita. Mike Smith, who has been aboard for Zenyatta’s past six victories, has the mount Friday in the mile and a sixteenth Louisville Distaff.

The daughter of Street Cry will carry high weight of 124 pounds and break from post position two.  She is one of two unbeaten runners in the Louisville Distaff, which is scheduled as the seventh race on the card.

G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s One Caroline, who has been training at Keeneland, is perfect in five lifetime starts, including her  first two victories coming at Churchill Downs. Trained by Rusty Arnold, One Carolina enters the Louisville Distaff off a front-running 6 ½-length victory in the Grade II Rampart at Gulfstream Park on March 29.

Edgar Prado, who has been aboard One Caroline for her past two victories, has the Friday riding assignment and exits post position four.

The field for the Louisville Distaff, from the rail out, is as follows: Swift Temper (Garrett Gomez, 120 pounds), Zenyatta (Mike Smith, 124), Miss Isella (Calvin Borel, 122), One Caroline (Edgar Prado, 122), Unforgotten (Robby Albarado, 118), Modification (Corey Nakatani, 118), French Kiss (Joe Johnson, 118) and Unbridled Belle (John Velazquez, 118).

Three Grade III events are on the card, including the $150,000-added Alysheba (GIII), which serves as a prep for the $750,000 Stephen Foster (Grade I) to be run at Churchill Downs on June 13.

Macho Again, who used a victory in the Derby Trial here last April as a springboard to a runner-up finish in the Grade I Preakness and then a victory in the Grade II Jim Dandy, will tote high weight of 124 pounds and concede 2-6 to nine rivals in the Alysheba.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and trained by Dallas Stewart, Macho Again enters the Alysheba off a victory in the Grade II New Orleans Handicap on March 14 at Fair Grounds. Robby Albarado will ride and break from the rail in the mile and sixteenth race that goes as the ninth on the card.

The field for the Alysheba, from the rail out, is as follows: Macho Again (Robby Albarado, 124 pounds), Ready Set (Julien Leparoux, 118), Mambo in Seattle (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Cool Coal Man (John Velazquez, 118), Bullsbay (Jeremy Rose, 118), Star Guitar (Corey Lanerie,122), Shift in Power (Jon Court, 118), Dr. Pleasure (Edgar Prado, 118), Prom Shoes (Kent Desormeaux, 122) and Informed (Garrett Gomez, 118).

Keeneland graded stakes winners Stormalory and Bittel Road will share the high weight assignments of 123 pounds for the 18th running of the American Turf for 3-year-olds going a mile and a sixteenth on the Matt Winn Turf Course. The American Turf will be the 10th race of the day.

Owned by Darley Stable, Stormalory won the Grade III Transylvania on April 3 at Keeneland in his most recent start. Julien Leparoux, who rode Stormalory to his Transylvania victory will ride for trainer Bill Mott on Friday.

Bittel Road, owned by James Scatuorchio and John Iracane, won the Grade III Bourbon at Keeneland last fall. Runner-up in the Grade III Generous at Hollywood Park on Nov. 29 in his most recent turf start, Bittel Road is trained by Todd Pletcher and will be ridden by Garrett Gomez.

The field for the American Turf, from the hedge out, is as follows: Stormalory (Julien Leparoux, 123 pounds), Jack Spratt (Eibar Coa, 121), Battle of Hastings (GB) (Tyler Baze, 121), Bruce N Autumn (Kent Desormeaux, 117), Skipadate (Shaun Bridgmohan, 117), Bittel Road (Garrett Gomez, 123), Turfiste (Jamie Theriot, 117), Bunker Hill (Mike Smith, 117), Orthodox (Jon Court, 117) and Pointing Home (Calvin Borel, 117).

Chamberlain Bridge, owned by Carl Moore Management, LLC, will tote high weight of 121 pounds in the 15th running of the $100,000-added Aegon Turf Sprint at five furlongs. The race goes as the sixth on the card.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, Chamberlain Bridge is two-for-two over the Matt Winn Turf Course and will be ridden by Garrett Gomez on Friday. Gomez partnered Chamberlain Bridge to a third-place finish in the Grade III Shakertown at Keeneland on April 11 in his most recent start.

The field for the Aegon Turf Sprint, from the hedge out, is as follows: Chitoz (Tyler Baze, 118 pounds), Smart Enough (Jeremy Rose, 118), Hewitts (Kent Desormeaux, 118), Captivating Cat (John Velazquez, 118), Due Date (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Chamberlain Bridge (Garrett Gomez, 121), Cannonball (Elvis Trujillo, 118), Accredit (Julien Leparoux, 118) and Jazz Nation (Robby Albarado, 118).

Laragh, winner of last fall’s Jessamine at Keeneland and third-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, will carry top weight of 121 pounds and concede 4 pounds to her 11 rivals in the 25th running of the $100,000-added Edgewood at a mile and a sixteenth on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Trained by John Terranova for owners IEAH Stables, Gary Tolchin, Andrew Cohen and Pegasus Holdings Group, Laragh    ran fifth in her 2009 debut in the Grade II Comely on the main track at Aqueduct on April 11. Edgar Prado has the mount.

The field for the Edgewood, from the hedge out, is as follows: Excelente (IRE) (Rafael Bejarano, 117 pounds), Fleet Streak (Corey Lanerie, 117), Banker’s Choice (Calvin Borel, 117), Abbott Hall (Robby Albarado, 117), Walloon (Hector Rosario Jr., 117), Complicity (Joe Talamo, 117), Magical Affair (Julien Leparoux, 117), More of the Best (Jesus Castanon, 117), Mein Fraulein (Jon Court, 117), Laragh (Edgar Prado, 121), Diamond Tags (Mike Smith, 117) and Kiss Mine (Eibar Coa, 117).

Unbeaten Eclipse Award champion Zenyatta, a finalist for ‘Horse of the Year’ honors in 2008, is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Monday, April 27 to run in the $350,000-added Louisville Distaff (Grade II) on Friday’s Kentucky Oaks Day program at Churchill Downs.

Trainer John Shirreffs confirmed Zenyatta’s participation via telephone Sunday afternoon and Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss’ 5-year-old daughter of Street Cry is scheduled to board a Louisville-bound plane after leaving Shirreffs’ barn at Santa Anita on Monday.

Zenyatta, who is perfect in nine career races and has not raced since her emphatic victory in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (GI) over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface in late October, will stabled in Barn 45.  Shirreffs and the Mosses enjoyed success in that barn when Giacomo, their winner of the 2005 Kentucky Derby (GI), was stabled there.

Shirreffs and the Mosses finalized the decision to bring their unbeaten champion to Churchill Downs after she turned in a sharp five furlongs in :59 over the synthetic  Cushion Track surface on Sunday morning at Hollywood Park.  The Oaks Day race would be only Zenyatta’s second appearance on conventional dirt.  All of her other victories have been scored on synthetic tracks in California.

The brilliant mare earned the Eclipse Award for the top older filly or mare of 2008 following a campaign in which she was perfect in seven races.  All of her 2008 wins came in stakes races and four were in Grade I events.

Zenyatta’s primary challenger in the 1 1/8-mile race is One Caroline, an unbeaten daughter of Unbridled’s Song owned by G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and trained by Rusty Arnold.  The 4-year-old filly is coming off an easy win in the Rampart Handicap (GII) at Gulfstream Park, her fifth consecutive victory.  Others considered possible for the Louisville Distaff, formerly known as the Louisville Breeders’ Cup, include Falls City Handicap (GII) winner Miss Isella, Bear Now, Dawn After Dawn, Stealin' Kisses, Sugar Mint, Swift Temper, Unbridled Belle, and Unforgotten.

Other stars scheduled for stakes appearances during the Kentucky Oaks program on Friday, May 1 and the Kentucky Derby Day stakes on May 2 include Einstein, Indian Blessing, Laragh, Fabulous Strike, Kodiak Kowboy and Macho Again.

The versatile and accomplished Einstein is scheduled to defend his 2008 $500,000-added Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) on Kentucky Derby Day.  The 7-year-old son of 1965 Kentucky Derby winner Spend A Buck is coming off a victory in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (GI) at Santa Anita, a race that marked his debut on a synthetic racing surface.  A three-time Grade I winner on grass, Einstein also won last fall’s Clark Handicap (GII) and finished second to two-time “Horse of the Year” Curlin in the $1 million Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) on the dirt surface at Churchill Downs.

Others expected to contest the 1 1/8-mile Woodford Reserve Turf Classic include Cowboy Cal, Court Vision, Artiste Royal, Proudinsky, Zambezi Sun, Yate’s Black Cat, Just as Well and Furthest Land.

The Grade I $300,000-added Humana Distaff, a seven-furlong Derby Day test for older fillies and mares on the main track, will be headed by Patti and Hal Earnhardt’s Indian Blessing, runner-up to Big City Man when she tested males in the Dubai Golden Shaheen at Nad Al Sheba in late March.  The Bob Baffert-trained daughter of Indian Charlie has a 9-4-0 record in 13 races and is expected to face a talented group of rivals that include Game Face, Secret Gypsy, Informed Decision, Royale Michele, Sugar Mint and Tiz To Dream.

The Grade II, $250,000-added Churchill Downs Stakes Presented by Carewise Health (GII) for 4-year-olds and up on Derby Day shapes up as showdown between sprint stars Fabulous Strike and Kodiak Kowboy, Other possible contenders in the seven furlong race include Ide Like A Double, My Pal Charlie, Paul's Hope, Riley Tucker, Silver Edition, Sok Sok, Spotsgone, and The Roundhouse.

The $100,000 Eight Belles Presented by GE Consumer & Industrial (GIII), formerly the La Troienne, will match 3-year-old fillies over 7 ½-furlongs on Derby Day.  Now named in honor of the ill-fated Fox Hill Farms’ filly who was runner-up to Big Brown in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, the Eight Belles is expected to attract a field that could include the Steve Asmussen-trained duo of Auspicious and Four Gifts, the Larry Jones-trained Just Jenda, Arlington-Washington Lassie (GIII) winner C.S. Silk, Dave's Revenge, Diamond Tags, Gatorette, Lady's Laughter, Luster, and Warrior Maid.

The remaining race on the Kentucky Derby Day schedule of six stakes events is the $100,000 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile (GIII) Presented by American Commercial Lines (GIII).  The one-mile test for older fillies and mares on the Matt Winn Turf Course could include Ballymore Lady, Elusive Lady, Flibberjibit, Lady Carlock, Lemon Chiffon, Rustic Flame, Sugar Mint, Sweeter Still, and Tizaqueena.

Along with the 135th running of the Kentucky Oaks and the Louisville Distaff, the four other stakes races on the Oaks Day card will attract star-studded fields. 

The $100,000 American Turf Presented by HRTV (GIII) is expected to mark the stakes debut of the promising Affirmatif as the Todd Pletcher-trained colt faces stakes veterans Battle of Hastings, Bittel Road, Jack Spratt, Orthodox, Skipadate, Stormalory and Turfiste in the 1 1/16-mile test on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

New Orleans Handicap (GIII) and 2008 Preakness (GI) runner-up Macho Again heads the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba Presented by ZirMed (GIII).  The 1 1/16-mile race for older horses could also include 2008 Kentucky Derby veteran Cool Coal Man, Ready Set, Acting Zippy, Bullsbay, Prom Shoes, Dr. Pleasure, Golden Yank, Star Guitar and Limestone Edge.

The $100,000-added Edgewood Presented by Recreonics Inc.could attract Laragh, winner of the Hollywood Starlet (GI) on the synthetic Cushion Track course at Hollywood Park and third to Stardom Bound in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.  Other possible starters include Abbott Hall, Banker's Choice, Kiss Mine, Magical Affair, Speed Dating, Stone Legacy and Walloon.

The $100,000-added Aegon Turf Sprint (GIII) for 3-year-olds and up at five furlongs on grass is expected to attract star turf sprinter Smart Enough and rivals that include Accredit, Castles in the Sky, Chitoz, Due Date, Jazz Nation and Silver Edition.