B. B. Best takes aim at the big time

MIAMI - There were 75 horses entered for the eight stakes that make up Saturday's Florida Million Day program. But the one name conspicuous by its absence from that list was B. B. Best, the speedy juvenile who recently captured the In Reality division of the Florida Stallion Stakes for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr.

Plesa had nominated B. B. Best for Saturday's $150,000 Jack Price Juvenile, a seven-furlong dash, but said he really never intended to run the colt in that race.

"He's coming off a tough race, and it would have meant bringing him back in just three weeks and dropping back in distance a little," Plesa said. "He's already run six times this year, and I really only want to run him once more this season. We've got three options available, stakes in New York and Kentucky on Nov. 27 or the race at Delta Downs the following week."

Plesa was referring to the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct and the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 27, and the $1 million Delta Jackpot on Dec. 4.

"We can either try to get him a graded-stakes win or go for the big money in Louisiana," said Plesa. "I'll just see how he does over the next week or so and try to get a line on who might be going in those races before making a final decision."

B. B. Best led throughout to post a 1 3/4-length victory over Anthony J. in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality, in which he made his first start beyond seven furlongs. The victory was his fourth win in six tries. He also won the opening leg of the Stallion Stakes, the six-furlong Dr. Fager Stakes, in August.

Plesa will still have two starters on the Florida Million card: Outstander in the $150,000 Jack Dudley Sprint and Right Hand Man in the $100,000 Arthur Appleton Juvenile Turf. Outstander is only on loan to Plesa until the Gulfstream Park meeting.

"He's supposed to spend the winter with Phil Hauswald, but Phil won't be here for a few weeks so he asked me if I'd pinch hit for him and saddle the horse Saturday and keep him in my barn until he gets down here," Plesa said.

Outstander, a minor stakes winner earlier this season at Colonial Downs, will be an outsider in the Jack Dudley, where he will go up against Built Up, Weigelia, Love that Moon, and Sing Me Back Home.

Top jocks will have busy day

Jockeys Jerry Bailey and John Velazquez will both be in town for Florida Million Day, and between them they have 14 mounts in the eight stakes.

Bailey will be aboard heavy favorites Flamenco in the Jack Price and Supah Blitz in the $200,000 Carl Rose Classic. Velazquez, the riding star in this year's Breeders' Cup, has calls in all eight stakes, with his best chances likely on Dakota Light in the $200,000 Elmer Heubeck Distaff Handicap, Sigfreto in the Bonnie Heath, and Weigelia in the Jack Dudley Sprint.

Turf contenders work

Several Florida Million candidates took advantage of the turf course being open for training Monday, including Yes It's Gold, who worked a half-mile in 47.20 seconds around the dogs in preparation for her grass debut in the John Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Wire Bound was also among the 13 horses who breezed over the firm turf course Monday morning. He seeks to rebound from a disappointing performance in the Grade 3 Calder Derby when he takes on older horses in the Bonnie Heath.