Breeders' Cup Classic: Rosario waiting in the wings for Flat Out

Flat Out, who finished third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup in his last start, could have a change of rider for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita, according to his trainer, Bill Mott.

Junior Alvarado has ridden Flat Out in his last six starts, which includes two wins, in the Westchester and Suburban, both at Belmont Park. But Joel Rosario, who recently returned to action, is currently without a mount in the Classic, and has experience with Flat Out. They were third in last year’s Classic after capturing the 2012 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

“No decision has been made on a rider yet,” Mott said Wednesday from Saratoga, where Flat Out is currently training. “We haven’t made any arrangements with anyone.”

Asked if Alvarado could retain the mount, Mott said, “There’s a chance, yes.”

Rosario last rode Flat Out on Feb. 9 in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park, in which they finished fourth. Alvarado has been on him since.

Rosario was off from Aug. 23 until last Friday with a broken bone in a foot. Despite the time off, he still ranks third nationally in purse earnings this year, behind Javier Castellano and John Velazquez.

Like Rosario, Castellano is currently without a mount for the Classic. He never has ridden Flat Out. Velazquez is scheduled to ride Palace Malice.

Rosario this year ranks third in wins, behind Castellano and Russell Baze. His biggest victories this season came with Orb in the Kentucky Derby, and Animal Kingdom in the Dubai World Cup.

Mott also trains Ron the Greek, who comes off an overpowering victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Both Flat Out and Ron the Greek, who is training at Belmont Park, are scheduled to have two more works in New York before traveling to California on Oct. 28, Mott said.

“We’ve been lucky to have good weather here to this point,” Mott said. “We’ve really had a nice fall up here.

“We’re two and a half weeks away, so I guess the worst could be that we’d have two weeks of bad weather,” he joked.

Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup are due Monday, and will be announced Oct. 23. Mott reiterated there was no chance Royal Delta would be cross-entered in the Classic. She will go for an unprecedented third straight win in the Distaff, known as the Ladies’ Classic when she won the race the past two years.

In Great Britain, Declaration of War has been scheduled to run in the Champion Stakes on Saturday at Ascot, but his participation is in doubt because of the condition of the ground. He prefers it good or better, and it could be worse than that. He remains the only European runner under consideration for the Classic.