Breeders' Cup clocker: Paulassilverlining golden

Belmont Park
Track/turf: Fast/Firm
Weather: Clear
Temp.: 64

ELMONT, N.Y. – It was the Chad Brown show at Belmont Park on Saturday morning. Brown worked 11 of his potential 14 Breeders’ Cup starters, beginning before dawn on the main track with sets that included Good Magic (Juvenile), Voting Control (Juvenile Turf), Practical Joke (Dirt Mile), and Paulassilverlining (Filly and Mare Sprint) and ending nearly three hours later on the turf with four teams led by Lady Eli (Filly and Mare Turf), Beach Patrol (Turf), and the promising Significant Form (Juvenile Fillies Turf).

Overall, 15 horses with possible designs on the Breeders’ Cup worked here Saturday on a picture-perfect fall morning in New York. The main track was fast but appeared to be somewhat cuppy before the renovation break, with the turf course firm and the dogs, as always, set well out on the course.

WORK OF THE DAY

PAULASSILVERLINING has always been a very good work horse, and she certainly was on top of her game this morning, breezing in company with Jamyson n Ginger under the cloak of darkness shortly after 6:30 a.m.

Working over a track that seemed a little loose at the time, the pair broke off at the five-furlong pole at a leisurely pace, completing their opening eighth in 14 seconds before really getting down to business at that point.

The duo covered their final half-mile in 23.58 and 47.19, with Paulassilverlining under a good hold the entire way outside her partner, who had to be encouraged some to keep pace turning for home and approaching the finish line, galloping out a solid six furlongs in 1:14.72.

MAIN TRACK

GOOD MAGIC was the first of Brown’s large Breeders’ Cup contingent to breeze, cruising an easy half-mile in 24.56, 50.91 inside Allured, holding a slight advantage at the wire, going very easily before galloping out five-eighths in 1:04.90 while seemingly in maintenance mode throughout.

VOTING CONTROL had Bricks and Mortar for a partner and Javier Castellano for a rider and seemed very eager from the outset, holding a one-length advantage through an opening quarter in 25.17. Castellano purposefully allowed Voting Control to fan four to five paths wide off the bend, perhaps in an effort to maintain contact with his mate, completing an even half-mile slightly in front in 50.66 under wraps before galloping out a strong five-eighths in 1:03.08 and pulling up six panels in 1:16.75.

PRACTICAL JOKE breezed five-eighths in 1:02.06, working inside maiden mate Business Cycle and posting splits of 25.23 and 36.77 over the cuppy surface, both going easily to the wire before being nudged along to gallop out six furlongs in an okay 1:15.87.

CARINA MIA (Filly and Mare Sprint) went a solo half-mile in 25.29, 48.85 and looked good, finishing strong and with her ears pricked while well within herself at the wire before continuing out in impressive fashion, pulling up five furlongs in 1:01.53.

DACITA (Filly and Mare Turf) was in total maintenance mode for a turf specialist, breezing over the main track in company with Off Limits, going easily in 13, 25.28, 50.20, the latter slightly best at the wire under a strong hold, with the team galloping out willingly in tandem in 1:03.53.

In other works on the main track:

DISCO PARTNER (Turf Sprint) – Not sure what to make of this move, obviously designed as maintenance stuff over the main track for the North American turf-record-holding speedster, who cruised throughout a much-slower-than-expected half-mile from the three-eighths in 53.10.

MIND YOUR BISCUITS (Sprint) – Seemed a bit rank early when restrained off a workmate from the Colin Maragh barn. Broke two lengths behind under regular rider Joel Rosario, was allowed to fan about five paths wide off the rail turning into the stretch after a 23.98 opening quarter, readily pulled away from his overmatched mate through midstretch, completing four furlongs well off the rail in 47.91 while under some encouragement near the end, before galloping out with very good energy in 1:00.26, up six furlongs in 1:13.14, wearing blinkers.

Didn’t finish with the same burst of energy he’s displayed on previous occasions but did continue down the home straight and into the clubhouse turn impressively on the gallop-out.

DIVERSIFY (Classic) – Just an average-looking five-eighths from the 4 1/2-furlong marker in 1:01.86, with a 24.49 final quarter while being coaxed along coming to and through the finish line, completing the move a sixteenth past the wire before galloping out in six panels in 1:15 and change.

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TRAINING TRACK

FIRENZE FIRE (Juvenile) – A maintenance half-mile over the training track in 25.56, 50.61, went along on his own before suddenly being prodded by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. about 40-50 yards from the wire, responding with a late burst of energy, kept that momentum going through a promising-looking gallop-out, five-eighths in 1:04.14, up six furlongs in 1:17.14.

TURF COURSE

LADY ELI – Held a slight edge to the wire working inside Elysea’s World in 25.04, 37.28, 1:00.14, picked up the pace noticeably upon jumping into her lead change at the top of the stretch, shaded 23 for her final quarter down the home stretch while finishing in hand before galloping out strongly into the turn.

BEACH PATROL/FANCIFUL ANGEL – Well matched team of Breeders’ Cup Turf hopefuls cruised early through splits of 26.09, 39.08, coming down the lane with good energy, getting five-eighths in 1:02.51, Fanciful Angel appearing to be a bit rank much of the way while finishing with his head cocked outward under a strong hold to the wire, the pair galloping out arguably best of all the Brown turf workers this morning.

SIGNIFICANT FORM – Rarely disappoints in the morning and certainly did not today, working inside the Grade 3 winner Rymska, the pair negotiating five furlongs around the wide dogs in 24.82, 37.39, 59.65, got competitive down the stretch, pinning her ears while fending off her older workmate to the wire under a hold, before punctuating the move with another solid gallop-out.

GRAND JETE (Filly and Mare Turf) – Got a little rank early, being hard held through a 26.45 opening-quarter split inside Roca Roja, the team saving their best for last, finishing full of run while in reserve to the wire, completing four furlongs in 49.55, although both seemed to ease up a tad quickly on the gallop-out.