With the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile just four weeks from Friday, the only remaining major stepping-stone to the $1 million race is Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park. The one-mile Kelso will be headed by Honor Code, who despite earning a fees-paid berth to the Dirt Mile by winning the Met Mile, is most likely headed to the Classic. The main threats to Honor Code in the Kelso appear to be Red Vine, third most recently in the Pacific Classic; Tamarkuz, who won the Group 2 Godolphin Mile in Dubai this year; and Appealing Tale, who won his way into the Dirt Mile by taking the Pat O’Brien last out. :: BREEDERS’ CUP 2015: See DRF’s top contenders After beginning his career with 13 turf races, Red Vine won his first three starts on dirt, including the Majestic Light Stakes at Monmouth with a 106 Beyer Speed Figure, before a runner-up finish in the Salvator Mile at Monmouth and his third in the Pacific Classic, won by Beholder. “I’ve been shipping him around all year, so it’s nice to be able to run him at Belmont,” said trainer Christophe Clement. Clement said the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Pacific Classic “was a little bit at the end of the world for him, so maybe he might be better and more efficient at a mile. I don’t know, but we’ll find out Saturday.” The Dirt Mile picked up two potential starters last Saturday when Tapiture returned to form to win the Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs and Valid posted a hard-fought victory in the Groomstick Stakes at Gulfstream Park. :: Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Results, replays, charts, and more Tapiture, who was a clear second behind the odds-on Goldencents in last year’s Dirt Mile, lost his first four races this year by better than 44 lengths in total but returned from a freshening to prevail by a half-length over Viva Majorca. “He came out of the race really well,” said Steve Asmussen, who captured the 2012 Dirt Mile with Tapizar ($32.60), like Tapiture a son of Tapit bred and owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds. “Tapiture is a lot more accomplished at this stage of his career. They are both similar horses on ability; both of them are pretty brave. Tapiture also seemed to be a bit more accomplished as a 3-year-old than Tapizar did.” Valid, a durable gelding who has recorded 15 triple-digit Beyers through 31 races, earned a 97 Beyer for his neck decision over Falling Sky in the Groomstick. “He fought off everybody coming after him, and he’s a warrior,” said trainer Marcus Vitali. “We’re talking about [the Dirt Mile]. We’ll see how he comes out of this and put him back in training, and we’ll make a decision.” No decision regarding the Dirt Mile has been reached by the connections of Liam’s Map or Private Zone. Either would supply considerable early pace to the race. In his first workout since winning the Woodward Stakes, Liam’s Map breezed a half-mile in 49.49 seconds at Belmont Park last Saturday, and he shipped to Keeneland a few days later. Owner Vincent Viola has said he believes Liam’s Map is better suited to the Dirt Mile than the 1 1/4-mile BC Classic, but he’ll leave the decision up to trainer Todd Pletcher. Private Zone won his way into the BC Sprint by wiring the Forego but could go in the Dirt Mile. His lifetime Beyer top of 110 was delivered in the Cigar Mile last fall. He worked five furlongs in a bullet 59.20 seconds at Monmouth Park last Sunday for trainer Jorge Navarro.