Breeders' Cup Sprint: Englishman back in the pink with sharp Keeneland work
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Star 3-year-old Englishman got back to serious work Friday at Keeneland, where he turned in a strong breeze that appears to have him fully on track for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Working solo very early Friday morning, Englishman, looking absolutely full of himself, went 25.30, 47.20, 58.30, and 1:12.00, per trainer Cherie DeVaux. The breeze, not yet officially logged early Friday, probably will be recorded as a half-mile followed by a serious gallop-out.
Englishman missed a scheduled work last Friday, Oct. 2, after developing a hoof injury a couple days earlier. Connections didn’t disclose details of the problem, but DeVaux quickly brought in a podiatrist, and even by last Friday there was hope that Englishman had dodged a bullet.
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Englishman went back to the track earlier this week, and, all looking well, DeVaux penciled him in to work Saturday, but, fearing an early arrival of forecast rain, she put Englishman through his paces Friday, his regular work day this fall.
DeVaux said Englishman “was barely blowing” after a major work for the Oct. 31 Breeders Cup Sprint, where he’ll be favored.
“Still knocking on wood,” DeVaux said in a text message.
Englishman revealed awesome ability winning his debut last Sept. 19 at Churchill, but needed time after that race and didn’t run again until March 19, when he galloped to a blowout allowance win at Fair Grounds. He took a surprising defeat in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile on May 2 at Churchill, run down by Crude Velocity, but Englishman whipped Crude Velocity in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens on June 6 at Saratoga.
Englishman came back Aug. 29 with a brilliant victory at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Allen Jerkens. Englishman’s Stephens produced a 115 Beyer Speed Figure, the Jerkens a 117, the highest figures for a 3-year-old this year, and two of the top figures from any horse in North America during 2026.
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