Catholic Boy has Breeders' Cup options on turf and dirt

ELMONT, N.Y. – Catholic Boy returned to the work tab Sunday at Belmont Park, breezing a half-mile in 47.72 seconds over the outer turf course. Trainer Jonathan Thomas said that he will most likely train Catholic Boy up to the Breeders’ Cup with the options being the Mile on turf or the Dirt Mile. Thomas said he would also keep an eye on the Classic to see how that race is shaping up.

“We’re breezing him on the turf to at least keep [the Mile] under consideration,” Thomas said. “It’s worked for us before where we kind of used the turf to get to races.”

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Thomas said he would like to get three or more works in – preferably on turf – and see where Catholic Boy is at before deciding in which races to pre-enter him. Thomas was happy with Sunday’s work.

“He looked really happy, his ears were up, his body language was great, he came back really well,” Thomas said. “I’d like to put in about three or four of those in a row and hopefully it puts us into the Breeders’ Cup.”

Catholic Boy has made two starts this year. He won the Grade 2 Dixie on turf at Pimlico in May and finished second behind Preservationist in the Grade 2 Suburban on dirt in July.