Clocker: Rain puts damper on training

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A second straight day of steady downpours once again put a damper on training hours at Keeneland on Wednesday, with the wet weather forcing many horsemen to alter their training schedules to accommodate the sloppy, sealed track and less-than-ideal conditions for preparing horses just a couple of days out from Breeders’ Cup 2015.

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The Europeans were perhaps most affected by the weather conditions. Most of them headed to the Polytrack training track to gallop on Wednesday rather than dealing with the hard, wet surface on the main track or a soggy turf course. That group included GOLDEN HORN, who figures to be the heavy favorite to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

ILLUMINATE (Juvenile Fillies Turf) was the lone European to train on the grass, galloping easily once around under jockey Frankie Dettori. Illuminate had a busy morning, spending more than a half-hour out and about while also schooling in the starting gate and in the paddock.

She was one of only five horses to train on the turf, followed a short while later by the Wesley Ward quartet of GREEN MASK, RUBY NOTION, THE GREAT WAR, and UNDRAFTED. Of that group, Undrafted (Turf Sprint) looked the best, galloping with very good energy while appearing very happy over the softer going, his ears pricked as he came down the stretch and passed through the wire into the clubhouse turn.

AMERICAN PHAROAH was expected to come to the track for the first time since arriving the previous afternoon, but instead, he did little more than walk the shed row under tack. BEHOLDER had the day off as well.

Among the other Classic contenders to train Wednesday was HONOR CODE, who galloped once around the 1 1/16-mile oval shortly after 6:30 a.m. He looked full of run as he swept around the final bend into the stretch before pulling up fairly abruptly nearing the wire. His connections obviously did not want him to do too much during his first day out here. EFFINEX was given the opportunity to stretch his legs a bit by blowing out down the lane, although he did not go fast enough to receive an official work from track clockers.

The following are a few horses who made a favorable impression while training here the past couple of weeks for Friday’s Breeders’ Cup program.

JUVENILE TURF

DRESSED IN HERMES has a very distinct turf action but showed surprising speed over the main track Oct. 23, zipping through a 22.40-second opening quarter-mile before completing four furlongs in 46.34 while going easily throughout. He then continued out very nicely into the turn, pulling up five furlongs in 59.02

DIRT MILE

LEA couldn’t have looked better breezing four furlongs in 47.87 on Monday, responding to just a hint of urging at the end to complete his final quarter in an eye-catching 22.86 before galloping out well into the turn, completing five-eighths in 1:00.06.

DISTAFF

STOPCHARGINGMARIA zipped a half-mile last Saturday over a fast, packed-down track in 46.91, with her final quarter in a snappy 22.09 while in hand to the wire. The work got even better on the gallop-out, as she dragged her rider to a 58.90 five-furlong clocking before pulling up six furlongs in 1:11.92.

The complete Clocker Report for both Friday and Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup programs, plus bonus coverage of both undercards, can be purchased by going here.