Drefong turns on the jets late in work for Breeders' Cup Sprint

ARCADIA, Calif. – Drefong is the defending winner of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, and judging by the way he worked Monday, he is going to be all set for a defense of his victory on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

Working six furlongs from the gate in company with Met Mile winner Mor Spirit, Drefong was going easily under jockey Drayden Van Dyke before pulling away late. He was timed in 1:12.20, with Mor Spirit – who is a notoriously moderate work horse – finishing up in 1:12.80 in his prep for the BC Dirt Mile. Drefong’s time was the best of 12 at the distance Monday.

“He just took off,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He looks so good.”

Also Monday, the unbeaten 2-year-old filly Moonshine Memories went an easy five furlongs in 1:02.40 for trainer Simon Callaghan as she readies for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

And, the popular veteran Hoppertunity neared a return to action with a six-furlong work in company in 1:13. Hoppertunity, idle since finishing sixth in the Dubai World Cup on March 25, is scheduled to make his comeback in the $70,000 Comma to the Top here Oct. 28 as a prep for a return visit to Churchill Downs next month for the Grade 1 Clark. That would mark the fourth straight year Hoppertunity has run in the Clark, which he won in 2014.

◗ Om, preparing for the BC Mile on turf, worked five furlongs on dirt in 1:00 under Van Dyke on Monday. The time was the best of 41 at the distance.

◗ Mr. Roary (BC Turf Sprint or Mile) and Win the Space (Dirt Mile or Classic) both worked six furlongs Monday for trainer George Papaprodromou, with Mr. Roary timed in 1:13.60 and Win the Space in 1:12.60 for their solo drills.