Du Jour, Exaulted work ahead of Breeders' Cup

Du Jour and Exaulted, the first two finishers of the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Sept. 2, are on comparable schedules in advance of expected starts in the toughest race of their careers in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.

On the infield training track at Santa Anita on Friday, Du Jour worked a half-mile in 47.20 seconds, while Exaulted was given a half-mile time of 47.40 seconds even though he continued the work around the first turn, according to trainer Pete Eurton.

Both horses were held out of the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita last weekend and will have a nine-week gap between the Del Mar Mile and BC Mile.

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Du Jour won his second consecutive stakes in the Del Mar Mile, closing from seventh of 10 to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths. Trained by Bob Baffert for his wife Jill and Debbi Lanni, Du Jour won the restricted Wickerr Stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar on July 23.

A winner of 5 of 15 starts, Du Jour is the rare top-class horse that Baffert consistently works on the training track. Most of Baffert’s leading runners have workouts on the main track.

In a text message on Friday morning after training, Baffert described Du Jour as “right on track” for the BC Mile.

Exaulted continued his work past the finish line and galloped out six furlongs in approximately 1:12.60, Eurton said.

The break between the Del Mar Mile and BC Mile will suit the 6-year-old Exaulted, Eurton said.

“I like to have him fresh at his age,” Eurton said. “He’s done well with 60 days off. It is the Breeders’ Cup. Fresh is not always a bad thing.”

Exaulted, who races for Lee and Susan Searing’s CRK Stable, earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Mile with a win in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita on May 29.

The Del Mar Mile was Exaulted’s only start of the summer, and was not a smooth journey. Exaulted raced in traffic at a pivotal time on the turn and closed from fifth in the final furlong.

“The most important thing is he came out of it well,” Eurton said.

The Del Mile was Exaulted’s first loss on turf in his fifth start on the surface. A winner of 5 of 16 starts, Exaulted started on the surface for the first time earlier this year, winning consecutive allowance races in January and February and the Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile in April at Santa Anita.

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