Halladay, Valiance turn in solid drills in Breeders' Cup preps
ELMONT, N.Y. - After more than 2 1/2 inches of rain fell over a 24-hour period, followed by near-freezing temperatures, it didn’t seem likely the dirt tracks at Belmont Park would be suitable for serious training Saturday morning.
But the track maintenance crew had both dirt surfaces in pretty good condition and trainer Todd Pletcher felt confident enough to work his Grade 1 winners Valiance and Halladay over the training track in preparation for their Breeders’ Cup engagements next Saturday at Keeneland.
Halladay, the Fourstardave winner who is pointing to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile, went a half-mile in 49.09 seconds. Working by himself, he went his opening quarter in a quick 23.92 seconds, after which Pletcher communicated to his exercise rider to slow it down a touch. Halladay came through the lane in hand, completing his work in 25.17 seconds. He proceeded to gallop out five furlongs in 1:02.42 and six furlongs in 1:15.59.
“He was a little keen the first part, he went off a little quicker than ideal, but I think he was ready to breeze,” Pletcher said. “He was thinking about going 47 if we had let him. He was moving well.”
Halladay will enter the Mile having not run since his victory in the Grade 1 Fourstardave at Saratoga in August. He was entered to run in the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 3, but had to scratch due to a leg infection.
“He’s a willing enough horse, I would think he’s got plenty out of what he’s been doing,” Pletcher said. “I think the forecast looks favorable right now. I’m hoping we get some decent ground. The key is going to be how he likes the Keeneland turf course.”
A few minutes after Halladay breezed, Valiance, the Spinster winner who is pointing to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff, went a half-mile by herself in 48.93 seconds and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.35, six furlongs in 1:13.99, and seven furlongs in 1:28.77.
“I thought she worked well, I liked her gallop out,” Pletcher said.
Valiance figures to fly under the radar in a Distaff, where all the focus will be on Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver. But Valiance is coming in off two dirt wins, including a half-length victory in the Grade 1 Spinster run over the track and at the distance of the Distaff.
“However good she is that’s how she’s going to run,” Pletcher said. “This is definitely the toughest assignment we’ve given her, but I couldn’t be more pleased with the way she’s coming into it.”
Halladay and Valiance will join Pletcher’s other BC runners Likeable (Juvenile), Mutasaabeq (Juvenile Turf) and Union Gables (Juvenile Fillies Turf) on a Tex Sutton flight from New York to Kentucky on Monday.