Hopeful winner Basin targeting Breeders' Futurity

Plans have been set for two of trainer Steve Asmussen’s trio of Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes runners, the dominant Hopeful winner Basin and runner-up Shoplifted.

Basin is being pointed to the Grade 1, $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on Oct. 5, Asmussen said Monday.

Asmussen said that one of the reasons the Breeders’ Futurity makes sense for Basin is how well he trained over Keeneland’s main track in the spring.

“He excelled there,” Asmussen said.

Basin won the Grade 1 Hopeful by 6 1/2 lengths on Sept. 2, while his stablemates Shoplifted and Gozilla finished a neck apart in second and third.

Shoplifted is being considered for both the Breeders’ Futurity and the American Pharoah, which is scheduled for Sept. 27 at Santa Anita. Gozilla is being pointed to the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont on Oct. 5.

On Sunday, Basin and Shoplifted worked five furlongs together in 1:01.57 over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga. Gozilla, meanwhile, worked five furlongs in 1:01.50 with an unnamed colt. Asmussen said that all of those horses will work at Saratoga again next Sunday, weather permitting, before shipping out.

Midnight Bisou, the leading older dirt female runner in the country, worked five furlongs in 1:00.68 in company with Tenfold on Sunday at Saratoga. Midnight Bisou is on schedule for the Grade 2 Beldame here on Sept. 28, while Tenfold is being pointed to the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on the same card.