Our Country works on dirt but remains pointed to Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf

ELMONT, N.Y. – After Our Country put forth an average work on dirt Friday morning at Belmont Park, his connections have opted to keep the horse on the grass and pre-enter him Monday for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

Our Country, under Manny Franco, worked five furlongs in 1:02.53 over the Belmont Park training track Friday. He started three lengths behind Saratoga Colonel and finished two to three in front. Still, Franco felt the horse had better acceleration on the turf and relayed that message to trainer George Weaver, who viewed the work on video.

“He needed to work exceptional,” Weaver said. “I don’t think the horse worked poorly, Manny just felt he had better acceleration on the grass. We wanted to have an answer. That doesn’t mean we’ll completely rule out dirt in the future, but it won’t be in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.”