Del Mar

Pavel drills ahead of Champions Cup in Japan

Jay Privman|Nov 18, 2018

Pavel wins the 2018 Stephen Foster Handicap

Coady Photography Pavel wins the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs in June.

Pavel, winner earlier this year of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs, remained in Kentucky after the Breeders' Cup and worked five furlongs in 59 seconds on Sunday at Keeneland in preparation for the Champions Cup at Chukyo Racecourse on Dec. 2.

"We're going to try and make him a dual-continent Grade 1 winner," trainer Doug O'Neill said Sunday at Del Mar.

Pavel, 4, finished 10th in the Breeders' Cup Classic last time out. Jack Sisterson, a former assistant to O'Neill, has overseen his post-Breeders' Cup training at Keeneland. Pavel will fly to Japan this week, and O'Neill said his top assistant, Leandro Mora, will head to Japan to oversee his preparation there.

The Champions Cup is an 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8-mile) race on dirt on a left-handed course.

Mario Gutierrez, Pavel's regular rider, will go to Japan for the mount and will miss the final weekend of racing at Del Mar on Dec. 1-2, according to his agent, Tom Knust.

:: Want to get the latest news with your past performances? Try DRF’s new digital PPs

DRF Headlines

View All