Plesa has plenty for Millions

MIAMI - Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr., who fell one win shy of catching Tim Ritvo for the training title at the recently concluded Calder meet, had a very busy and productive day at the racetrack Saturday.

In the morning, Plesa sent out more than a half-dozen members of his potent stable for recorded workouts at Calder, including his graded-stakes-placed B. B. Best, who breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60 in preparation for this weekend's $200,000 Carl G. Rose Classic.

B. B. Best was followed by Stolen Prayer, runner-up to Consider Thesource in the My Dear Girl Stakes in her two-turn debut. She worked a bullet five-eighths in 1:00 over the fast track. Stolen Prayer is among the 17 nominees for the $150,000 Joe O'Farrell Juvenile Fillies Stakes.

The Carl G. Rose and Joe O'Farrell are two of the eight stakes on Saturday's Florida Millions Day program for Florida-breds.

Among the other members of Plesa's barn nominated for stakes on Florida Millions Day to work Saturday were Jack Price Juvenile candidate Electrify, who breezed five furlongs in 1:02; Mr. Silver (Arthur Appleton Juvenile Turf), one mile in 1:43.20; Magic Mecke (Bonnie Heath Turf Cup), one mile in 1:42.60; and Qureall (Jack Dudley Sprint), five furlongs in 1:00.

Plesa then returned to Calder on Saturday afternoon to record back-to-back victories with the promising 2-year-old Ring the Register ($8.20) in a maiden race on turf and the 6-year-old Lord Abounding ($10.20) in a $6,250 claiming race.

B .B. Best was assigned 114 pounds for the 1 1/8-mile Rose, three less than co-highweights Supervisor and Whos Crying Now. The main event on the Florida Millions card lured 11 nominees, including Grade 2 Ohio Derby winner Palladio and the Kentucky-based Summer Book.

Trainer Bill Mott will send in Silver Tree for the $150,000 Bonnie Heath Turf Cup. Silver Tree is winless in five starts this season but was a close second in both the Grade 2 Fourstardave and Bernard Baruch handicaps this summer at Saratoga. He was also second, beaten a neck by Host, here a year ago in the Grade 3 Tropical Park Turf Handicap. Regular rider Jerry Bailey will be on hand for the assignment.

* According to trainer Ralph Ziadie, Along the Sea, a tiring eighth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, will be sent to Kentucky to undergo surgery to have a chip removed from her knee. He also said Silver Wagon, a troubled fourth in the Sport Page Handicap on the Breeders' Cup undercard, would remain in New York for the Grade 1 Cigar Mile.