Shaman Ghost goes long in Breeders' Cup Classic work

ELMONT, N.Y. – One day later than planned, Shaman Ghost got in his long-distance workout for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, breezing seven furlongs in 1:28.47 over the Belmont Park training track Thursday.

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Working by himself after the 9:30 a.m. renovation break, Shaman Ghost broke off at the half-mile pole and went in splits of 12.87 seconds, 24.72, 49.22, 1:02.15, and 1:14.87. Exercise rider Kelvin Pahal smacked Shaman Ghost twice left-handed at the end of the work. Shaman Ghost went out the mile in 1:42.72.

“He’s a little lazy by himself when he’s going that far,” trainer Jimmy Jerkens said. “We got the distance work in him we wanted. We weren’t looking for more than that.”

Shaman Ghost will enter the Classic having nine weeks between races, with his most recent start coming in the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga on Sept. 3. Shaman Ghost won the Woodward off an eight-week layoff.

Jerkens had planned to work Shaman Ghost on Wednesday but pushed it back a day when a horse from another barn broke down on the Belmont training track, which would have forced Shaman Ghost to wait a significant amount of time to breeze. Instead, Shaman Ghost galloped on the main track Wednesday.

Javier Castellano has the call on Shaman Ghost in the Classic.