Slumber probably headed for Breeders’ Cup Turf after all

ELMONT, N.Y. – The connections of Grade 1 winner Slumber have had a change of heart and probably will run him in the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Initially leaning against supplementing to the 1 1/2-mile turf race because of the presence of top European horses Golden Horn and Flintshire, Slumber’s ownership group, led by Michael Dubb, likely will pay the $100,000 supplemental fee to go in the Turf, to be run Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

The final decision will be made after Slumber works this weekend at Belmont Park. Pre-entries have to be made by Monday.

Slumber won the Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont in June and has since run second in the United Nations and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic – both to his Chad Brown-trained stablemate Big Blue Kitten. In between, he finished a troubled eighth in the Arlington Million over yielding ground.

“I thought his first work after the Joe Hirsch was very, very good,” Brown said. “His number out of the race was good. It’s a big purse, and he’s one of the best horses in this country. He’s been very consistent. If the turf is firm, he can get a piece of it.”

Dubb said: “Chad advised us the horse is training better than he ever has, and we’ll follow Chad’s lead on this. You don’t get many opportunities to run in a race like this. We’d like to give him the opportunity to be all he can be, realizing the race is as tough as they come.”

Brown could have as many as three in the Turf, as he plans to also run Big Blue Kitten and Shining Copper.