Summer Bird drills for Classic

Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird worked on Sunday for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 7.

Summer Bird, who won his third Grade 1 of 2009 in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park earlier this month, worked five furlongs in 1:00.45 under jockey Kent Desormeaux, who flew from New York for the workout.

The workout, conducted between the second and third races on Sunday, satisfied trainer Tim Ice's desire to have Summer Bird have a pre-Breeders' Cup workout in the afternoon.

"I think it was important to make it a nonissue as to how he likes the track in the afternoon," Ice said.

Working alone, Summer Bird was timed in 24.42 and 48.56 seconds. Summer Bird finished the final furlong in 11.89 seconds.

"I didn't think Kent urged him at all," Ice said. "I thought it was a good work. I think he covered the ground well."