V. E. Day works seven furlongs at Belmont Park

ELMONT, N.Y. - V. E. Day, the Travers winner, worked seven furlongs in 1:27.23 Tuesday morning over the Belmont Park training track, his last serious move before the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

Entering the track following the second renovation break, V. E. Day backed up to the quarter pole before galloping through the stretch alongside a stable pony. V. E. Day broke off into his work at the half-mile pole and worked three furlongs past the wire over a fast track. He galloped out a mile in 1:40.58, completing one circuit over the training track.

Under exercise rider Kelvin Pahal, V. E. Day went his first quarter in 25.50 seconds, his second quarter in 24.51 seconds and got his last three-eighths in 37.22 seconds under mild urging around the turn.

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“Just because we’re running at Santa Anita I didn’t see any reason to go in 59,” trainer Jimmy Jerkens said. “His style is his style. He’s not the heaviest horse in the world; he doesn’t need something that’s going to gut him.”

V. E. Day worked in a Sure-Win bit, one that he has worn in all of his races. V. E. Day, a son of English Channel, won four straight races, including the Travers, before he finished sixth, placed fifth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

“He hates a tongue strap,” Jerkens said, adding that the Sure-Win “keeps the bit up and holds it up high so they don’t put the tongue over the bit.”

With rain in the forecast Tuesday night into Wednesday, Jerkens moved the work up by one day. He plans to breeze the horse Wednesday or Thursday at Santa Anita, depending on when he ships the horse. Jerkens hoped to finalize shipping plans later Tuesday.