ELMONT, N.Y. – Empire Showcase Day didn’t just pertain to Saturday afternoon at Belmont Park. On Saturday morning, two of the possible 10 New York-breds who could be pre-entered Monday for the Breeders’ Cup, to be held in two weeks at Santa Anita, put in workouts for their respective races.

Trainer David Fawkes said Friday that Bahamian Squall will return to Santa Anita to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint for a second straight year. Bahamian Squall finished sixth, beaten less than three lengths by Secret Circle despite a troubled trip, in the 2013 Sprint.

Fawkes has secured the services of jockey Rafael Bejarano to ride Bahamian Squall in the Sprint.  Bahamian Squall convinced Fawkes that he deserved another chance in the Breeders’ Cup after working six furlongs in 1:12.54 and galloping out seven-eighths in 1:25.47 at Gulfstream Park on Friday.

Back in the days before the Breeders’ Cup was a smoothly running, well-oiled machine, there was no way to get the most famous horse in America into the inaugural event without his owner forking over a $400,000 supplementary fee to run in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Turf and then kissing that fee goodbye. At that point, such fees were not added to the purse.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Breeders’ Cup is preparing to sell 28,000 reserved tickets for next year’s two-day Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, officials for the racetrack said Friday, though attendance on the Keeneland campus, which includes outlying buildings, is expected to be 42,000 to 45,000, according to Breeders' Cup officials.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Better Lucky, a multiple Grade 1 winner on turf against females, most likely will take on males in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 1, trainer Tom Albertrani said Friday.

Albertrani said Better Lucky would be pre-entered for both the Mile and the Filly and Mare Sprint, a seven-furlong race on dirt, with her first preference being the Mile.

“We’re leaning more toward the Mile,” Albertrani said. “We think her better races are on the turf.”

ELMONT, N.Y. – Belle Gallantey, the former claimer turned two-time Grade 1 winner, will try to complete her rags-to-riches story when she runs in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Oct. 31.

Owner Michael Dubb had been on the fence as to whether to send Belle Gallantey across the country for the Distaff, but on Friday, he said, “We’re going to go.”

Among the many challenges of handicapping the Breeders’ Cup is weighing how the 3-year-olds will fare against their elders. And this year, the challenge is front and center, with the four early Breeders’ Cup Classic favorites – Shared Belief, Bayern, California Chrome, and Tonalist – all being 3-year-olds and many other key Breeders’ Cup races featuring the young vs. the old.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Big Bane Theory, the winner of the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita on Oct. 4, will be pointed for the Breeders’ Cup Mile on turf Nov. 1 and could be cross-entered in the $1 million Dirt Mile on Oct. 31.

Trainer Carla Gaines said Thursday that plans for a Breeders’ Cup start were finalized Wednesday after discussing options with owners and breeders Mark Devereux and Scott Gross.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bright Thought, the winner of the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita on Sept. 28, will miss the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Thursday that Bright Thought will be rested until the winter-spring meeting at Santa Anita and will be given a break to mend tender feet.

“I’ll give him some time and wait for the end of the year,” he said. “He’s got bad feet, and the time will help him.”

A day before Wise Dan was declared out of the Breeders’ Cup last Tuesday, he was 6-1 in William Hill’s future-book wagering to win his third straight Horse of the Year title, the third choice behind Shared Belief at 8-5 and California Chrome at 5-2.

His defection has not removed him from consideration, as he is still 4 for 4 this year, with three Grade 1 wins. Now, however, his candidacy would require losses by all four 3-year-olds who will be the top choices in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 – not only Shared Belief and California Chrome but also Bayern and Tonalist.