At Hollywood Park on Thursday, Ultra Blend completed her serious training for the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic with a five-furlong drill in 1:02.20 with her regular rider, David Flores, aboard.
“It was real nice. She galloped out in 1:15, and David said she felt good,” said Art Sherman, the trainer of Ultra Blend.
Sherman said Ultra Blend was scheduled to leave Friday morning for Kentucky. He said she was unlikely to work again at Churchill Downs before the race on Nov. 4.
Gio Ponti will make his final career start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs, his connections announced Thursday. Gio Ponti had been pre-entered in both the Mile and Breeders’ Cup Classic, with the Classic listed as his first preference.
“Having discussed the options with [trainer] Christophe Clement, we both feel that we should aim Gio Ponti for the Mile as eight furlongs looks to be his perfect distance given his impressive repeat victory in the Shadwell Mile at Keeneland,” said Shane Ryan, president of Castleton Lyons, Gio Ponti’s owner.
Though it was widely expected that Jackson Bend would run in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, he was pre-entered for both that race and the $1.5 million Sprint at six furlongs.
On Thursday, trainer Nick Zito said he will wait until the last minute before deciding in which race to run. Jackson Bend went 2 for 2 at six furlongs in his juvenile year of 2009.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer David Fawkes has changed travel plans and, as a result, the final workout plans for defending Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Big Drama. The switch is in large part because of the possible effects Tropical Storm Rina might have on the south Florida area this weekend.
Fawkes had originally penciled in Big Drama’s final work for this weekend at Calder before shipping the Eclipse Award winner to Churchill Downs on Monday. That was the same formula that helped propel Big Drama to his 1 1 /2-length victory in the 2010 Sprint.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Approximately a half-inch of rain fell over the New York metropolitan area Wednesday night into Thursday morning, forcing New York Racing Association officials to move Thursday’s five turf races at Belmont Park to the main track.
Perfect Shirl, who has been pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 on the main track here at Woodbine on Thursday morning for trainer Roger Attfield.
Patrick Husbands was aboard Perfect Shirl, who worked in company with 3-year-old stablemate Smart Penny, who had Tyler Pizarro in the irons.
Perfect Shirl, runner-up in the Canadian, would need three defections to make the 14-horse field for the Filly and Mare Turf but three of the horses in the main body of the field have listed the Breeders’ Cup Turf as their first preference.
Twitter updates from DRF's Mike Welsch in Kentucky and David Grening in New York for morning Breeders' Cup workouts on Thursday, Oct. 27. Check back later today for Welsch's full Clocker Report and video analysis of today's training and works at Churchill Downs, as well as a video update from Grening at Belmont Park.
