On Sunday, trainer Craig Dollase said Awesome Gem was 50-50 between the turf Mile and the Classic, but by Monday morning, Awesome Gem's camp was leaning heavily in the direction of the Mile.

"We pretty much are going to go to the Mile unless there's a major defection in the Classic," Dollase said. "That's the plan right now."

Awesome Gem finished a distant third to Curlin in the Classic last year, but has finished second in three of his four turf starts, and has a nice late run that could be effective in the Mile, a race that seems less competitive than the Classic.

Of the six American contenders for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf on Saturday at Santa Anita, only one will enter the race without a workout in the last week.

The field for the Breeders' Cup Sprint could be reduced to as few as nine starters following the announcement Monday by trainer Steve Asmussen that J Be K has been withdrawn from consideration for the race.

A foot abscess will keep Communique from starting in Friday's $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita, trainer Rusty Arnold said on Monday.

The injury was diagnosed on Monday at Arnold's stable at Keeneland. Communique was scheduled to be flown to California on Tuesday, but Arnold said time ran out to treat the foot and see how it responded before flight time.

ARCADIA, Calif. - A guy known for transforming claiming horses into long-distance stakes winners, Mike Mitchell was in an unusual spot Sunday at Santa Anita, talking about his 2-year-old filly Mi Chiamano Mimi, six-furlong winner in a blazing 1:07.93.

It was after Mi Chiamano Mimi earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure winning the Anoakia Stakes that someone suggested Mitchell's reputation needed revision, from veteran-marathon trainer to juvenile-sprint trainer. Mitchell laughed, and said he would have none of it.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The complexion of Saturday's $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile changed on Monday when Believe in Hope was declared out due to a temperature and Coronet of a Baron was most likely headed to the Juvenile Turf.

Believe in Hope's defection opened a spot for Gallant Son - the pride of Emerald Downs - to run in the Juvenile. In a field that includes fashionable pedigrees and at least one million-dollar purchase, Gallant Son will be championed by those who support underdogs.

ARCADIA, Calif. - During his Hall of Fame career, Shug McGaughey has trained nine Breeders' Cup winners, a total second only to Wayne Lukas's 18 winning starters. During his six-year training career, Juan Arias has never won a graded stakes of any sort. Both men, however, appear to have a decent chance of taking down the inaugural edition of the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Whether it was the final workouts by leading contenders, switching to other Breeders' Cup races, or outright defections, the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday at Santa Anita had plenty of activity, both on and off the track, Monday.

Marcus Hersh, Oct. 20:

ARCADIA, Calif. - At 8 o'clock Monday morning, 17 members of the press formed a semi-circle around trainer Steve Asmussen just outside Barn 27 on the Santa Anita backstretch. Curlin had just worked a half-mile, and the questions were flying fast and furious. But 15 feet away, hidden from the throng in the barn's wash stall, it was business as usual for Curlin. A hotwalker gently scratched his foretop as groom Felix Gutierrez scrubbed Curlin's lower legs with a bar of soap.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Curlin turned in his final Breeders’ Cup prep at Santa Anita on Monday, working an easy half-mile in 50.06 seconds and galloping out five furlongs in 1:03.91, according to Daily Racing Form.

Curlin, who will be the odds-on favorite to defend his title in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, was one of three horses trainer Steve Assmussen worked on Monday, along with Pyro (four furlongs in 51.17) and Student Council (four furlongs in 48.18).