As decision time nears for horses pre-entered in multiple Breeders' Cup races, several turned in their final works Sunday at host track Keeneland.

Keeneland  
Weather: Sunny 
Temp. 33  
Main track: Fast   
Turf: Good

Lexington, Ky. - The skies were clear and cold, but the action on the racetrack was hot and heavy, with nearly 30 potential Breeders’ Cup starters getting in their final works on a crisp Saturday morning at Keeneland.

With one week until the Breeders' Cup Classic, Tiz the Law turned in his final major piece of work at host track Keeneland on Saturday morning. Both he and expected Classic foe Higher Power were among the fastest workers on a busy morning at Keeneland that saw more than two dozen Breeders' Cup pre-entrants turn in their final works, with a similar number down the highway at Churchill Downs.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Authentic and Maximum Security, the last two horses to cross the wire first in the Kentucky Derby, on Saturday morning at Santa Anita turned in their final works for the Breeders’ Cup Classic one week hence at Keeneland. The race that could have championship implications for both.

ELMONT, N.Y. - After more than 2 1/2 inches of rain fell over a 24-hour period, followed by near-freezing temperatures, it didn’t seem likely the dirt tracks at Belmont Park would be suitable for serious training Saturday morning.

But the track maintenance crew had both dirt surfaces in pretty good condition and trainer Todd Pletcher felt confident enough to work his Grade 1 winners Valiance and Halladay over the training track in preparation for their Breeders’ Cup engagements next Saturday at Keeneland.

Keeneland Weather: Cloudy Track: Muddy Temp. 43

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Heavy rains the previous day put a damper on training hours Friday morning both at Keeneland, the site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup, and down the road at Churchill, which currently houses an even larger number of potential starters for the big event, now just a week away.

Cold air moved in after the rain moved out, with the temperature barely climbing into the low 40s when the main track, officially listed as muddy, opened for business here at 5:30 a.m.

Blame the enthusiasm of youth, but Aron Wellman hoped to conquer American racing when he launched Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners in 2011.

“Naively and ambitiously, we wanted to build the stable to have runners in every division of the Breeders’ Cup,” Wellman recalled with a laugh Thursday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Greg Foley and his clients of some 25 years have gone down this road once before – although it’s been a while.

Foley and the partners in the Wisconsin-based Lloyd Madison Farms were represented in the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Lone Star Park when Champali finished seventh, beaten just 3 1/2 lengths.

“It was a fun time,” Foley recalled this week at his home track of Churchill Downs. “It was exciting, having all the owners there and all that.”

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher was able to get workouts into three of his Breeders’ Cup contenders Thursday morning over the training track before the heavy rain came down.

Mutasaabeq, preparing for the $1 million Juvenile Turf, worked a half-mile in 49.58 seconds in company with the debut-winning 2-year-old filly Malathaat. Mutasaabeq, on the outside, went his opening quarter in 24.83, got his second quarter in 24.75 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.19, six furlongs in 1:14.80, and seven-eighths in 1:28.26.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Kelly Breen has come to learn first hand how much Firenze Fire dislikes a wet track.

“We see that he doesn’t have a foot for it, he’s run horrible in it,” Breen said. “Throw out the rain and we’re in good shape.”