LEXINGTON, Ky. – American Pharoah got no farther than Barn 62 on Wednesday morning at Keeneland, as the steady rain that has soaked this area for 48 hours left the track sloppy and prompted trainer Bob Baffert to keep American Pharoah inside. Baffert had American Pharoah walk the barn, where it was dry, rather than jog over a sloppy surface, which had been the original plan.

With nice weather forecast for the rest of the week, American Pharoah should be just fine to gallop Thursday and Friday before racing for the final time Saturday in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Breeders’ Cup billed as a homecoming event will have a special shine for British-born jockey Sophie Doyle. Not only will she be riding her first Breeders’ Cup in her adopted home state of Kentucky aboard Filly and Mare Sprint contender Fioretti, but her younger brother James Doyle will have a mount aboard Birchwood in the Juvenile Turf. And their mother, former trainer Jacqueline Doyle, plans to fly in.

“Amazing,” Sophie Doyle said.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Winning a Breeders’ Cup race is a remarkable accomplishment for any trainer, but for a select few with close ties to Lexington, winning one at the first Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland would be all that more special.

Shug McGaughey, Kiaran McLaughlin, and Ken McPeek are among the trainers who are returning to the place where they first dared to dream about making names for themselves in racing.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Jockey Frankie Dettori said Golden Horn felt good in a training-track gallop Wednesday at Keeneland, but a larger question is how the Keeneland grass course will feel Saturday in the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf, intended to be Golden Horn’s swan song before a stud career.

The equine herpesvirus quarantine at Parx Racing is due to end Thursday as long as no other horses test positive for the disease.

Sam Elliott, the director of racing at Parx, said he accepted outside entries for the special Friday Breeders’ Cup Day card at Parx.

The quarantine went into effect Oct. 2, when Top of the Stretch, a filly trained by Blane Servis, tested positive for the equine herpesvirus. No other horses at Parx became ill with the virus.

Ben’s Cat came out of his nose defeat in the Maryland Million Sprint “very well,” according to trainer King Leatherbury, and will be pointed to the $200,000 Fabulous Strike Handicap at Penn National on Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 25.

Ben’s Cat, 9, has won the Fabulous Strike, a six-furlong main-track race, the last three years.

Ben’s Cat looked like he was headed to victory at the top of the stretch of the Sprint but couldn’t get by Jack’s in the Deck after a long stretch duel.

Lady Sabelia, the winner of the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie last February at Laurel Park, will return from a layoff of more than five months in the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie Stakes at Belmont Park on Sunday.

Maryland-based trainer Robin Graham has had Lady Sabelia ready for some time and entered her in the Oct. 3 Roamin Rachel Stakes at Parx. Lady Sabelia skipped that $150,000 race, however, when a horse at Parx tested positive for the equine herpesvirus the day before the race, resulting in a backstretch quarantine.

Mark Casse is knocking on the trunk of the tree outside his barn at Keeneland. Knocking on the wooden sawhorse with red saddle towels draped over it at the end of the shed row. Knocking on anything he can find, really.

Fletcher and Carolyn Gray have tasted Breeders’ Cup success from afar, as the breeders of 2008 Juvenile Fillies winner and champion Stardom Bound. This year, however, they could be in the thick of things in the winner’s circle. Their homebred I’m a Chatterbox has gone from auction failure to carrying the Grays’ colors as one of the favorites for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

"It's like watching one of your kids go to the Olympics," Carolyn Gray said.

Few owners at this Breeders’ Cup have risen farther or faster than the LNJ Foxwoods operation of Larry and Nanci Roth and their daughter Jaime.