Twitter updates from DRF's Mike Welsch in Kentucky for morning Breeders' Cup workouts on Friday, Oct. 28. Check back later today for Welsch's full Clocker Report and video analysis of today's training and works at Churchill Downs. Welsch has been in Lexington and Louisville since Saturday, check here for the rest of his Breeders' Cup clocker reports and a list of Breeders' Cup workouts by key contenders.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The string gets played out this week at Keeneland, where only one stakes remains during the final four-day stretch of the fall meet. Still, there are some quality races to while away the afternoons in anticipation of another Breeders’ Cup in Kentucky, including a pair of two-turn allowance races to be run Wednesday on the turf.

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.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Unzip Me was held out of a trip to Churchill Downs for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 5 in favor of Saturday’s $125,000 California Cup Distaff at Santa Anita.

The decision by the partners who own the mare and trainer Marty Jones was based on racing opportunities and the convenience of racing in Southern California. The Distaff, which is run over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course, is an easier spot.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Twelve 2-year-old fillies, including four returning from the Alcibiades Stakes, have been entered at Churchill Downs for the $150,000 Pocahontas Stakes, the richest of the 11 Stars of Tomorrow races that open the 21-day fall meet Sunday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The shortest race is the best race Saturday at Santa Anita.

With a quality-packed field that includes three Grade 1 winners and another that could have won a Grade 1 with any luck, the six-furlong, $100,000 California Cup Sprint (race  8) is the deepest race on the nine-race Cal Cup card. Even without Amazombie.

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.

A wet, gray Thursday at Laurel Park in Maryland produced a piece of racing history. Rapid Redux ran his way into racing record books winning for the 19th time in a row, equaling the modern win-streak record of 19 held by Peppers Pride and Zenyatta.