KEENELAND
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 46
Track: Fast
Turf: Good

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two year olds dominated Friday’s Breeders’ Cup work tab at Keeneland with their respective races now just a week away. The group was led by leading Juvenile Fillies contender WONDER WHEEL and a quartet of trainer Todd Pletcher juveniles breezing in sets immediately after both the first and second renovation breaks.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Trainer Chad Brown on Friday morning described himself as “extremely upset” with the unplanned defection of morning-line favorite Dolce Zel from the Grade 3 Valley View Stakes at Keeneland after chief state veterinarian Dr. Nicholas Smith scratched the filly following a standard pre-race examination.

“It’s totally wrong, in my opinion,” said Brown.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It was a routine work for Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint favorite Golden Pal on the Keeneland turf Friday morning, with trainer Wesley Ward saying he was trying not to overthink things as he comes into the final days of preparation with his two-time Breeders’ Cup winner.

Under regular work rider Julio Garcia, Golden Pal breezed five furlongs in 1:01.08 on the watch of Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch. The turf course was officially rated good for training, but had some cut to it.

Jessica Paquette, a 20-year racing industry veteran who has done multiple short stints as the announcer at a number of U.S. tracks, has been hired as the full-time track announcer at Parx Racing outside of Philadelphia, starting on Dec. 12.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Katie Tolbert, an assistant and exercise rider for champion trainer Brad Cox, suffered a serious injury to her left leg before dawn during training hours Friday at Churchill Downs. She was transported by ambulance to the University of Louisville Hospital for treatment.

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Awesome Strong, who swept the three-race Florida Sire Series as part of a 4-for-4 campaign, will miss the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4 due to “a minor shin problem,” trainer Jorge Delgado said Friday.

Delgado said that Awesome Strong, who has had two works at Keeneland, will soon be shipped to a farm in Ocala, Fla., and get 60 days off.

“We’re doing what’s best for him,” Delgado said Friday morning. “We want him to have a 3-year-old career, a 4-year-old career. We have high expectations for him.”

Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Penn., canceled the final card of its meet on Thursday after the track received a “credible terroristic threat” against the track’s riders just hours prior to first post time, according to multiple backstretch sources.

The threat was made in a telephone call to the track mid-morning on Thursday, according to the sources, who asked not to be identified because of potential backlash from track management. Track officials then convened with local police before deciding to cancel the card out of an abundance of caution, according to one of the sources.

Bayside Boy, upset winner of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over Breeders’ Cup Mile favorite Modern Games, is one of three overseas pre-entrants into Breeders’ Cup races not expected to make the trip to Keeneland this weekend.  

Bayside Boy’s connections hinted from the time of pre-entry they were leaning against coming to the BC Mile, a race into which they had free entry since the QE II is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. 

Former successful Woodbine owner Les Roberts died from late stage prostate cancer on Oct. 6 at Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport, Bahamas, at age 78.

In partnership with Ian Mathews, Roberts campaigned multiple stakes winner Wing of Erin, who was victorious in the 1996 Maple Leaf. He also owned stakes winners Mulrainy, Masada, and Inspired Kiss.

A celebration of Roberts’ life will take place on Nov. 5 from 2-7 p.m. at Toby Jug, 15 Allan Drive, in Bolton, Ontario. Donations can be made in his name to the LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society.

Marvin Johnson, a prolific starter of horses in the Midwest for 40 years, has been suspended one year by the stewards at Horseshoe Indianapolis for allowing two of his horses to be administered a regulated cortisol-stimulating substance on race day, according to a ruling in the case.

Johnson’s wife, Christy, who is his assistant trainer, was also suspended for one year.