2019 Breeders’ Cup workouts round-up for Oct. 18-21

With the Breeders’ Cup right around the corner on November 1-2 at Santa Anita, contenders are getting close to polishing off their preparations. Many turned in their penultimate works in the Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20 time frame, as trainers map out the final moves nearer to Breeders’ Cup week.

Here’s a round-up of the latest notable drills, arranged by Breeders’ Cup race, and now including Monday’s works.

UPDATE: Breeders’ Cup contenders turn in final pre-race workouts

CLASSIC

On Monday, Code of Honor breezed five furlongs on Belmont Park's sloppy main track in 1:00.20.

At Belmont on Friday, Vino Rosso reeled off five-eighths in 1:01.58 on the training track with Irad Ortiz Jr. astride.

At Churchill Downs on Saturday, Elate got back to work after her second in the Spinster (G1), blitzing three furlongs in a bullet :34.60. The Bill Mott mare galloped out a half-mile in :47.40.

Owendale worked six furlongs on the same day in 1:13.60, a time influenced by slow early fractions. Exercising in company with Pioneer Spirit, the Brad Cox sophomore clocked :13.80, :26.20 and :37.80 before quickening to five furlongs in 1:00.80 and galloping out seven in 1:26.80.

“They went really slow to start the work and I didn’t really draw it up that way,” Cox said. “(Owendale) really came home strong and galloped out well. Overall I thought it was a good work even though they went so slow for the opening three-eighths.”

At Santa Anita on Saturday, Higher Power drilled five-eighths in 1:01.00 with Flavien Prat aboard, and Mongolian Groom toured four panels in :49.20. On Friday at the same venue, Seeking the Soul covered five furlongs in 1:00.60.

At Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Math Wizard sizzled a half in a bullet :46.48. The Pennsylvania Derby (G1) upsetter posted the fastest of 96 at the distance.

Three other Classic hopefuls worked earlier in the week on October 16. McKinzie (six furlongs in 1:12.80) and War of Will (five in :59.40) are gearing up at Santa Anita, while Yoshida fired his second straight bullet at Saratoga, negotiating five panels in 1:02.13 over the Oklahoma training track.

DISTAFF

Presumptive favorite Midnight Bisou worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Santa Anita Monday.

At Churchill on Monday, Street Band breezed five in a bullet :59.80.

At Santa Anita on Sunday, Paradise Woods clocked six panels in 1:13.60, and Secret Spice exercised five in 1:00.00. On Saturday, Ollie’s Candy motored five-eighths in a bullet :59.40.

At Keeneland Friday, Blue Prize traveled a half-mile in :49.40 with jockey Joe Bravo.

At Belmont Saturday, Dunbar Road breezed a half in :48.77, and on Sunday, Wow Cat went five in 1:01.14, both on the main oval.

Serengeti Empress had her Churchill work postponed a couple of days because of trainer Tom Amoss’s surgery for appendicitis.

TURF

Horse of the Year candidate Bricks and Mortar zipped five-eighths on Belmont’s inner turf in 1:00.02 Sunday, around the “dogs,” in company with new stablemate Without Parole.

“He's in top form. He's got one more work and he's been doing great," trainer Chad Brown said of Bricks and Mortar, who’ll be cross-entered to the Mile (G1).

"I'm going to pre-enter in both races but right now I'm leaning toward the Turf.”

Channel Cat (:49.05) and Channel Maker (:50.00) each toured a half on Belmont’s training track Friday.

At Churchill Saturday, Arklow sped four furlongs in a bullet :47.80, tying for the best of 72 on the day. The Cox veteran, who worked with Mr. Misunderstood, galloped out five in 1:00.80 and six in 1:13.80.

On Monday at Keeneland, Bandua strode a half in :49.00.

FILLY & MARE TURF

Over Belmont’s inner turf Sunday, champion Sistercharlie stretched her legs in :49.05 for a half around the “dogs” in tandem with pacemaking stablemate Thais.

"It was just maintenance work. She worked with Thais and she worked really well," Brown said.

At Los Alamitos, Vasilika worked five panels in 1:00.00.

MILE

Uni breezed four furlongs in :49.53 on the Belmont inner turf Sunday, again around the “dogs.”

At Churchill on Saturday, Got Stormy covered five furlongs on the main track in 1:01.20. The Mark Casse trainee, who was accompanied by stablemate Osage Moon, rolled through her final furlong in :24.40, according to Churchill clocker John Nichols.

At Santa Anita Sunday, Catapult reeled off four panels in :48.60. On Saturday, Bolo (1:01.80) and True Valour (1:02.60) each traveled five, while Bowies Hero went a half in :50.40 on the training track.

Caribou Club negotiated five panels Saturday on the Fair Hill training track in 1:01.40.

El Tormenta worked at his Woodbine base October 15, finishing five-eighths on the dirt training track in 1:00.40.

SPRINT

Trainer John Sadler confirmed that Catalina Cruiser will go in the Sprint in the aftermath of his five-furlong Saturday move in 1:00.60 at Santa Anita.

Also at Santa Anita, Shancelot scorched four panels in a bullet :46.80, best of 60 on Saturday. Engage went five in 1:03.00 Monday while Mitole had worked October 16, posting 1:00.40 for five-eighths.

At Churchill, Whitmore sped his four furlongs in a bullet :46.80, swiftest of 45 on Friday.

Imperial Hint blasted a half-mile at Monmouth October 14 in a bullet :47.00.

DIRT MILE

Omaha Beach, who toured a half-mile at Santa Anita in :48.20 on October 16, will stick to a midweek plan and work again on Wednesday or Thursday. On Monday, fellow sophomore Improbable blitzed six furlongs in 1:11.80, and Snapper Sinclair covered five in 1:01.40.

At Churchill Saturday, Mr. Money zipped five in a best-of-58 bullet :59.20 with Gabriel Saez. The Bret Calhoun sophomore was caught in splits of :12, :23.60, and :35.60, with a gallop-out of seven furlongs in 1:25.80 and completing a mile in 1:41.80. Mr Freeze, still only a possible at last report, breezed five in 1:00.40.

At Belmont Friday, Coal Front fired a five-furlong bullet in 1:01.25 on the training track.

Diamond Oops, intended for the Dirt Mile, continued to train on the Palm Meadows turf and clocked six furlongs in 1:12.00 October 16.

TURF SPRINT

At Santa Anita, Eddie Haskell (:49.60) and Stubbins (:48.80) went a half Saturday. Legends of War covered five in 1:00.80 Friday, while two-time defending champion Stormy Liberal drilled that distance in 1:01 at his San Luis Rey base October 16.

At Belmont Friday, Pure Sensation turned in his final Breeders’ Cup move, clocking four panels in :48.00 on the main track.

"It was a nice work, very willing, very sound,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “He won't work between now and the race, by design. I don't like to work him too close to the race."

At Keeneland Sunday, trainer Rusty Arnold sent out his Turf Sprint contenders for different kinds of works. Totally Boss, taking to the main track, ripped a half in :47.80. Clockers recorded fractions of :11.80, :24, :35.60, and :47.80, and he galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.80. In contrast, Leinster toured four furlongs on turf around the “dogs” in :52.80, with Arnold indicating the leisurely move was by design.

“It looked good to me and he will come back with another easy half next Sunday,” Arnold said of Leinster. “I know how fast he is.”

FILLY & MARE SPRINT

At Churchill Friday, Covfefe drilled six panels in 1:12.20. The Cox speedster posted fractions of :12.40, :24.60, :36.60, :48, and :59.80, galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25.40, and made the mile in 1:40.60, according to track clocker Nichols.

On the Belmont training track Saturday, Come Dancing smoked six furlongs in 1:10.20 with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

"She was sensational," trainer Carlos Martin said. "You don't go out there with the intent of going three-quarters in 1:10, but she's going in the right direction. She came back great and ate up well. So far, we're in good shape."

At Santa Anita Saturday, Bellafina blitzed four furlongs from the gate in :47.20, the second-best time of the day (eclipsed only by Sprint contender Shancelot), and Selcourt’s :47.80 ranked as the third-fastest of 60.

Elsewhere on the circuit, Lady Ninja toured a half in :50.60 at San Luis Rey Saturday, and Danuska’s My Girl negotiated five-eighths in 1:01 Sunday at Los Alamitos.

At Keeneland, Dawn the Destroyer breezed a half in :48.20 Friday, while Heavenhasmynikki went five in 1:00.20 on Thursday.

JUVENILE

On Monday, Eight Rings worked six furlongs at Santa Anita in 1:14.40.

At Churchill Friday, Dennis’ Moment blazed five panels in a bullet :58.60, fastest of 65 moves by a full second. Under Tammy Fox, the Dale Romans pupil rattled off splits of :11.80, :23.40, :35.00, and :46.80, and galloped out six in 1:11.40 and seven in 1:25.80.

“We actually tried to slow him down today,” Romans said. “You know, fast horses work fast. We had him with the outrider (Greg Blasi) and Tammy didn’t break off until he was right at the pole to try to make him slow down. We tried to outsmart him but he seems to be smarter than us. He’s going to work fast no matter what.”

Scabbard covered a half :48.80 Thursday beneath the Twin Spires. At Keeneland Friday, Maxfield went in :48.60.

At Santa Anita Friday, American Theorem drilled six furlongs in 1:14.60, and Storm the Court clocked five in 1:00.40. Shoplifted exercised five in 1:03.60 Sunday.

JUVENILE FILLIES

At Santa Anita on Friday, Donna Veloce motored five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.00, K P Dreamin clocked 1:02.40, and Comical took 1:03.80. On Sunday, Wicked Whisper was timed in 1:03.60. Bast had worked October 16 in 1:01.20, while Lazy Daisy breezed a half Friday in :48.60.

At Churchill Friday, British Idiom breezed five-eighths in 1:01.60. On the same day at Keeneland, Perfect Alibi negotiated the same distance in 1:02.60.

At Palm Meadows, Two Sixty blasted in :59.60 October 16.

JUVENILE TURF

Decorated Invader went five furlongs around the “dogs” on the Belmont inner turf Sunday in 1:00.83, and Structor was caught in 1:00.99 Saturday.

At Churchill Friday, Peace Achieved traveled five in company in :59.60. On the Keeneland turf Sunday, Vitalogy stretched his legs in :50.20 for a half.

Over the Golden Gate Tapeta Saturday, Anneau d’Or sped five in a bullet :59.60, tying for the fastest of 74 on the day.

JUVENILE FILLIES TURF

Over Belmont’s inner turf Sunday, Crystalle exercised four furlongs with Famished in :49.55 around the “dogs,” and trainer John Kimmel reported “I had the last quarter in :22 and 4.” On Saturday, Selflessly went a grassy five in 1:00.25.

At Fair Hill Friday, Sharing negotiated seven furlongs in 1:27.80, and Alms toured a half in :48.40, both on the training track.

At Keeneland Friday, Abscond covered a half in company with Hop Kat in :48.80, and on Sunday, Walk in Marrakesh finished in :50.40 around the “dogs.”

JUVENILE TURF SPRINT

Trainer Wesley Ward’s high-powered trio of Kimari, Cambria, and Four Wheel Drive all turned in half-mile moves on the Keeneland turf Sunday.  

Kimari clocked a bullet :48.80, with the final quarter in :23.40, in company with high-class older male Bound for Nowhere (who’s cross-entered to allowances at Keeneland Wednesday and Belmont Friday).

“That was a very, very impressive work today in that she outworked a real quality horse (Bound for Nowhere) – although he’s not a very good work horse,” Ward said. “He’s gotten outworked every work in his life, from Lady Aurelia on down to whoever. Luckily enough, when you lead him over in the afternoon, he runs like hell. He’s a tough horse to judge, but still it was a beautiful work.”

Cambria (:49.80) was escorted by Karak, and Four Wheel Drive (:50.00) went solo.

Embolden sped the same distance in a bullet :47.80 on the Monmouth main Friday.

At Belmont, Freewheeler posted :48.20 Thursday on the training track, and Another Miracle turned three panels around the “dogs” on the inner turf Saturday in :37.44.