Blue Prize, Hog Creek Hustle, Imperial Hint Work For BC
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Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography
Blue Prize works five furlongs at Keeneland
Merriebelle Stable's two-time Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) winner Blue Prize breezed five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 on Keeneland's fast main track Oct. 24 for the Nov. 2 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Santa Anita Park. The breeze was the second for the 6-year-old daughter of Pure Prize since she won the Oct. 6 Spinster.
"We are very happy with the way she worked," trainer Ignacio Correas IV said.
Correas said he "can't feel better" about Blue Prize as she is about to embark on a trip to the West Coast. She is set to leave Keeneland on Saturday.
"She always handles everything well, so I hope she will handle it the same way," he said. "(She's) probably one of the best horses I've trained in my life. I'm blessed to have her."
Blue Prize, who began her career in her native Argentina where she was a group 1 winner, has won nine of 22 starts and earned $1,592,253. Fourth in the Distaff last year at Churchill Downs, she has two wins in five starts this year. Her other victory was the Aug. 18 Summer Colony Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
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Another Breeders' Cup pre-entrant worker Thursday was Ron Paolucci Racing and Leigh Butler's Heavenhasmynikki, who covered five furlongs in 1:04 4/5 at Keeneland. A winner of her past three races, including the Vagrancy Handicap (G3) at Belmont Park, the 4-year-old Bob Hess-trained daughter of Majestic Warrior was pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).
Breeders' Cup workout activity also took place Thursday at Churchill Downs, where Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) winner Hog Creek Hustle breezed a half-mile in :48 2/5. Pre-entered to the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), he is being pointed toward the latter race with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith lined up to ride, trainer Vickie Foley said this week.
Foley prefers the six-furlong Sprint over the two-turn Dirt Mile. His recent starts have come in sprints—the Woody Stephens and follow-up starts when second in the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes (G1) and fifth in the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2).
A 3-year-old son of Overanalyze , he has won three of 11 races and $547,600 for owner Something Special Racing.
Another horse expected to join him in the Sprint, Imperial Hint, worked a speedy half-mile Thursday at Monmouth Park, where he covered the distance in :46 to be the fastest of seven at the distance.
Imperial Hint works a half-mile Oct. 24 at Monmouth Park
One of the nation's top older sprinters, Imperial Hint won the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) this summer at Saratoga before taking the Sept. 28 Vosburgh Stakes (G1) by a nose at Belmont in his most recent start. He ran second in the 2017 Sprint when it was at Del Mar and finished third last year at Churchill Downs for owner Raymond Mamone and trainer Luis Carvajal Jr.
Two horses breezed at Santa Anita toward potential Breeders' Cup starts: Distaff pre-entry La Force, who went five furlongs in 1:05 3/5, and Croughavouke, a Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) alternate who was timed in :49 4/5 for a half-mile. The latter needs a couple of defections from an oversubscribed race to gain a starting position when entries are drawn Monday.