Busy Worktab in Kentucky In Advance of Breeders' Cup

A week before the Breeders' Cup World Championships  Nov. 1-2 at Santa Anita Park, more than 30 workouts from potential Breeder's Cup starters took place across the country Oct. 25, including 17 in Kentucky alone.

Two of the fastest workouts came from Covfefe and Got Stormy at Churchill Downs. One of the favorites for the Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 2, the Brad Cox-trained Covfefe breezed five furlongs on a fast track in :59 4/5, the quickest of 55 workouts at that distance Friday morning. The Mark Casse-trained Got Stormy sped a half-mile in :47 2/5 in preparation for the TVG Mile (G1T).

At Keeneland the Friday activity was just as furious, topped by Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) winner Maxfield outworking his company with a half-mile breeze on a fast dirt track in :47 4/5. Pre-entered in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 1, the son of Street Sense  leaves Saturday for Santa Anita.

"That was great," trainer Brendan Walsh said of Maxfield, a two-for-two colt owned and bred by Godolphin. "He picked up really well, which is what we wanted. We wanted him to finish up the last quarter nice and sharp."

He is not Walsh's only Breeders' Cup hopeful. Another pre-entrant of his, Qatar Racing Limited, Marc Detampel and Bottle Rocket Stable's Vitalogy is also traveling to Santa Anita for the Juvenile Turf presented by Coolmore America (G1T) after breezing a half-mile in :51 1/5 on a firm turf course Friday at Keeneland.

Another bound for one of the Breeders' Cup grass races is Apogee Bloodstock and Mike Anderson Racing's Abscond, pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) Nov. 1. She  breezed a half-mile Friday in : 48 4/5 on dirt. 

"She worked super and is coming into the race perfectly," her trainer, Eddie Kenneally said. "We have been breezing her on the dirt at Keeneland, and she has been doing so well that we didn't want to change anything."

Winner of the Natalma Stakes (G1) at Woodbine, Abscond is scheduled to leave on an early-morning flight from Kentucky Oct. 26.

Rounding out the horses breezing toward the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland were three Rusty Arnold trainees: Leinster, Totally Boss, and Gear Jockey. Leinster covered a half-mile in :50 4/5, Totally Boss the same distance on dirt in :49 2/5, and Gear Jockey went five furlongs in 1:01, also on dirt. Leinster and Totally Boss run in the Turf Sprint (G1T), while Gear Jockey goes in the Juvenile Turf.

The remaining Breeders' Cup workers Friday that took spins at Churchill (with distance, time and Breeders' Cup race): Andesite (five furlongs, 1:00 3/5, Juvenile Turf); British Idiom (four furlongs, :48 2/5, Juvenile Fillies (G1)); Peace Achieved (four furlongs, :50 2/5, Juvenile Turf); Perfect Alibi (four furlongs, :50, Juvenile Fillies); Scabbard (four furlongs, :49 2/5, Juvenile); Serengeti Empress (four furlongs, :47 3/5, Distaff (G1)); and Whitmore (four furlongs, :49 4/5, Sprint (G1)).

Whitmore's trainer, Ron Moquett, has been taking a wait-and-see approach toward a Breeders' Cup commitment. He said in a text message Friday that Whitmore worked "great" but that he still wanted to consult with the gelding's owners before making a decision on participation.

A grade-1 winning 6-year-old son of Pleasantly Perfect, Whitmore is owned by Moquett's Southern Springs Stable, Bob LaPenta and Sol Kumin's Head of Plains Partners. A rallying second in the Stoll Keenan Ogden Phoenix (G2) Oct. 4 at Keeneland, he has made $2,637,600 over 29 starts.

Not far away at Churchill Downs Trackside, the off-track training facility owned by Churchill Downs, a couple of Breeders' Cup horses recorded their final works Friday morning, both for trainer Mike Maker. Chimney Rock, pointed for the Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T), breezed a half in :50 and Longines Turf (G1T) pre-entry Zulu Alpha worked five furlongs in 1:00 4/5.