Breeders' Cup Contenders Breeze at Keeneland

Two-time Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (gr. III) winner Sum of the Parts and Dixiana Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) runner-up Smarty's Echo tuned up for their upcoming Breeders' Cup dates with breezes over the Keeneland Polytrack Oct. 26.



With jockey Leandro Goncalves up, Sum of the Parts worked a half-mile in :47 early in the morning, second swiftest of 44 at the distance. Keeneland clockers got Sum of the Parts with a :23 2/5 first quarter mile and a five-furlong gallop out of 1:00 3/5.



"I'm very pleased with the work and the strong gallop out," trainer Tom Amoss said. "He will go to Churchill Downs Sunday or Monday and fly to California (Oct. 29)."



Owned by Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, Sum of the Parts finished fourth in last year's Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I), three lengths behind the winning Trinniberg, after leading the first quarter mile.



"I had no expectations last year," Amoss said of the Breeders' Cup. "It was the end of the year and I was surprised he made the lead.



"This year, he is a fresh, sharp horse. In the Phoenix, he used his speed to control the race. I would love to see it set up like that, but I understand that the Breeders' Cup horses are a lot quicker."



A 4-year-old son of Speightstown  , Sum of the Parts has compiled a record of 15-6-2-0. Goncalves had been aboard five times and accounted for three of the victories.



After the renovation break, Smarty's Echo worked five furlongs in 1:00 1/5, sixth fastest of 38 at the distance, with regular rider E.T. Baird aboard. Anne Smith trains the 2-year-old Smarty Jones   colt who is owned by Pete and Scott Reiman's Windy Hill Farm. He was pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) with second preference in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT).



Clockers caught Smarty's Echo in fractions of :12 4/5, :24 3/5, :36 2/5, and out in 1:13 4/5.



"We feel prepared as best as we can be at this point," Smith said, who watched the work near the finish from atop her pony, Debaser. "Each time, he's still figuring more and more out, learning more cues from the rider. He worked alone today, so it was just a little bit different. Each time E.T.'s on him, he figures out a little more about him. As far as feeling good physically, (Baird) felt an improvement from last week."



Last Saturday, Smarty's Echo worked five furlongs in company in 1:00 4/5.



Smarty's Echo has one win in three starts and was second to We Miss Artie by 2 3/4 lengths in Keeneland's Breeders' Futurity Oct. 5. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile would mark the colt's first start on dirt, but Smith said he has experience on the surface.



"We did a lot of training at Arlington on the dirt (training) track there, so he's been on the dirt quite a bit," Smith said. "I made sure to get him over that quite a bit this summer. A breeze with dirt in his face and getting all that practice would have been ideal, but we'll see what we can do out there getting him ready next week."



Smith said Smarty's Echo would gallop up to the race, but added, "There might be a day where I sharpen him up a bit."



Smarty's Echo, a graduate of the 2011 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, is to fly to California the morning of Oct. 27.