Pletcher 2-Year-Olds, Golden Pal Highlight BC Works

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a contingent of 2-year-olds Oct. 28 for their final preps for the Breeders' Cup World Championships being held Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland. The day's works also included a "leg-stretching" maintenance work for top turf sprinter Golden Pal  .

Pletcher's workers include FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) contenders Forte  and Lost Ark , who worked four furlongs together in :48 4/5 during the 7:30 a.m. training slot. Following them at 9 a.m. on the main track were NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) contenders Chocolate Gelato  and Atomically , who also worked four furlongs together in :49 4/5.

Forte earned an all-fees-paid spot in the Juvenile by winning the Oct. 8 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1), a Breeders' Cup Challenge Race, at Keeneland for owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable. Lost Ark is a Violence   half brother to classic-placed, three-time grade 1 winner Nest  (Curlin  ), who is entered in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). Nest will make her final prep for the Breeders' Cup Oct. 29.

"Both Forte and Lost Ark ran in the Breeders' Futurity, so we have just been trying to keep them sharp. I thought both of their breezes today were good and similar to what they did last week so were happy with how they are coming around," said Pletcher.

Chocolate Gelato also prevailed in a Breeders' Cup Challenge Race to secure a spot in the Juvenile Fillies. She won the Oct. 2 Frizette Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack for Repole Stable.

"We saw the same thing with the fillies, good solid works and nice finishes with enthusiast gallop-outs," Pletcher said. "I am happy with both of them, and it's all systems go as of now."

Golden Pal heads into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) off a gate-to-wire win the Oct. 8 Woodford Stakes Presented by FanDuel (G2T) in 1:01.39, which generated a 116 Equibase Speed Rating, so trainer Wesley Ward was not looking for the 4-year-old son of Uncle Mo   to do too much. The colt glided near the outer rail of the Keeneland turf course in 1:03 4/5 under exercise rider Julio Garcia.

"He is where we want him to be; it's a maintenance thing," said Ward. "All we needed was a little leg-stretcher and that is what he did. I was pretty happy as he was coming to the wire, he had both his ears forward and you could tell he was in a high-cruising gallop."

Golden Pal is seeking his third Breeders' Cup wins following victories in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) and the 2021 Turf Sprint. If he prevails Nov. 5, he will become only the third horse to capture three Breeders' Cup wins after Goldikova  and Beholder , and will be the first male to achieve the feat. Golden Pal has an affinity for Keeneland, having won four 5 1/2-furlong graded stakes turf sprints there—including the 2020 Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Susan Moulton's Keeneland stakes winners Andthewinneris  and Manny Wah , both trained by Wayne Catalano, had their final half-mile tune-ups for their Breeders' Cup engagements in the 7:30 a.m. time slot.

Manny Wah, victorious in the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2) Oct. 7, went in :47 2/5 in advance of the Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). Andthewinneris, winner of the Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes (G2T), was clocked in :48 in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T).

"They went really nice," Catalano said. "Everything went as planned."

Brad King, Suzanne Kirby, and Barbara Coleman's Slammed , winner of the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2), worked 5 furlongs after the second track renovation break in 1:01 3/5 with jockey Florent Geroux aboard for trainer Todd Fincher. She is pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).

Augustin Stable's Delight , winner of the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G2T), worked a half-mile over the turf in :52 in company with Born Dapper  for trainer Jonathan Thomas in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T).