The Pizza Man Breezes on Churchill Turf

The order wasn't especially demanding for The Pizza Man Oct. 23 as the Arlington Million (gr. IT) winner cruised through an easy breeze on the Churchill Downs turf in preparation for the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

Midwest Thoroughbreds' The Pizza Man completed five furlongs in 1:04 Friday—working about three paths off the rail—on a turf that was rated firm but appeared to have a lot of give for the four Breeders' Cup hopefuls who breezed over the course. Florent Geroux, The Pizza Man's regular rider who was aboard for Friday's move, said he would have rated the course "good" or maybe even "soft."

"Walking back on it, it was pretty smushy," Geroux said. "But the course was in great shape.

"I think working on a surface like this can be good for a horse. I think he got everything he needed, which wasn't much."

With his recent close second in the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (gr. IT) on the Keeneland turf, trainer Roger Brueggemann asked Geroux to keep The Pizza Man within himself. The 6-year-old English Channel   gelding could be seen reaching out in long strides as he cruised through four furlongs in :51 3/5 and galloped out in 1:19 2/5.

"We just want to keep him happy and healthy at this point," Brueggemann said. "So much can go wrong, even in the final days before a race. But he's doing great and he ran well at Keeneland earlier this month."

Brueggemann plans to exercise The Pizza Man on Wednesday morning, Oct. 28, at Churchill and then make the easy drive to Keeneland. Brueggemann also thought the turf was less than firm and thanked Churchill officials for letting them breeze on the surface.

Three other Breeders' Cup hopefuls also breezed on the Churchill turf Friday:

—Rigney Racing's Channel Marker went four furlongs in :48 3/5 in an eventful work for trainer Philip Bauer. Working with stablemate Calmbeforethestorm, the workmate appeared to start too early and was up nearly a furlong on Channel Marker before the handler sent the grade III winner on his way.

Sensing the challenge, Channel Marker appeared to reach full speed in just a few strides but he couldn't make up the difference. He did earn a faster time than his workmate and the fastest four-furlong time of four on the turf Friday.

—Martin Racing Stable's Marchman, currently first on the also-eligible list for the Turf Sprint breezed four furlongs in :50 3/5 for trainer Bret Calhoun.

—Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Sapphire Kitten, currently on the also-eligible list for the Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT), competed four furlongs in :51 4/5 for trainer Joe Sharp.