Breeders' Cup Decision Looms for Frosted

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin wasn't ready to confirm Oct. 19 which Breeders' Cup race Godolphin Racing's Frosted would start in. What McLaughlin did sign off on was the fact the 4-year-old son of Tapit   continues to march towards either goal in good order with his latest progession being a six-furlong work in 1:11 at Greentree Training Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

McLaughlin said the team will likely announce Oct. 20 if the multiple grade I winner is going in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) Nov. 5 at Santa Anita Park or the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) on Nov. 4. Though he wouldn't indicate which race he was personally leaning towards, McLaughlin did reiterate his concern about the Dirt Mile being a two-turn test. 

"It's just a short run to the first turn and you can get into traffic and this and that," McLaughlin said. "That's my concern, but it's not my call. We'll do whatever the boss (Sheikh Mohammed) wants to do.

Frosted posted his fifth move since finishing third in the $600,000 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course on Sept. 3. While Frosted would have to run back to his wins in the Whitney Stakes (gr. I) and Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) in order to challenge champion California Chrome   in the Classic, McLaughlin likes the spacing coming into the Breeders' Cup more than he did Frosted's previous outing.

"He's doing great and with the 60 days (going into the Classic), you can tell his energy level is very high," McLaughlin said. "He worked great, we're very pleased with him. And I think it's a better situation than the 30 days (from the Whitney into the Woodward) that we did last time."