Heart to Heart Breeders' Cup Bound After Keeneland Move

The payment of $160,000 has already been sent in, hence, there is no turning back regarding the next stop on the agenda for multiple graded stakes winner Heart to Heart.

Since the 6-year-old son of English Channel  is not Breeders' Cup nominated, his connections had to ante up the chunk of change if they wanted the bay horse to get his chance at knocking a top-level chip off his shoulder in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T). Considering a total of about 1 1/2 lengths is all that's kept Heart to Heart from being a three-time grade 1-winner this year alone, this is the season trainer Brian Lynch and owner Terry Hamilton figured they owed it to the front-runner to let him have his World Championships moment.

It is a sizable commitment in terms of both finances and faith, but one Lynch felt more emboldened about after watching his smallish bay charge roll through an easy half-mile work in :49 1/5 over the Keeneland turf course Oct. 22.

"We've already put (the check in) so we're going," Lynch said of Heart to Heart's Breeders' Cup venture. "After seeing him work today, I'm real happy we put up the $160,000."

Between the endearing heart-shaped marking on his forehead, his all or nothing running style, and his knack for suffering gut-punching losses in grade 1 races, Heart to Heart has become a popular contender for fans to pull for. He earned his first graded stakes win in 2014 and has gone on to capture eight more since, including victories this year in the Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T) and Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T). What has eluded him is a grade 1 breakthough, going 0-for-6 at the top level including three narrow defeats this year.

In the Maker's 46 Mile (G1T) at Keeneland in April, he led every step except for the final one when American Patriot got his neck down at the wire. He was caught late again in the Shoemaker Mike Stakes (G1T) in June, finishing third beaten just three-quarters of a length. His most recent outing in the Oct. 7 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) was more of the same with Suedois catching him late to win by half a length.

Lynch was initially concerned in the aftermath of the Shadwell that Heart to Heart might have run too hard to wheel back effectively for the Breeders' Cup Mile. After monitoring his energy level since and watching him Sunday gallop out five furlongs in 1:02 1/5 under jockey Julien Leparoux—who will have the mount in the Breeders' Cup—Lynch is energized himself at the thought of watching the veteran horse corner off Del Mar's tight turns Nov. 4 and get off the grade 1 duck.

"I'd be elated, I'd lift the roof off that place at Del Mar," Lynch said. "He's been a horse that just the margin of neck has cost him three grade 1s. For him to pull it off in the Breeders' Cup, that would be the ultimate.

"He's ticked the boxes with everything (since the Shadwell). He's got a good appetite, he's had plenty of energy in his training, everything says right now he's doing well. He's got the opportunity now to run for $2 million on a course I think he'll like, tight turns, short stretch."

Moments after Heart to Heart finished up his four-furlong exercise Sunday, his grade 1-winning stablemate Oscar Performance put in his penultimate move in advance of his expected start in the Longines Breeders' Turf (G1T) when he covered a half mile in :51 2/5 under jockey Jose Ortiz over the Keeneland course.

The 3-year-old son of Kitten's Joy  easily went through his paces in his second work since running third in the Sept. 30 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) and was most impressive finishing up, galloping out in strong fashion halfway down the backstretch.

"Oscar I thought went off nice and kind and gradually built into his work," Lynch said. "I was real happy with the way he galloped out around the top turn. I think we accomplished what we sent out to do today."

Amerman Racing's homebred Oscar Performance provided Lynch with some Breeders' Cup hardware a year ago when he captured the Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park. The bay ridgling did not get out of the blocks well though at the start of his sophomore season, running fifth in the Transylvania Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3T) in his seasonal bow in April and then finishing tenth in the May 6 American Turf Stakes Presented by Ram Trucks (G2T) at Churchill Downs.

Oscar Performance has found himself in the second half of the year, however. Following a form-righting win in the Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) in June, he registered back-to-back grade 1 victories in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes and Secretariat Stakes prior to facing elders in the Joe Hirsch.

"He didn't really like the turf courses here in the spring, they were soft, and maybe for the Transylvania I didn't have him tight enough," Lynch said. "Once he got to New York back onto some firm turf, he got his legs back underneath him and reeled off three nice races. 

"I think his run in the Joe Hirsch was credible too. He got down in the worst part of the track and he got into a position he's not really comfortable in. He's sort of a free-running horse and ... I thought he boxed on gamely in the Joe Hirsch. I feel like he definitely deserves a chance (in the Breeders' Cup)."

Lynch said Oscar Performance and Heart to Heart are slated to ship to Del Mar Oct. 27 and plans to work them each a half-mile over the course Oct. 29.