Mind Your Biscuits Tunes Up for Lukas Classic Run

Multiple grade 1 winner Mind Your Biscuits turned in his final breeze in preparation for his expected start in the Sept. 29 Lukas Classic (G3) with a five-furlong work in 1:02 Sept. 21 at Churchill Downs.

With jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard, Mind Your Biscuits worked at 5:45 a.m. through splits of :13 2/5, :25 4/5, and :38, and he galloped out to six furlongs in 1:15 2/5 and seven furlongs in 1:29 2/5, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

"He did everything easy," said trainer and co-owner Chad Summers. "He's kind of like an NFL quarterback who is lazy in practice, but once it's game time, he steps up and shows his real stuff. I typically have to work him solo because no one else will work with us. The times that I worked him in company, he'd just put the mate away easily, then goof off. We're in a good spot with the race next weekend, and then we'll stay put until the Breeders' Cup."

Gaffalione has the call on the 5-year-old son of Posse in the Lukas Classic, according to Summers.

Summers has opted to stable Mind Your Biscuits for at least two months at Churchill, as the classy sprinter preps for the Breeders' Cup in November.

"My goal all along was to win a Breeders' Cup (race)," Summers said. "We've gotten close in the past in the (TwinSpres) Sprint (G1), but with all of the other partners involved in the ownership, it's a lot of pressure to pick the spots. The Classic (G1) and Dirt Mile (G1) are also possibilities."

Mind Your Biscuits is the richest New York-bred in history, with $4,159,286 in earnings. Owned in a seven-way partnership between Summers, Shadai Farm, J Stables, Head of Plains Partners, Scott Summers, Daniel Summers, and Michael Kisber, the chestnut horse has a record of 7-10-3 from 23 starts.

Among the likely challengers to Mind Your Biscuits in the Lukas Classic is DARRS' Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) runner-up and last year's Lukas Classic winner Honorable Duty. The gelding breezed five furlongs Friday in 1:00 3/5 with trainer Brendan Walsh aboard.

Al Shaqab Racing, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, R.A. Hill Stable, and E. Young's 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up Toast of New York also is an expected Lukas Classic entrant. The 7-year-old son of Thewayyouare is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Sept. 23 from England. The four-time winner could be cleared for training Sept. 25 after quarantine time, according to Steve Hargrave, director of the Churchill stable area.