Blue Prize Among Breeders' Cup Workers at Keeneland

Merriebelle Stable's Blue Prize, winner of the Oct. 7 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1), returned to the worktab Oct. 19 with a four-furlong work in :47 1/5 at Keeneland in preparation for the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.

Joe Bravo, who rode Blue Prize in the Spinster for Keeneland-based trainer Ignacio Correas IV, was aboard the 5-year-old Pure Prize mare after the morning renovation break. 

Keeneland clockers caught Blue Prize's final quarter-mile in :23 1/5 with a gallop out to five furlongs in :59 3/5.

"It was a maintenance work, and it was a little bit faster than I would have liked, but she got that target (two horses working together) about 10 lengths in front that we weren't expecting," Correas said. "Other than that, I wanted to see what she did with Joe coming home. I think she did everything right. We're happy."

Correas said Bravo will ride Blue Prize in the Distaff, held at the track where she won the 2017 Falls City Handicap (G2) and the 2018 Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) and Locust Grove Stakes (G3). 

In the Spinster, Blue Prize ducked out sharply beyond the middle of the track twice before the eighth pole. Bravo straightened her out inside the sixteenth pole and drew clear for a three-quarter-length win.

"I wanted him to get to know her a little bit better," he said about having Bravo aboard this morning. "Caught everybody by surprise what she did last time. We don't really have an explanation for that."

Correas said Blue Prize would have one more work at Keeneland next week.

"I don't know when yet," he said, adding she would ship to Churchill Oct. 31. "We want to keep her home as much as we can. Probably gallop here that morning and then go over."

KRA Stud Farm's 5 1/2-length Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) winner Knicks Go completed his major training for the Nov. 2 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) with a bullet five-furlong work in :59 1/5 over a fast track Friday morning.

Working on his own after the renovation break, the colt by Paynter  produced fractions of :11 3/5, :23 1/5, :35 1/5, :46 4/5, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:11 4/5. The time was the fastest of 19 works at the distance.

"He worked well, and that was the last work for him before the Breeders' Cup," trainer Ben Colebrook said. "It is the same thing I did with him before the Breeders' Futurity, working two weeks before."

Colebrook said Knicks Go would remain at Keeneland "until the last minute. He has to be there Tuesday (Oct. 30), and I will probably train him here that morning before going over."

Scheduled to work Saturday morning after the renovation break for Colebrook is Katherine Ball's Limousine Liberal, who is expected to be pre-entered Monday in the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

For trainer Kenny McPeek, Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) winner Restless Rider and Princesa Carolina, fifth in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G2T), breezed in tandem in advance of their Nov. 2 engagements.

Also working after the renovation break, the duo covered five furlongs in 1:01 2/5. According to Keeneland clockers, they galloped out well in hand in 1:14 2/5 with splits of :12 2/5, :24 2/5, :36 1/5, and :48 4/5.  

Exercise rider Danny Ramsey was aboard Restless Rider, and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. rode Princesa Carolina. 

Restless Rider, owned by Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm, will be entered in the $2 million Tito's Handmade Vodka Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Princesa Carolina, owned by Three Chimneys, is aiming for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T). 

"Restless Rider just needed a nice maintenance breeze," McPeek said. "Next week they will work again together here, but it was a nice maintenance work. I'm happy enough."

McPeek said the fillies will remain at Keeneland until Oct. 29 or 30.

Restless Rider won her career debut and the Debutante Stakes at Churchill in June prior to finishing second in the Sept. 2 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. She was a 2 1/2-length winner of the Oct. 5 Alcibiades in her only other start. 

Princesa Carolina won her second start Sept. 3 at Saratoga before making a late rally to finish fifth in the Oct. 10 Jessamine. 

McPeek reported that Alabama Stakes (G1) winner Eskimo Kisses, seventh as the favorite in the Oct. 7 Spinster, will bypass the Distaff. 

John Oxley's Indian Summer Stakes winner Strike Silver and Gary Barber's War of Will, fourth in the Dixiana Bourbon Stakes (G3T), worked a half-mile together in :47 1/5 on the main track early Friday morning in preparation for grass tests at Breeders' Cup.

Fractions for the work accomplished at 5:45 a.m. were :12 1/5, :24 1/5, :35 2/5, and a gallop out to five furlongs in 1:00. 2/5.

"That was beautiful; I'm very happy," said David Carroll, assistant to trainer Mark Casse. "The track is in great shape, and they did it well within themselves."

Strike Silver, a 2-year-old colt by Violence , is expected to be pre-entered Monday for the inaugural $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, and War of Will, a son of War Front , is expected to be pre-entered for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T). Both races are Nov. 2.

"Most likely they will stay here and have their final work next Friday, weather permitting," Carroll said. "They are both fit and ready."