Arnold barn may line up a Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint trio

Trainer Rusty Arnold already has one horse for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in Susan and Jim Hill’s Totally Boss. In the next two weeks, he hopes to add two more.

On Saturday morning, G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s multiple stakes winner Morticia worked a half-mile on the main track in :48.80. On Sunday morning, Amy Dunne’s Leinster is scheduled to work on the turf.

Both horses are nominated to next Saturday’s 23rd running of the $200,000 Woodford (G2).

“If Leinster runs in the Woodford, she will go in the Buffalo Trace,” Arnold said, referring to the Buffalo Trace Franklin County (G3) on Oct. 11. “I always work her on the dirt, and she went great this morning.”

Morticia, who has compiled a career mark of 25: 10-6-5 for earnings of $989,669, has three victories this year, including her most recent start in the Spendthrift Farm Ladies Sprint (G3) at Kentucky Downs three weeks ago.

“I’d like to go to the Breeders’ Cup with her if she wins,” Arnold said. “The race this year (at Santa Anita) is 5 furlongs and I have to consider it. If it was still 6½ (furlongs) down the hill, I wouldn’t.”

Totally Boss punched his Breeders’ Cup ticket with a victory in the Runhappy Turf Sprint (G3) at Kentucky Downs, a race in which Leinster finished third.

“Leinster has the Grade 3 win at Saratoga (in the Troy) and at Kentucky Downs (when finishing third in the Runhappy Turf Sprint) he beat the favorite (Imprimis) and Stormy Liberal, who he was giving weight to,” Arnold said.