Big-name Breeders' Cup contenders beat the rain at Keeneland
Five contenders for the 35th Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2-3 turned in their final preparations over a fast track Thursday morning at Keeneland.
“Perfect,” trainer Rusty Arnold said after his unbeaten Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf hopeful Concrete Rose worked a half-mile in :49 around 5:45 a.m. “We wanted her to go in :49, and she went in :49.”
Concrete Rose worked in company with stablemate Macabre to her inside. She passed her workmate down the lane and finished two lengths in front.
Keeneland clockers caught Concrete Rose in fractions of :12.40, :24.40, :36.60 and :49.
Owned by Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing, Concrete Rose earned a berth in the Juvenile Fillies Turf by winning Keeneland’s JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2) on Oct. 10 in her second start. The Twirling Candy filly captured her career debut Aug. 20 at Saratoga.
Arnold said Concrete Rose would head to Churchill Tuesday.
Last year’s Jessamine winner, Rushing Fall, won the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
The remaining works occurred after the morning renovation break.
Trainer Kenny McPeek sent Darley Alcibiades (G1) winner Restless Rider (Juvenile Fillies) with Jessamine fifth-place finisher Princesa Carolina for a half-mile work.
“Rain is coming overnight, and I wanted to work them before this track got wet,” McPeek said.
Restless Rider was a length in front of Princesa Carolina at the finish and was clocked in :48.40. Time for Princesa Carolina was :48.60.
The pair went in :11.80, :23.60, :36 and galloped out in 1:00.80.
“We just wanted to let (Restless Rider) stretch her legs again,” McPeek said. “She was coming back six days off her last breeze (in which she worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.40).”
Princesa Carolina was pre-entered in the Juvenile Fillies Turf but was not selected into the field. McPeek said she might run in Sunday’s Rags to Riches at Churchill.
McPeek said the two fillies as well as his Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) runner-up, Signalman, would leave for Churchill "maybe today maybe tomorrow, I haven’t set it yet.” Signalman is to breeze at Churchill Saturday.
Restless Rider is owned by Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm. Three Chimneys owns Princesa Carolina.
Signalman races for Tommie M. Lewis, David A. Bernsen and Sherri McPeek’s Magdalena Racing.
Amerman Racing’s Oscar Performance, who has trained at Keeneland this month for Brian Lynch, had his final serious work for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Oscar Performance and jockey Jose Ortiz, on the outside of stablemate Silver Ride, completed 5 furlongs in 1:01.40 after starting a length behind Silver Ride, who was clocked in 1:01.60. Oscar Performance, winner of the Woodbine Mile (G1) on Sept. 15, went the final quarter in :24 and galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:14.
“It was the work we needed going into the race,” Lynch said. “The gallop out and the whole work was a good work. He might have a little blowout at Churchill but nothing serious. This is what he needed, and Jose was thrilled with the work.”
Oscar Performance is scheduled to ship to Churchill on Sunday.
Making their way to the track about 9 a.m. were the final Breeders’ Cup contenders to work Thursday morning: John C. Oxley’s Indian Summer winner Strike Silver (Juvenile Turf Sprint) and Gary Barber’s Dixiana Bourbon (G3) fourth-place finisher War of Will (Juvenile Turf). Both are trained by Mark Casse.
Working together, the pair covered 4 furlongs in :48.20.
Clockers caught the pair in fractions of :12.40, :24, :35.80 and :48.20 and galloping out in 1:00.80.
“Very happy with them,” David Carroll, Casse’s Keeneland assistant, said. “Great surface here and nice, quiet track. Hopefully it’ll be a winning breeze.”
Carroll said Strike Silver and War of Will along with Conrad Farm’s Lexus Raven Run (G2) winner Shamrock Rose (Filly & Mare Sprint) would leave for Churchill on Sunday.