Breeders' Cup Classic notes: Catholic Boy 'stride away from exploding'

To say that trainer Jonathan Thomas was pleased with Breeders' Cup Classic contender Catholic Boy’s Wednesday morning training at Churchill Downs would be an understatement.

“He showed that contained energy like he’s just a stride away from exploding, like a keg of dynamite just waiting to go off,” Thomas said. “Our job is to hopefully time it for 5:45 Saturday afternoon.”

The 3-year-old son of More Than Ready -- who breezed five furlongs in 1:01 on Sunday, jogged Monday and walked the shed row Tuesday -- galloped 1 1/4 miles under Tracey Brown on Wednesday.

“He seems to have an idea when to turn it on and turn it off. You breeze them and you look for a good reaction from the work, their eating, their energy. I thought he reacted well to it,” Thomas said. “He’s sharp. He’s very aware, kind of knowing its game time.”

Thomas said Catholic Boy’s morning of training was the best he’s had since arriving at Churchill Downs.

“Today really picked my head up,” Thomas said.

Catholic Boy enters the Classic off back-to-back 10-furlong wins in the Belmont Derby on turf and the Travers over Saratoga’s main track.

“As trainers, we’re always skeptical; we’re always unsure; we’re always questioning and second-guessing," Thomas said. "But the one thing that I can really feel confident about this horse is that a mile and a quarter is his distance. He doesn’t run like a horse that wants to go over a mile and a quarter, and he’s not a miler.

"He’s a good mile-and-an-eighth horse, but the mile and a quarter is when all of his best attributes get to be showcased. He’s really getting strong that last eighth of a mile, that’s when the stamina kicks in.”

Discreet Lover – The surprise winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Sept. 29 and his owner-trainer Uriah St. Lewis enjoyed their second day of training at Churchill Downs on Wednesday. Discreet Lover jogged twice around the track clockwise during the time slot reserved for Breeders’ Cup entrants.

“He came back, cooled out and that’s it, we’re here,” St. Lewis said.

Discreet Lover represents the age-old notion that quality horses can come from anywhere. St. Lewis purchased the 5-year-old son of Repent for $10,000 as a 2-year-old at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton sale in Timonium, Maryland and the horse has since banked $1,374,685 in 44 starts with his 7-7-7 record.

“We went to the sale looking to buy something for 15 to 25 thousand and we like to buy horses that are their dam’s first foal,” St. Lewis said. “He looked smart and one thing led to another and we got him. It was probably lucky, too.”

St. Lewis, who with his wife Amanda owns the nearly 30 horses he trains at Parx Racing, said he was especially impressed with the horse’s demeanor at the auction and surmises that his stature might have deterred buyers. 

“He is not real big and robust; he is on the smaller side,” he said. “You can be big and robust and have no sense but he has a lot of sense, a lot of class.”

Discreet Lover continues to maintain a sensible attitude.

“He likes to nibble and bite a little bit but other than that, he is a pussy cat,” St. Lewis said.

Gunnevera – The 4-year-old son of Dialed In galloped jogged a half-mile and galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Victor O’Farrel Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs.

“I feel very, very good about the horse and his condition. I told the rider to finish with an open gallop,” trainer Antonio Sano said. “He came back after the work, breathing normal.”

Margoth’s Kentucky-bred colt finished second in the Woodward at Saratoga last time out, closing strongly despite racing wide throughout the 1 1/8-mile stakes.

“This race is a mile and a quarter. In his last race he ran 90 feet more than the other horses,” Sano said. “In this race, we have a good inside post position four. He’ll like this distance.”

Lone Sailor – G M B Racing’s Lone Sailor visited the starting gate and then galloped over the main track under Maurice Sanchez Wednesday morning.

On Saturday in the Classic, Lone Sailor will be reunited with jockey James Graham, who rode him to victory in the Oklahoma Derby in his most recent start.

“I like him,” said Graham, who will be seeking his first Breeders’ Cup victory. “The Oklahoma race really woke him up. Since then, his works have been steady and that is what you want to see. He does what he has to do. People think he hangs, but he doesn’t.”

Lone Sailor drew post position five for the Classic that drew a field of 14.

“Post position doesn’t matter,” Graham said. “It will be like the (Kentucky) Derby where we track to the inside and save ground.”