Don’t Tell Sophia, Southern Honey Work Toward BC Bids

Three horses under consideration for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships worked on the fast main track Saturday morning.

Juddmonte Spinster (G1) winner and Keeneland sales graduate Don’t Tell Sophia worked Saturday morning with Joe Rocco Jr. aboard. She is expected to make her next start in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).Working at 7 a.m. before the renovation break, Susan and Jim Hill’s Grand Arch covered a half-mile in :52.20 on his own under jockey Julien Leparoux. After the break, trainer Phil Sims and Jerry Namy’s Don’t Tell Sophia worked a half-mile in: 48.80 on her own under jockey Joe Rocco Jr., and Ashbrook Farm’s Southern Honey worked a half-mile in :46.80 on her own under Leparoux. (Click here for a video of Don’t Tell Sophia’s work.)

Grand Arch, runner-up to two-time reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), is scheduled to work again next Saturday and leave for California on Tuesday, Oct. 28 according to trainer Brian Lynch.

“That is the first time I’ve had him on the dirt, and I just wanted to let him stretch his legs,” Lynch said. “He is not very aggressive on his own. He will do a little more next week, five-eighths, and tighten the screws a bit.”

Lynch said John Velazquez would ride Grand Arch in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) on Nov. 1. Velazquez has ridden 12 Breeders’ Cup winners, two coming in the Mile.

Don’t Tell Sophia posted fractions of :12.60, :25.20 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.20.

“Good and easy. I am just trying to get her there,” Sims said of the work by the winner of the Juddmonte Spinster (G1). “She will probably have a similar work next Saturday with a strong gallop during the week.”

Don’t Tell Sophia will represent the second Breeders’ Cup starter for Sims. Hot Cha Cha finished fifth in the 2010 Filly and Mare Turf (G1) at Churchill Downs.

Slated for a run in the $2 million Distaff (G1) on Oct. 31, Don’t Tell Sophia is scheduled to ship to Southern California on Sunday, Oct. 26.

Southern Honey, who finished second in the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) on Oct. 4, is under consideration for the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) on Nov. 1 for trainer Rusty Arnold.

“She went slightly quicker than I thought she would,” Arnold said of Southern Honey, who galloped out five furlongs in :58.80. “I am going to meet with the owners tomorrow morning and go over everything and we’ll make a decision.”

The deadline for Breeders’ Cup pre-entries is Monday. They will be announced Wednesday.

“If we go, she would work again on the 26th and ship on the 28th,” Arnold said.