Grand Arch, Southern Honey Tune Up for Breeders' Cup

Susan and Jim Hill’s Grand Arch put the finishing touches on his major preparations for next Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) by working five furlongs on the dirt in 1:00.40 in company after the Saturday morning renovation break.

 

Grand Arch, with Julien Leparoux aboard, will make his next start in the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Santa Anita.With jockey Julien Leparoux up, Grand Arch posted fractions of :35.80 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.20. Grand Arch started about a half-length in front of Classic Brew, a 3-year-old maiden, and finished an expanding four lengths in front at the finish line.

 

“That was his last serious work (for the Breeders’ Cup),” trainer Brian Lynch said of Grand Arch, who is scheduled to ship to Santa Anita on Tuesday. “He’s ready to go out and enjoy some of that California sunshine.”

 

Grand Arch finished second to reigning two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) on Oct. 4. He worked an easy half-mile in :52.20 last Saturday.

 

A 5-year-old gelding by Arch who is a Keeneland sale graduate, Grand Arch will represent the first Breeders’ Cup starter for Lynch, who said John Velazquez would have the mount next week.

 

“He will jog Wednesday, gallop Thursday and jog again Friday,” Lynch said of the game plan for the Breeders’ Cup. “I will probably take him to the paddock once, but not the gate. He doesn’t need that; he is the ultimate professional.”

Ashbrook Farm’s Southern Honey, second in the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) here Oct. 4 in her most recent start, worked a half-mile in :49 under exercise rider Jose Cortez after the renovation break.

 

“That was much better,” trainer Rusty Arnold said. “I didn’t need to do too much with her today after last week.”

 

The 3-year-old Colonel John filly worked a best-of-88 half-mile in :46.80 last Saturday as she began her major work for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita.

 

Clockers caught Southern Honey’s first quarter-mile in :25 and had her galloping out five furlongs in 1:03.60.

 

“She will go back to the track here to gallop Monday and Tuesday,” Arnold said. “She doesn’t leave from Louisville until Tuesday afternoon on a late flight that gets in out there around 6:30.

 

“I like to take my horses out to jog the day after they ship and then she would gallop Thursday and Friday and I may take her out Saturday morning.”

 

Julien Leparoux, who has ridden Southern Honey in her past seven races, will have the mount in the Breeders’ Cup.

 

Southern Honey, a Keeneland sale graduate, visited the Keeneland starting gate Friday. Arnold has a paddock schooling session slated for Thursday for the filly at Santa Anita.

 

Source: Keeneland Communications