Her Smile Sharp in Breeders' Cup Move
Four horses pointing toward Breeders’ Cup World
Championship races on Friday worked Saturday morning at Churchill Downs
for trainer Todd Pletcher. The group of Breeders’ Cup hopefuls consisted of Her Smile, Stopshoppingmaria, Super Espresso and Sweet Cat.
Working prior to the renovation break was Bobby Flay’s Her Smile, who breezed four furlongs on the main track in :48.20 in preparation for the Grade I Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. The work was the sixth fastest of 62 at the distance.
“She worked really well,” Pletcher said. “She got over the ground well, finished strongly and galloped out great. I was really happy.”
Her Smile, under exercise rider Annie Finney, recorded fractions of :13, :24.60, :36.40 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.60 and six furlongs in 1:14.40.
Working after the renovation break on the main track was Super Espresso, who is also owned by Flay. In company with Alma d’Oro, Super Espresso breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80 for the Ladies’ Classic (GI). The work was the 20th fastest of 49 at the distance.
“I thought she worked well for her,” Pletcher said. “She’s never been an overachiever in the morning and she sort of lost interest when her workmate fell behind her, but overall it was solid.”
Pletcher also sent two horses to train on the Matt Winn Turf Course on Saturday. Mike Repole’s Stopshoppingmaria, who will run in the Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies (GI) or the Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII), and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Sweet Cat, who will enter the Juvenile Fillies Turf, breezed four furlongs around the “dogs” in company. Stopshoppingmaria, under Javier Castellano, finished a length better than her workmate and was clocked in 1:04.20 while Sweet Cat was credited with a time of 1:04.40.
"Stopshoppingmaria went over the turf really well,” Pletcher said. “We’ll see how she comes back from the work and I’ll talk with Mike and we’ll make a decision tomorrow (about which race to enter).”
Sunday morning will be another busy one for Pletcher as all six horses in the barn who are entered in races on Breeders’ Cup Saturday are scheduled to work.