McLaughlin decides on Champagne for Enticed

Godolphin Stable's Enticed was cross-entered in the both the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne at Belmont Park and the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland on Saturday, but trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he decided the 2-year-old will compete on Big Sandy at one mile in the "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Grade 1, $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 4 at Del Mar.

Enticed drew post 13 in the Futurity, a two-turn race at 1 1/16 miles, the same distance as the Juvenile. The son of Medaglia d'Oro drew post 4 in a 12-horse Champagne field, which is contested at one turn.

"We're going to run here, we drew post 13 down there, which is very difficult," McLaughlin said Thursday morning. "They are both tough spots, moving up from just breaking a maiden to a Grade 1, but we'll find out where we stand. We think he's a nice colt."

Enticed won his debut at six furlongs on September 4 at Saratoga Race Course, rallying in the stretch to post a 1 ¾-length score in the maiden special weight.

"Going one turn was favorable and drawing a decent post, we're [excited] to see how good he is," McLaughlin said. "He wants to go as far as they'll ride him. He's a great, big colt. We were surprised he won going six furlongs first time out. The distance won't be an issue. The competition might be; it's only his second start and we hope all goes well."

Enticed is 10-1 on the morning line and will have the services of jockey Junior Alvarado.

McLaughlin said Lucullan has been training well and is ready to make his first stakes start in Saturday's Grade 3, $500,000 Hill Prince for 3-year-olds. After needing three races to break his maiden, the Hard Spun colt has two wins and a third-place finish in his last three starts, with both victories coming on Belmont's main track.

"He won impressively in an allowance race, so this is a big step up for him," McLaughlin said. "He won here on this track and he's a 3-year-old who is improving all the time."

Lucullan drew post 5 in the nine-horse field and is 8-1 on the morning line. Kendrick Carmouche, aboard for four of his five career starts, will have the return call.

Shadwell Stable's Muqtaser will look to build on his stakes debut in Monday's Grade 2, $200,000 Knickerbocker for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf.

Muqtaser was third in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup on September 9 at Kentucky Downs, battling back from eighth to finish in the money at 1 ½ miles. He will now be cutting back in distance before making a potential start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Red Smith at 1 3/8 miles on November 11 at Aqueduct Racetrack, McLaughlin said.

"We're going to try the mile and an eighth, we think it will be fine for him, and we're hoping we can then point him to the Red Smith at a mile and three-eighths," he said. We're going to try him, but we'll be watching the weather."