Mr. Big News to skip Breeders' Cup, but Calhoun has 3 going

Trainer Bret Calhoun plans to send three horses to the 2020 Breeders' Cup in hopes of breaking a 10-year stretch without a win in the championships.

But Mr. Big News won't be among them after coming in seventh in the Preakness and third in the Kentucky Derby for Allied Racing Stable.

"I’m not sure what we’re going to do with him," Calhoun said of the Giant's Causeway colt. "We’re going to decide here in the next week. We may decide to pursue another 3-year-old race by the end of the year. Mainly what’s left is some turf racing around different places, so that’s a consideration. Or we might just decide to give him a little breather and point toward the 4-year-old campaign.

"He’s very good (after the Preakness). He got in [to Churchill Downs] early, early this morning, and he made the trip back well, pulled up out of the race very, very good, and all options are open."

One of Calhoun's three Breeders' Cup starters at Keeneland on Nov. 7 will be By My Standards in the Classic. The 4-year-old Goldencents colt, owned by Allied Racing Stable, won the Grade 2 Alysheba on Sept. 4 by 1 3/4 lengths over Owendale.

"He’s doing great," Calhoun said Monday. "He came out of that race very well. I kind of like the fact that we’re just raining him up to the Breeders’ Cup. He’s training here at Churchill, won’t be a far ship for us. We'll just try to give him plenty of time between races and have him peaking Nov. 7."

By My Standards started the year with three straight wins, including the New Orleans Classic (G2) and the Oaklawn Handicap (G2), before finishing second in the Stephen Foster (G2) and the Whitney (G1). 

Another Calhoun trainee, Silver Dust, almost caught Owendale for second in the Alysheba, and he will head to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Calhoun said.

"I thought he ran a great race in the Alysheba," Calhoun said. "He had a bit of a tough trip, definitely should have been second to By My Standards. Just a real solid, consistent horse as of late, and I don’t think there’s been a lot separating him and the ones that finished right in front of him. I think a little different trip here and there could put him right there as well."

The 6-year-old gelded son of Tapit, owned by Tom Durant, hadn't raced since finishing third in the Stephen Foster on June 27. His last win was in the Mineshaft Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds in February.

Joining Silver Dust in the Dirt Mile will be Mr. Money, also a 4-year-old Goldencents colt and winner of the Ack Ack (G3) on Sept. 26. It was his first win in five tries this year after a promising 3-year-old campaign in which he won four straight graded stakes before coming in second in the Pennsylvania Derby and seventh in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

"Everybody can look at his form and knock this and knock that this year, but really none of it has been his fault," Calhoun said. "There’s been a lot of excuses — you hate to keep making excuses, but he really has not had a fair opportunity this year. And he came through in the Ack Ack, and I think in a pretty solid group, and snuck through on the rail and showed a little courage and went on. I think it put him right back on track to be in the middle of the mix for the Breeders’ Cup Mile."

Mr. Money is owned by Allied Racing Stable and Spendthrift Farm.