Monomoy Girl, Swiss Skydiver, Tom’s D’Etat Breeze At Churchill Downs

Saturday's work tab at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., was filled with star power with many of the nation's top contenders logging their penultimate workouts before the Nov. 6-7 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland. Among the stars to work Saturday included champion Monomoy Girl (six furlongs, 1:12), Preakness (GI) winner Swiss Skydiver (four furlongs, :47.80) and Grade I winner Tom's d'Etat (six furlongs, 1:12.80).

On Saturday, trainer Brad Cox's barn worked five of their nine probable runners in this year's Breeders' Cup. Most notably taking to the track was superstar mare Monomoy Girl. The likely favorite in the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI) worked with her regular pilot Florent Geroux aboard and started about one length behind stablemate Owendale. Owned by Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables, Monomoy Girl swiftly worked through eighth-mile splits of :12, :24.40, :36.20, :47.80 and 1:00. Monomoy Girl galloped out in front of Owendale through seven furlongs in 1:26.40, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. Owendale completed his six-furlong move one second slower than Monomoy Girl in 1:13.

“Anyone you put with Monomoy, she seems to always out-work them,” Geroux said. “She's worked with a lot of really good horses in the past and Owendale is a really good horse. She just always gets the better of them.”

“There's not much really to say about her other than she's just really, really, really good right now,” Cox added. “We'll see what the future holds for her but as a 5-year-old she's showing how mature she's become.”

Cox's morning started at 5:30 a.m. when Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and Peter Coneway's $2.4 million earner Arklow worked outside of stablemate Plainsman through splits of :12.60, :24.80 and :47.80. Plainsman completed five furlongs in :59.80. Arklow, who was ridden by Geroux, continued to gallop out around the clubhouse turn in front with a six-furlong gallop out in 1:11.80. The $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf (GI) will mark Arklow's 30th career start but only the second with the addition of blinkers.

“I wish I would've added the blinkers in start 19 instead of 29,” Cox joked. “He's really turned the corner since we put them on for the Kentucky Turf Cup Classic (G3) last out. This year has been interesting with this horse. He ran a good race in June (in the $100,000 Louisville) and we ran him back in the Elkhorn where he didn't run bad but I had the not-so-great idea of sticking him on a plane and running six days later at Monmouth (in the G1, $315,000 United Nations). After he finished fourth that day, I said we have to make a change and add blinkers. It really worked out in the Kentucky Turf Cup, which in and of itself turned out to be a really interesting race when there was a torrential downpour before the running of the race.”

Immediately following Arklow's move, Cox worked Korea Racing Authority's four-time winner Knicks Go, who recently cruised to a 10 1/4-length score at Keeneland in a conditioned allowance event. The gray son of Paynter worked solo through early fractions of :24.40 and :48 with a six-furlong gallop out of 1:12.80.

“This horse has really come around,” Cox said. “I hope we can get into the Dirt Mile because I think he will really like two-turns and have a pace advantage with his stamina.”

Also in the first set of Cox horses was Slam Dunk Racing and Medallion Racing's recent $350,000 First Lady (GI) runner-up Beau Recall (IRE), who is likely to face the males in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (GI). She worked by herself through fractions of :13.20 and :25.60 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.80.

In Cox's next set he worked Gaining Ground Racing's 12-time winner Factor This, who easily breezed through splits of :13, :25.40 and :49.20. The recent winner of the $250,000 Dinner Party (GII) worked outside of stablemate Gold Standard.

The fastest recorded five-furlong move of the morning came from Allied Racing Stable's $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (GI) contender By My Standards when he whipped through fractions of :12, :23.40 and :34.80 with jockey Gabriel Saez aboard. The duo galloped out six furlongs in 1:11 and completed seven furlongs in 1:24.80.

“Last week was the first work we did a little bit something serious with him (since he won the Alysheba),” Calhoun said. “He was full of energy and bounced around great after it. It's been a different year for sure losing a few races here or there. We were fortunate to have (the Alysheba) on the undercard of the rescheduled Derby. We probably could've shipped somewhere around the country but our goal was how to get him to the Breeders' Cup Classic. We decided to stay here run in the Alysheba and point to the Breeders' Cup from there.

“Some really good horses look like they're coming together (for the Classic) and horses that have beaten us. Tom's d'Etat beat us (at Churchill in the Stephen Foster). I have a ton of respect for him. Maximum Security hasn't done anything wrong in his career. It's a top group of horses that we'll have to turn the tables on them. … I think By My Standards has been very consistent this year and has gotten better as the months have gone on.”

The aforementioned Tom's d'Etat, who has been off since his troubled third-place effort in the $750,000 Whitney (GI) in early August, continued his serious preparation for the Classic with a solid six-furlong move under jockey Miguel Mena. The duo worked with stablemate Oak Hill. Tom's d'Etat, owned by G M B Racing, worked through splits of :12.20, :23.80, :47.20 and 1:00. Oak Hill completed five furlongs in 1:01.

“The schedule with the pandemic got a little awkward with everyone,” Stall said. “The races didn't quite work out in the calendar quite right for him. My gut feeling said to go into the Classic fresh anyway and when the last round of stakes races came out I didn't like the way they were placed so we stuck with the plan to train up to the race.”

Just before Tom's d'Etat worked, a trio of horses from the Kenny McPeek barn worked solo for the Breeders' Cup. Among them was recent $1 million Preakness Stakes (GI) heroine Swiss Skydiver. With Robby Albarado in the saddle, the classy 3-year-old filly breezed through fractions of :12.40 and :24.40.

“She was pulling today and feeling really good with the cool weather,” Albarado said. “No complaints, she feels amazing. … I'm going to gallop her the last five days before the race as I did at Pimlico. We're going to see how she's doing and make a decision (about the Classic or Distaff) from there.”

Robby Albarado on Swiss Skydiver: “She feels amazing.”

McPeek also worked $1 million Juvenile Fillies (GI) probables Simply Ravishing and Crazy Beautiful. The one-two finishers, respectively, in the $350,000 Alcibiades (GI) had eerily similar workouts. Crazy Beautiful worked through fractions of :12.20 and :24.20, while Simply Ravishing went :12.20 and :24.40.

The Saturday morning action completed around 9:20 a.m. with CJ Thoroughbreds, Left Turn Racing and Casner Racing's $500,000 Derby City Distaff (GI) third-place runner Sally's Curlin who breezed through opening splits of :12.40, :24, :36.40 and :48.40. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.40.

Starting on Friday at Churchill Downs, there will be a special training period for Breeders' Cup contenders from 7:30-7:45 a.m. The special training session is scheduled to run through Wednesday, Nov. 4.

The full list of Breeders' Cup contenders that worked Saturday morning at Churchill Downs included the following horses:

Horse Trainer Distance, Time Breeders' Cup Race
Arklow Brad Cox Five Furlongs, :59.60 Turf
Beau Recall Brad Cox Five Furlongs, :50.60 Mile
By My Standards Bret Calhoun Five Furlongs, :58.60 Classic
Crazy Beautiful Kenny McPeek Four Furlongs, :48 Juvenile Fillies
Factor This Brad Cox Five Furlongs, 1:02 Mile
Global Campaign Stan Hough Four Furlongs, :48 Classic
Knicks Go Brad Cox Five Furlongs, 1:00.20 Dirt Mile
Monomoy Girl Brad Cox Six Furlongs, 1:12 Distaff
Sally's Curlin Dale Romans Five Furlongs, 1:01.40 Filly & Mare Sprint
Simply Ravishing Kenny McPeek Four Furlongs, :48 Juvenile Fillies
Spanish Loveaffair Mark Casse Five Furlongs, 1:04.20 Juvenile Fillies Turf
Swiss Skydiver Kenny McPeek Four Furlongs, :47.80 Distaff/Classic
Tom's d'Etat Al Stall Jr. Six Furlongs, 1:12.80 Classic

 

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Keeneland Announcer Becker Sidelined With COVID-19

Kurt Becker, the only track announcer in Keeneland's history, tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to miss Saturday's final day of the Lexington, Ky., track's fall meeting.

A statement from Keeneland said Becker, who ended the “silent era” by becoming Keeneland's first race caller in 1997, is “experiencing only mild symptoms and he is resting at home.”

Keeneland did not indicate what day Becker was tested. The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department protocol in other cases with mild symptoms required a minimum 10 days in isolation following a positive test. Unless his condition worsens, that would free Becker from isolation in time to provide the on-track call of the Nov. 6-7 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland.

The statement from Keeneland said: “In adherence to Keeneland's Healthy at Work protocols, track announcer Kurt Becker will miss closing day of the Fall Meet as he has tested positive for COVID-19.

“Kurt is experiencing only mild symptoms and he is resting at home. We look forward to his speedy recovery and to welcoming him back for the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland on Nov. 6-7.”

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that two other unnamed individuals working at Keeneland tested positive this week, one a year-round employee and the other seasonal.

Travis Stone, track announcer at Churchill Downs, filled in for Becker on Saturday's closing-day card. Churchill Downs begins its fall meet on Sunday.

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Breeders’ Cup Partners With Guardian Security

The Breeders’ Cup announced a new partnership with Guardian Security to provide 24-hour security services surrounding the 2020 World Championships, scheduled for Nov. 6 and 7 at Keeneland. Over 100 security guards will be deployed to support the Breeders’ Cup Equine Security Team to help monitor activity in the barns, keep daily logbooks of who enters a stall and bolster overall stable and racetrack security while enforcing safety and integrity protocols.

“Protecting the welfare of our horses has always been an utmost priority,” said Dora Delgado, Breeders’ Cup Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer. “We firmly believe in the continued enhancement and enforcement of the security standards in Thoroughbred racing, and we hope to set the new benchmark in equine care through our partnership with Guardian Security.”

Jeff Blanton, Chief Operating Officer of Guardian Security, added, “Our goal at Guardian Security is simple–to provide world-class safety and security measures that guarantee the most seamless and high-quality horse racing experiences. Breeders’ Cup has long been known for its exemplary equine welfare protocols, and we’re honored to be working with them to build upon this strong foundation and create the safest and fairest World Championships yet.”

For more information on Breeders’ Cup’s equine welfare and safety standards, visit www.BreedersCup.com/safety.

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Uni Upsets Stablemate Newspaperofrecord In G1 First Lady, Gets Entry To Breeders’ Cup Filly And Mare Turf

Uni (GB) returned to her winning ways at the right time to take her second Grade 1 First Lady, turning the tables on accomplished stablemate Newspaperofrecord (IRE) at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

The First Lady is a Win and You're In Challenge Series race for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, meaning Uni will get an automatic berth in the race.

Crystal Lake took the early lead from Newspaperofrecord going into the first turn, with Uni sitting third off the early leaders. Uni and rider Joel Rosario followed Newspaperofrecord when the fellow Chad Brown filly drew alongside Crystal Lake going into the final turn. Uni took a wide route to the outside of her stablemate and shadowed her throughout the stretch, wearing her down in the final strides.

Uni had been the second betting choice at 2-1 behind even money favorite Newspaperofrecord. She paid $6.80 to win. Newspaperofrecord was third, and Beau Recall (IRE) was second.

The final time for the mile was 1:34.90.

Uni is owned by Michael Dubb, Head of Plains partners, Bethlehem Stables, and Robert LaPenta. She was bred in Great Britain by Haras D'Etreham. Uni is the daughter of More Than Ready out of Dansili (GB) mare Unaided (GB). She is also a past winner of the G1 Matriarch, the G3 Noble Damsel, and the G2 Sands Point. She came to this race with two other starts this year, finishing off the board both times after winning last year's Breeders' Cup Mile.

See the full chart here.

Quotes from the $350,000 First Lady (G1) Presented by UK HealthCare, courtesy the Keeneland press office

Sol Kumin of Head of Plains Partners (winning co-owner of Uni [GB] via telephone)

“I was so stressed out. If she doesn't run well here, you couldn't run her back in the Breeders' Cup after the year she had. Now you run her back, same track, four weeks and you feel like she might be back. (Trainer) Chad (Brown) said her last two breezes, he felt like she was circling back to the form she had last year so we were hopeful. But until you see it, you just don't know. Just an incredible filly.

“Her last race for us will be the Breeders' Cup (Mile-G1) against the boys and if she is able to do it again, it would be Hall of Fame good.

“I'm just so happy. This year was tough. When you bring these horses back at this age, you sort of question yourself of 'did we do the right thing?'. She seemed like she had been doing well the last couple of months so we felt like we did the right thing. Today obviously you feel like we did right by her. Hopefully she can give us one more big effort. If not, she's given us everything we could have ever asked for.”

Baldo Hernandez (assistant to winning trainer Chad Brown)

“This filly is really nice. Every time we come this way, to Kentucky – she trains really well, and she loves the track (turf course).”

Joel Rosario (winning rider)

“I was close (to the pace). She was comfortable there, a couple of lengths behind Newspaperofrecord (IRE) and the other horse (Crystal Lake) in front of me, She's nice to ride, she's easy. Thanks to Chad Brown and all his people for the opportunity.”

Julien Leparoux (rider of runner-up Beau Recall [IRE])

“She came running at the end and ran a very big race. Just could not catch the winner. A very nice filly won the race.”

Brad Cox (trainer of Beau Recall)

“Breeders' Cup will still be under consideration. We are very pleased with the effort. She is a nice filly and she showed it again today. We have just had a little trouble getting her into the winner's circle for a Grade 1. We definitely will entertain the idea of the Breeders' Cup.”

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