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Breeders’ Cup Hopefuls Breeze in Kentucky

A quartet of horses headed towards engagements at the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar Nov. 6 were out for serious workouts Saturday morning at both major Kentucky venues.

Champion Essential Quality (Tapit) worked five furlongs in the company of Ellis Park allowance winner Colonel Bowman (Curlin) just after the track opened for business shortly after 5:30 Saturday morning. The duo broke off at the half-mile pole, crossing the wire in :46.80 before completing the move around the clubhouse turn in :59.20. Essential Quality outgamed Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) to take out the GI Runhappy Travers S. in his most recent start and is being trained up to the Classic, for which he figures no worse than the second choice.

“Essential is the type of horse that just keeps finding more in every race,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I thought his race in the Travers was a tremendous effort to run down [Midnight Bourbon]. He's a really nice horse in his own right.

He continued, “The distance in the Classic is not going to be an issue for him. He'll be fit and ready. There wasn't a race in between the Travers and the Classic that made a lot of sense for him to run in. We gave him two easy half-mile works prior to [Saturday] and we'll keep tightening the screws each week.”

The Cox-conditioned Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) turned in an easy half-mile in :50.40 Saturday morning, her first move since winning the GIII Locust Grove S. Sept. 17.

Bell's The One (Majesticperfection), a latest second to Sconsin (Include) in the Sept. 17 Open Mind S., also returned to the tab Saturday morning for trainer Neil Pessin. The 5-year-old, who will look to improve on her third-place effort to Gamine (Into Mischief) in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, went in the company of recent allowance runner-up Audrey's Time (Uncle Mo) and covered a half-mile in :48 (14/131), breaking off five lengths behind her stablemate before joining her on the wire.

Across Interstate 64 at Keeneland Saturday morning, pro-tem divisional leader Letruska (Super Saver) tuned up for the Oct. 10 GI Juddmonte Spinster S. by working five-eighths of a mile in :59 over a fast main track. She was clocked in splits of :22.60, :35.40 and :46.80 before energetically galloping out six furlongs in 1:11.

Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), winner of the 2020 GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, worked five furlongs in 1:01 over the firm turf course in preparation for next Saturday's GII Woodford S. His workmate was the fleet 2-year-old filly Averly Jane (Midshipman), who is ticketed for the Oct. 10 Listed Indian Summer S. en route to a possible appearance in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

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Cox: Classic Distance ‘Is Not Going To Be An Issue’ For Essential Quality After Saturday Work

The action began early Saturday morning beneath the famed Twin Spires as several possible contenders for the Breeders' Cup World Championships recorded workouts including Lothenbach Stables' Bell's the One (four furlongs, :47), Godolphin's Essential Quality (five furlongs, :59.20) and Qatar Racing, Flurry Racing and Big Aut Farm's Shedaresthedevil (four furlongs, :50.40).

Grade 1 Travers Stakes winner Essential Quality, one of the nation's top 3-year-olds, breezed on the outside of allowance winner Colonel Bowman. The duo worked shortly after the track opened at 5:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) and began their breeze from the half-mile pole. They crossed the wire in :46.80 and completed their move around the clubhouse turn.

“Essential is the type of horse that just keeps finding more in every race,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I thought his race in the Travers was a tremendous effort to run down (Midnight Bourbon). He's a really nice horse in his own right.

“The distance in the Breeders' Cup Classic (1 ¼ miles) is not going to be an issue for him. He'll be fit and ready for the Classic. There wasn't a race in between the Travers and the Classic that made a lot of sense for him to run in. We gave him two easy half-mile works prior to (Saturday) and we'll keep tightening the screws each week.”

Essential Quality's stablemate Shedaresthedevil, the winner of the G3 Locust Grove two weeks ago, recorded her first work back since the 1 1/16-mile event. Her owners reported the multiple Grade I winner will be sold at the Fasig Tipton November Sale following the Breeders' Cup.

The speedy mare Bell's the One returned to the work tab following her narrow defeat to Sconsin in the $300,000 Open Mind. Trained by Neil Pessin, Bell's the One worked in company with recent allowance runner-up Audrey's Time. With regular rider Corey Lanerie aboard, Bell's the One started about five lengths behind her stablemate at the half-mile pole and finished even at the wire.

A total of 200 horses recorded published workouts Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Along with the Breeders' Cup contenders, Kentucky Derby fan-favorite Soup and Sandwich has returned to Louisville. Trained by Mark Casse, the G1 Florida Derby runner-up cruised five furlongs in :59.60. He is scheduled to make his first start since finishing last in the Derby in late October at Keeneland, according to assistant trainer David Carroll.

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Sconsin Eyes BC Trip Following Open Mind

Lloyd Madison Farms IV LLC's homebred filly Sconsin (Include) is on track for a second straight appearance in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint following her tough, half-length defeat of Bell's the One (Majesticperfection) in Saturday's Open Mind S. on the Downs After Dark program at Churchill.

A pace-compromised fourth, just a half-length behind Bell's the One, in last year's Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland, Sconsin was winning for the second time in six starts this term, having taken the course-and-distance GIII Winning Colors S. by 3 1/4 lengths in May. Runner-up to Bell's the One as the favorite in the June 19 Roxelana S. beneath the Twin Spires, Sconsin was exiting a fourth to 'TDN Rising Star' and divisional leader Gamine (Into Mischief) in the GI Ballerina H. at Saratoga Aug. 28. Sconsin was second to Gamine in the GI Derby City Distaff on Kentucky Derby day May 1.

“She's just a classy filly,” trainer Greg Foley told the Churchill notes team. “[Trainer] Neil's mare is a really solid horse and they really battled last night. You get a little worried when the field is short about what the pace will be. They went quick last night and that helped us. In her two starts this year against Gamine they went almost two seconds slower for the opening quarter-mile.”

About 30 of Foley's friends and family were in the winner's circle Saturday night, but his son Travis was occupied with a bachelor party ahead of his Oct. 2 wedding.

“We would've loved to be there but we definitely had a good celebration after she won,” Travis Foley said.

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Sconsin Outlasts Bell’s The One To Win Open Mind At Churchill Downs

Lloyd Madison Farms IV's homebred Sconsin got the first run on Bell's the One down the stretch in Saturday night's 12th running of the $300,000 Open Mind (Listed) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., as she turned back a late run from the 4-5 favorite to prevail by a half-length in a clash of two of the top filly and mare sprinters in America.

Trained by Greg Foley and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Sconsin ran six furlongs in a stakes record 1:08.75 as the 9-5 second betting choice.

Sconsin, 3 ¼-length winner of the $150,000 Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill Downs in May, was rated in fourth, as expected, behind pacesetter Mundaye Call who dictated the terms from the rail through early fractions of :21.64 and :44.77. Ain't No Elmers and Jungle Juice (IRE) tracked just behind the leader. Bell's the One, who improved her impressive record to nine wins from 19 starts and $1.1 million earnings after a victory in the $200,000 Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., this summer, trailed the compact field of five fillies and mares.

Sconsin made the first move and had a two-length advantage on Bell's the One leaving the turn. Sconsin drew even with the leading trio with a furlong to run and out-finished Bell's the One to the wire.

“A lot of credit has to go to Greg and his team for getting this filly ready to go tonight,” Gaffalione said. “She was very sharp and we got into a good position early. There was some pace in front early. She dug in well late to hold off (Bell's the One). It was a really strong effort tonight.”

Sconsin, who banked the $185,000 first prize, improved her record to five wins, four seconds, and a third in 15 starts. Her career earnings total $783,362.

The career earnings for the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Include now total $783,362.

“Going into the race we saw there was a little bit of speed on paper,” Foley said. “She got the pace setup tonight unlike the Ballerina at Saratoga. Neil (Pessin)'s filly (Bell's the One) beat us in the spring and we got the better hand tonight. She deserves it. Tyler gave her a great ride. He knew Bell's the One was coming and Sconsin just had her measured tonight. It was our turn.”

Sconsin paid $5.60, $2.40 and $2.10. Bell's the One, ridden by Corey Lanerie, returned $2.40 and $2.10. Mundaye Call finished another four lengths back in third under Florent Geroux and paid $2.40 to show. It was another half-length back to Jungle Juice (IRE) and 6 ¾ lengths back to Ain't No Elmers.

“It was a great race tonight with two solid horses,” said Neil Pessin, trainer of Bell's the One. “Bell's ran a great race and we are proud of her effort.”

Saturday's race saluted the late Eugene Klein's Hall of Fame filly Open Mind, the D. Wayne Lukas-trained winner of the 1988 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs who returned to the Louisville track the following spring to win the Kentucky Oaks. The New Jersey-bred filly was an Eclipse Award champion at ages two and three. A winner of 12 races and $1,844,372 in 19 starts, the daughter of Deputy Minister was enshrined in Racing's Hall of Fame in 2011.

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