Pletcher Breeders’ Cup Troops Gearing Up at Belmont

Trainer Todd Pletcher breezed a quintet of Breeders’ Cup contenders over the past two mornings at Belmont Park.

Halladay (War Front) (Mile), winner of the GI Fourstardave H. last out Aug. 22 at Saratoga, worked five-eighths in company Friday in 1:00.60 on the fast dirt training track. He was scratched out of the GI Shadwell Turf Mile Oct. 3 at Keeneland with a hind leg infection.

“I thought it was a good work. We normally don’t work him in company, but seeing as we’re a little rushed for time between races, I wanted to get a good solid work into him today in company,” said Pletcher. “He’s a very willing work horse on his own but the fact that we missed the prep race we wanted to get a good solid company work into him and we got what we were hoping for. He responded quickly to antibiotics and everything has gone according to plan so far.”

Valiance (Tapit) (Distaff) made the grade last out in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Oct. 4 at Keeneland. She clocked a half-mile in :48.04 on the dirt training track Friday.

“I thought it was an excellent work,” said Pletcher. “She seems to be in really good form at the moment. I was really happy with the work and gallop out. This is another step up but she seems to be in the best form of her career.”

Fellow Breeders’ Cup hopefuls ‘TDN Rising Star’ Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief) (Juvenile Turf), Likeable (Frosted) (Juvenile) and Union Gables (Speighstown) (Juvenile Fillies Turf/Juvenile Turf Sprint) worked on Thursday at Belmont.

Pletcher added that the undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ Happy Saver (Super Saver), a last-out winner of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Oct. 10 at Belmont, will not enter the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“We’re going to pass on the Breeders’ Cup with him and make a decision in the next week on whether we’ll give him some time off or focus on a Plan B towards the Pegasus. I think the Classic is coming up a little too soon,” said Pletcher. “He’s a horse we plan to race next year and I felt like for the long term skipping this race and focusing on 2021 is the right move for him. He has a lot of talent and we want to make sure we keep him fresh for next year.”

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BC Workers Out in Full Force at Churchill

MGISW War of Will (War Front) kicked off the Breeders’ Cup action Friday morning at Churchill Downs. With jockey Declan Carroll in the irons, the bay went in fractions of :11.60, :23.40, :34.80 and :46.80. They galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.20, seven furlongs in 1:24.80 and a mile in 1:38.40, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. War of Will has made all three of his starts this season on turf, most recently finishing third in the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile, but is being pointed for the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

“I was just the passenger along for the ride,” said Carroll. “I’ve always loved how this horse trains over the dirt. He’s very versatile and can run on dirt or turf but he’s always trained great over the dirt.”

Next up from the Mark Casse barn was War of Will’s MGISW stablemate Got Stormy (Get Stormy), who was second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile last term, but is pointing for the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint this season. With Kim Carroll aboard, the chestnut went in splits of :11.80, :23.20 and :34.80.

Brad Cox breezed four Breeders’ Cup contenders, including GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity S. hero Essential Quality (Tapit), who is pointing to the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. With Florent Geroux up, the Godolphin runner started his work one length behind multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Misunderstood (Archarcharch) through splits of :13.20, :36.80, :48.80 and 1:00.60. Essential Quality finished even with Mr. Misunderstood at the wire and the duo galloped out together in 1:26.40.

“He seems like he’s really matured over the summer into where he is now,” Geroux said. “He’s one of those horses where he keeps getting better as he gets more experience.”

Geroux also breezed undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). The GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf contender worked in company with Emro (Point of Entry), covering five panels in 1:00.80 (22/44).

Also on the worktab were MGSW duo of Mr. Money (Goldencents) and Silver Dust (Tapit), both of whom are scheduled to run in the Dirt Mile. Mr. Money breezed a best-of-44 five panels in :58.80. With Gabriel Saez in the irons, the bay cruised through early fractions of :11.60, :23.40, :34.80 and :46.80.

“It was kind of an almost must-win situation in the Ack Ack to get him back on track,” trainer Bret Calhoun said. “Mentally I think it was good for him and I can tell a difference with his training. He seems happier after the race. He hasn’t had a lot go right for him this year in his races so coming into the race off a win is crucial.”

Silver Dust worked with jockey Adam Beschizza in the irons through fractions of :11.60, :23.40, and :35.60 and completed five furlongs in 1:00.20 (9/44).

“He’s sort of been a challenging horse his entire career,” Calhoun said of the 6-year-old son of Tapit. “He’s continued to get better mentally and he’s been more consistent with age. I know it’s in him to come out of his shell.”

GI Derby City Distaff heroine Bell’s the One (Majesticperfection) continued her preparations for the GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Sprint Friday, working five panels in company in 1:00.40 (11/44) with jockey Corey Lanerie up.

“She likes to have a target in front of her, so we typically work her this way,” conditioner Neil Pessin said. “Her race against Serengeti Empress (Alternation) [in the Derby City Distaff] was so thrilling. She dug in really hard that day to get up just in time.”

Dale Romans sent out his contenders for the juvenile dirt races Friday morning, starting with the 2-year-old colt Sittin On Go (Brody’s Cause), winner of the GIII Iroquois S. With exercise rider Faustino Herrarte aboard, he went in :11.40, :22.40, :34.80 and :47. Moments later, GIII Pocahontas S. winner Girl Daddy (Uncle Mo) breezed with jockey Joe Talamo up through splits of :11.80, :23.80 and :48.40. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.60.

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Classic Preparations: Tiz The Law Breezes Six Furlongs At Keeneland

Belmont and Travers winner Tiz the Law had his first workout at Keeneland on Friday, ridden by Heather Smullen through six furlongs over the fast main track in 1:13.20. The 3-year-old son off Constitution put in splits of :26, :23.60, and :23.60, galloping out seven furlongs in 1:25.40 and a mile in 1:42, according to Keeneland's Twitter account.

Trained by Barclay Tagg, Tiz the Law is expected to make his next start in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. He arrived at the Kentucky track from his New York base on Sunday.

Winner of the G1 Champagne Stakes as a 2-year-old, Tiz the Law has had a strong season in 2020. The Sackatoga Stable-owned colt has compiled wins in the G3 Holy Bull, G1 Florida Derby, G1 Belmont Stakes, and G1 Travers Stakes, and he was most recently second to Authentic in the G1 Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5.

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Thoroughbred Safety Coalition Adopts New Reforms

The Thoroughbred Safety Coalition has added eight medical and operational reforms to its platform. The group’s Steering Committee, made up of executives from the Breeders’ Cup, Churchill Downs Incorporated, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Keeneland Association Inc., the New York Racing Association (NYRA) and The Stronach Group, voted unanimously to adopt the reforms with the ultimate goal of uniform implementation across racing jurisdictions.

The following reforms have been added to the Coalition’s platform:

  • Strengthen race entry and eligibility requirements;
  • Work with state racing commissions to apply racing regulations surrounding prohibited substances and restrict selected therapeutic substances in proximity to high-speed works;
  • Prohibit the administration of external treatments, therapies and musculoskeletal manipulation within at least 24 hours of a race;
  • Work with state racing commissions to implement a clenbuterol prohibition in racing and training along with reporting/procedural requirements as outlined by the RMTC;
  • Strengthen requirements for removing horses from the Veterinarians’ List;
  • Adopt a waiver claiming option for horses coming off an extended layoff;
  • Require implementation of an emergency track warning system; and
  • Modify racetrack on and off gaps to increase horse and rider safety.

“As today’s announcement and recent progress make clear, the Coalition’s important work to ensure the well-being of our athletes has continued despite the challenging circumstances our industry and our nation have faced this year. The new reforms will go a long way toward increasing our collective ability to identify at-risk horses before they set foot on a track and protect the integrity of our sport,” said Coalition Strategic Advisor Donna Brothers.

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