A below 30-degree morning sent many Breeders' Cup pre-entrants to the Keeneland training track in lieu of the main track that did not open for training until 90 minutes after its regular 6 o'clock opening.
Training was extended on the main track until 10:30 and turf training pushed back to 10:30-11.
Among the marquee names training on the main track was Tiz the Law (Classic), who had a strong gallop under Heather Smullen in his first day back on track following a 5f work in 59 1/5 on Saturday.
Arriving across the road from the track at Blue Grass Airport was a flight from New York that included the World Championships contingents from trainers Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher.
The draw for post positions for all 14 Championship races is scheduled for this afternoon starting at 5 p.m. ET on TVG and streaming live on www.Breederscup.com.
Longines Classic (G1)
Authentic, Improbable/Maximum Security — Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert traveled from his home in Southern California to Kentucky Monday after entering six horses in the 37th Breeders' Cup. Baffert's sextet will ship to Keeneland on Tuesday.
Baffert is scheduled to have three starters in the $6 million Classic: Authentic, Improbable and Maximum Security. He has won the marquee event of the 14-race Breeders' Cup lineup three times.
Also headed to the World Championships from the Baffert barn are Gamine for the Filly and Mare Sprint; Princess Noor in the Juvenile Fillies and Classier in the in the Juvenile.
By My Standards — Allied Racing Stable's Longines Classic contender By My Standards jogged a circuit of Churchill Downs on Monday morning for trainer Bret Calhoun.
“He just went and jogged today,” Calhoun said. “He came out of his work well (5f in 59 4/5) and was very sharp this morning.”
The son of two-time Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents will ship over to Keeneland on Wednesday.
Calhoun added: “We'll just train him on Wednesday morning and ship him over early.”
Global Campaign – Sagamore Farm's Global Campaign, who galloped 1 1/4m at Churchill Downs Monday morning, will ship to Keeneland Wednesday morning for his scheduled start in the Classic.
“He'll just gallop into the race. He's been training really, really well,” trainer Stanley Hough said.
Higher Power – Hronis Racing's Higher Power jogged once around on the main track at Keeneland with Juan Leyva, assistant to trainer John Sadler, in the saddle.
The morning exercise marked the first day back on the track for Higher Power, who had worked 5f in 58 4/5 on Saturday, his fifth work since arriving at Keeneland a month ago.
Leyva said that Sadler, who won the 2018 Classic with Accelerate, will be at the barn in the morning.
Tacitus – One day after breezing 5f in 1:00 flat, the Bill Mott-trained Tacitus continued his preparation for the Longines Classic on Monday morning at Keeneland. While the majority of Thoroughbreds may walk or jog the day after a workout, the 4yo Juddmonte Farms blueblood did a little more. Leaving Barn 60 at just past 8 o'clock, the son of Tapit galloped one lap of the 1 1/16m main track under Felipe Castro.
“He had worked yesterday,” said Riley Mott, assistant trainer. “We usually take him to the track the day after he works just to do a little something, because he's pretty high-energy in the barn. He just galloped a short mile. He came out really good (from the breeze). He has good energy and is moving sound. His legs are good and he looks good.”
Title Ready – Charles Fipke's Title Ready braved the cold early this morning and galloped at his Churchill Downs base at 5:20 under exercise rider Emerson Chavez. Trained by Dallas Stewart, Title Ready is scheduled to arrive at Keeneland Wednesday.
Tiz the Law – Exercise rider Heather Smullen knows Sackatoga Stable's three-time Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law very well and likes how he feels and is acting approaching the Longines Classic.
With Smullen up Saturday, Tiz the Law breezed 5f in :59.20 at Keeneland. The rider and her enthusiastic 3yo colt were back on the track Monday for more routine daily exercise. Smullen said the son of Constitution was happy to be out on the sunny but chilly morning.
“Yes, he drug me around for a mile and a half,” she said with a laugh.
Tiz the Law won the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 28, the Belmont on June 20 and the Travers on Aug. 8 at Saratoga to climb to the top of the 3yo division. He has not competed since finishing second by 1 ¼ lengths to Authentic in the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5. On the advice of trainer Barclay Tagg, the owners decided to skip the Preakness on Oct. 3 and prepare for the Classic.
Tagg worked him a Belmont Park on Oct. 16 and shipped him to Keeneland two days later to give him three weeks – and two works – to become accustomed to the track. Smullen said Tiz the Law is comfortable and gearing up for his first try against older horses.
Tom's d'Etat – Two days after putting in his final serious breeze in advance of the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, G M B Racing's Tom's d'Etat returned to the track and put in a jog at Churchill Downs on Monday under the watch of trainer Al Stall Jr.
If simply getting a horse into a Breeders' Cup race is an achievement in itself, Tom's d'Etat's slated presence in Saturday's 10f test is a massive reward to his connections for the faith they have displayed through his start-and-stop career. Though the son of Smart Strike is the veteran of the Classic field at the age of 7, he has made just 19 career starts because of physical setbacks, including a pair of ankle surgeries.
Since November 2018, however, Tom's d'Etat has been able to stay healthy. After ending his 2019 season with consecutive wins in the Fayette and Clark, the bay horse has kept himself at the forefront of the handicap ranks this year with victories in the Oaklawn Mile and Stephen Foster.
“That's it. The continuity has just helped him where instead of starting and stopping, he's been actually good since November of 2018,” said Stall, who famously upset eventual Hall of Famer Zenyatta in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic with champion Blame. “He's basically been going forward since then. He's been a straight forward, regular horse for over two years now. That continuity has got his cardio perfect and has his mind just right. I think that's why we're where we are today.”
Tom's d'Etat hasn't started since finishing third in the Whitney at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 1, a race in which he stumbled at the break and lost all chance. Stall gave his charge some extra time to make sure no physical issues manifested after that troubled start and Tom's d'Etat has been solid on the work tab since, including a pair of bullet 6f moves on Oct. 17 and Oct. 24.
“I'm just happy for the horse. He deserves to be this type of horse,” Stall said. “We've felt that way all along and a lot of horses might have had this kind of untapped potential and not get to it. But for him to show up on this type of stage at this point in his career, I'm happy for him and the owners. My crew worked hard on this horse for a long, long time. It's a feel-good story.”
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