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The horses on the turf course Friday morning.

World Championships
Breeders' Cup Workouts

Date: 10/23/07

Juvenile   Juv.Fillies   Sprint   Distaff   F&M Turf   Mile   Turf   Classic   Juvenile Turf   Dirt Mile   F&M Sprint   Workout Photos   Misc. Photos

On Friday morning, some of the entrants for Saturday's Championship races went out for some last minute preparatory work. Light drizzle fell on the muddy main track and soft turf, with temperatures in the 60's. After the works were over, the rain started to pick up and the temperature started to drop, so it looks like this will be a very wet and miserable day.

Only 14 horses today and mostly turf works since we got there late because of the bad weather, but some are big names like Nashoba's Key and Dylan Thomas. Sorry for the lower picture quality, but the weather made it difficult at best. Click the small picture to see a larger version.

Thursday workout photos
Wednesday workout photos
Tuesday workout photos
Sunday workout photos


Nashoba's Key - Filly and Mare Turf favorite galloped 1 mile on the turf course. "She looked good to me," said trainer Carla Gaines. "Everybody gave me the impression it was going to be a bog, but it looked like she went right over the top of it. Joe (jockey Talamo) said she would like it if it came up soft."

Dylan Thomas - Turf favorite and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner cantered on the turf course under exercise rider Pat Lillis. "We didn't do much with any of them, really," trainer Aidan O'Brien said. "They worked before they came and they walked the last few days. When we're coming in this close, you can only do more harm than good. It's good ground. It's really like Ascot. It drains very quick. If it rains, it will take the water very well now. It's a credit to them, that's some ground after that much rain. It's like a carpet out there. Dylan is such a long, long mover that soft ground is a disadvantage. Showing up in the Arc, we were lucky that he overcame it, but everyone knows on concrete he's best."

Better Talk Now - Turf entrant and winner of the event in 2004, galloped 1 3/4 miles on the turf course. "He loves this time of year. He loves turf like that. He's a happy horse," said trainer Graham Motion. "He's always been a horse we've tried to campaign lightly, because he's such a light-framed horse. He doesn't need a lot of racing. He runs his heart out every time he runs. He just doesn't need a lot of races. I'm not even slightly concerned about the layoff. It's not an issue for me. I think it's to our advantage really."

Excellent Art - Mile entrant cantered one lap of the turf course. "They moved well, both of them," trainer O'Brien said of Excellent Art and Dylan Thomas. "They're two very good moving horses. They're very low-action horses." O'Brien accompanied Excellent Art aboard a pony.

George Washington - European representative in the Classic galloped on the main track under exercise rider Pat Lillis, and his final 3 furlongs was timed in 40 seconds. Trainer Aidan O'Brien described the exercise as "a canter on the dirt. It was lovely. He had the whole track to himself." Jockey Mick Kinane said, "He got in trouble last year and couldn't quicken again, otherwise he'd have been a couple of lengths closer. He has every right to be here. The (American) 3-year-olds have had it busy this year and he's a fresh horse coming in."

Awesome Gem - Classic entrant galloped 1 1/2 miles over the mud. "He went well," trainer Craig Dollase said. "He seemed to be traveling well and he picked it up a bit down the stretch, which is what I wanted him to do."

Bear Now - Canadian representative and Cotillion winner galloped 1 1/2 miles and then schooled in the paddock. She has come out every morning this week. "She likes to lay close to the pace, but I hope she's not on the lead," trainer Reade Baker said. "I think some of the speed horses who drew bad positions will try to get position. If the course were firm they'd fall naturally into position. Here, they're probably going to have to force it."

Hystericalady - Distaff entrant galloped 1 1/2 miles and then schooled in the paddock. "I'll talk to (jockey Eddie Castro) some today about the race," said trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. "Then tomorrow we'll see how the track is playing and talk some more."

Icy Atlantic - Mile entrant galloped 1 1/2 miles on the muddy track. "None of my horses benefit from weather like this," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "My horses in the Mile are really up against it. But everybody is going to have to cope with the weather and the condition of the turf course. We just hope our horses get a chance to run their races."

Jeremy - Mile entrant cantered on the soft turf course and schooled in the paddock under exercise rider James Savage. He has come out every morning this week. "He just had a five-furlong canter around the grass track this morning," said Coral Pritchard-Gordon, assistant to trainer Sir Michael Stoute who will not be in attendance. "Then he walked around the parade ring a couple of times and he went into stall five, where he'll be saddled up, and he took it all in stride. The turf is fine for him as it is now, but if they get the rain they are anticipating we'll just have to handle it, but we prefer it the way it is now. He handled it very well this morning and Frankie (Dettori) was very happy with him yesterday morning. Sir Michael has a very busy weekend on with eight runners at Newbury so he's staying home."

Passage of Time - Filly and Mare Turf entrant cantered on the turf course and schooled in the paddock with jockey Ramon Dominguez aboard. Trainer Henry Cecil said, "We let her walk around the ring (paddock) and then she cantered on the turf course. She enjoyed herself and he's (Dominguez) delighted with her. The track will be all right but the more rain the better for her.

Rebellion - Mile entrant galloped 1 3/4 miles on the turf. "I've always wanted to get him around two turns. I've hand in my mind that we felt he'd handle a mile," said trainer Graham Motion. "Clearly, he's a turf horse. He ran great on Polytrack, but I would even think about running him on dirt. I'd like to think he'd handle (soft turf). He's got a European pedigree. European horses seem to handle it better. I don't think it's going to hurt him and some of the American horses may not care for it."

Slew's Tiznow - Juvenile entrant trotted 1 mile on the main track. "He should run good," trainer Francois Parisel said. "I expect him to be forwardly placed and hope he gets a good trip."

Timarwa - Filly and Mare Turf entrant cantered on the turf course and schooled in the starting gate with jockey Mick Kinane aboard. Kinane said, "We brought her into the parade ring just to give her a schooling there and then we brought her down to the stalls (starting gate) because she has had a bit of trouble loading. That's our biggest worry with her. Then she just had a canter around the bend and she seems in good shape. The turf course has dried a bit from yesterday. I'd call it 'good' now."

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