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Paco Lopez 4000 wins Woodbine Turf Showcase Woodward Stakes Day Pennsylvania Derby Day Mohawk Million Night |
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 Turf favorite Enable and jockey Frankie Dettori as they head out for a gallop on the turf this morning. |
Wednesday was warm and overcast early, but the sun did peek out for a bit despite the dire forecasts of rain starting by noon. The main track was rated fast and the turf course was rated good and even more horses came out on the turf today, including Enable. There were eight timed works by Breeders Cup horses today on both the dirt and turf. The special Breeders' Cup training time was not as busy as yesterday, probably because many went early to avoid the threatened rain. Again there was extended paddock schooling time after the turf works were over for the Breeders' Cup horses only.
The weather for the next two days continues to look bad, with 3-4 inches of rain expected tonight through Thursday. You can check the latest forecasts here.
Here are photos for 54 of the horses on Wednesday morning. All Breeders' Cup contenders must be on the grounds 72 hours prior to their race. Click the small picture to see a larger version.
Accelerate (Classic) went out early to put in his 1 1/4 mile morning gallop Wednesday with Javier Meza in the saddle.
The exercise drew a “looked good” from trainer John Sadler, who marveled a bit at the brilliance of the
lighting at 5:30. “You know you say you’re going out but not in the dark,” the trainer said. “It’s as bright as day
out there.”
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Axelrod (Classic) made his usual 1 1/4 mile tour around the Churchill Downs main track Wednesday
morning with his usual exercise mate, Nikki Diodoro, aboard. "Everything is as it should be as we come up to the race," trainer Mike McCarthy said. "He's happy and healthy and
that's the way we like it."
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Catholic Boy (Classic) galloped 1 1/4 mile under exercise rider Tracey Brown. Trainer Jonathan Thomas said, "He showed that contained energy like he's just a stride away from exploding, like a keg of dynamite just
waiting to go off. He seems to have an idea when to turn it on and turn it off. You breeze them and you look for a good reaction from the work, their eating, their energy. I thought he reacted well to it. The one thing that I can really feel confident about this horse is that 1 1/4 miles is his distance. He's really getting strong that last 1/8 mile, that's when the stamina kicks in."
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Collected (Classic) galloped on the main track a day after arriving from California.
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McKinzie (Classic) galloped 1 1/4 miles under Humberto Gomez at 7:30am. "He's working really well," trainer Bob Baffert said. "Not having to run against Justify kept him fresh. He's a young
horse, a 3-year old, but I know how good he is. He's fast and so I think he should run well."
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Mind Your Biscuits (Classic) schooled in the gate and then paddock schooled
for trainer and co-owner Chad Summers before jogging twice around the main track. "The rain really isn't going to bother us at all," Summers said. "That being said, the paddock has kind of been our Achilles' heel because he knows the difference between the morning and the afternoon. He knows when it's ‘game day' and he has this face about him like he's on ‘kill mode' before the race. We'll have him saddled out in stall 16 away from everyone and with a pony to keep him calm. You're not going to win the race in the paddock, but you can certainly lose it."
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Pavel (Classic) galloped twice around. "Winning the Stephen Foster here makes it obvious he likes the racetrack and that can't help but give him a little edge. The other thing that's encouraging with him is that he's such a good traveler," Doug O'Neill said. "He's a great road horse."
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Roaring Lion (Classic) did a strong canter around one circuit of the track with usual work
rider Bernario De Paiva. Shortly after Frankie Dettori got on board and put Roaring Lion through the gates.
"I briefly sat on Roaring Lion and put him through the gates for Mr. Gosden and he seems to be in really
great form." said Dettori.
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Thunder Snow (Classic) turned up the heat even more when a planned blowout down the lane turned into a 4f breeze timed in a swift 47.40. The move occurred just after 9am and Ian Burns was aboard for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who has yet to win the Classic from eight tries, but was second with Sakhee in 2001 and third with Swain in 1998. "It was just a blowout and went very well," bin Suroor said. "The time was nice. I hope things go good from here. He is ready."
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West Coast (Classic) went out at 9am to gallop 1 1/4 miles for exercise rider Dana Barnes and then schooled in the paddock. Last year's 3yo champion, who finished third in the 2017 Classic, also had a long
break after running second to Thunder Snow in the Dubai World Cup on March 31 at Meydan. In his comeback
race on Sept. 29, he was second to Classic morning-line favorite Accelerate in the Awesome Again.
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Yoshida (Classic) galloped Wednesday morning with trainer Bill Mott looking on. "He just galloped today," Mott said. "He's doing well." Yoshida will be making his second dirt start and first over the Churchill Downs surface in the Classic. His dam, top-level winner Hilda's Passion, was second in the 7f Humana Distaff over the track in 2011.
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Isotherm (Dirt Mile) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Abel Tasman (Distaff) covered one mile under Dana Barnes. Second in last year's Distaff, Abel Tasman shipped from California to Kentucky Tuesday.
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Champagne Problems (Distaff) galloped on the main track under exercise rider Kara Lee for trainer Ian Wilkes.
Champagne Problems had been training at the Skylight Training Center in Goshen, Kentucky, and Wednesday was her first day back at Churchill Downs. “She is doing good right now and her last three or four races have been huge,” jockey Calvin Borel said. “You can’t fault the owners and Ian for taking a shot. She is peaking now and the best thing to do when that happens is run them.”
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Monomoy Girl (Distaff) galloped once around the Churchill oval with exercise rider Mario Garcia aboard. With the threat of rain later in the morning, trainer Brad Cox sent the filly to the track with his third set, ahead of the 7:30am time allotted for Breeders’ Cup. “She was very aggressive,” Cox said. “She was moving great. She’s been that way for a while now. She
couldn’t be doing any better.”
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Wow Cat (Distaff) once again gave a good account of herself with 1 mile gallop Wednesday morning for trainer Chad Brown at just past 8 o’clock. The daughter of 2009 Juvenile runner-up Lookin At Lucky seeks to become the first Beldame winner to take the Distaff in the same se
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Golden Mischief (Filly and Mare Sprint) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Marley's Freedom (Filly and Mare Sprint) galloped 1 1/4 miles under Jose Contreras for trainer Bob Baffert. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will ride Marley's Freedom, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, from post 13. He rode her in her most recent start, the Ballerina on Aug. 25 at Saratoga.
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Mia Mischief (Filly and Mare Sprint) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Sistercharlie (Filly and Mare Turf) galloped 1 mile on the main track Wednesday morning.
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Fourstar Crook (Filly and Mare Turf) galloped 1 mile on the main track Wednesday morning. “She’s had a remarkable career,” trainer Chad Brown said. “She’s quite a story, being a New York-bred who came to us at age 2 and came up the ranks the hard way and worked her way all the way up to be a Grade 1 winner. She’s a real workmanlike horse and she can act on soft turf just fine.”
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Mom's On Strike (Filly & Mare Turf) galloped on Wednesday morning then schooled in the paddock.
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Santa Monica (Filly and Mare Turf) schooled in the paddock Wednesday morning.
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Wild Illusion (Filly and Mare Turf) worked 5f on turf in 1:02.80 under jockey William Buick. Buick said, "She is in great shape and was quite fresh today but it is all systems go for the weekend."
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Game Winner (Juvenile) made his first visit to the Churchill Downs oval Wednesday morning for a one-mile gallop under Humberto Gomez. Trainer Bob Baffert said, "I'm excited about him. He's been working up a storm. We've been working him with an older horse and he's been handling it pretty well. I'm excited about him. I always get excited about my young ones. We know what the other ones can do already. You're just hoping for him to take the next step to the next level. There might be something in there that's getting ready to explode, too. That's what the Breeders' Cup is all about. You hope that you're the guy that's exploding."
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Gunmetal Gray (Juvenile) schooled in the paddock Wednesday morning.
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Knicks Go (Juvenile) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Mind Control (Juvenile) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Tight Ten (Juvenile) galloped 1 1/2 miles on Wednesday. Trainer Steve Asmussen said, "I feel Tight Ten's progression has been excellent. He has two runs here at Churchill and has trained beautifully. Nothing but respect for the field; a great group of 2-year-olds that appears talented and deep. There are multiple contenders in the race who can win. He is going to run the best race to date. Whether that's good enough, we'll find out on Friday."
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Sippican Harbor (Juvenile Fillies) schooled in the paddock Wednesday morning.
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Concrete Rose (Juvenile Fillies Turf) schooled in the paddock Wednesday morning.
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La Pelosa (Juvenile Fillies Turf) worked 5f on turf in 1:07.60.
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Lily's Candle (Juvenile Fillies Turf) winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac, was far more settled than she was Tuesday and with her companions did a gentle canter, and then worked 4f on the main track in 51.60.
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Newspaperofrecord (Juvenile Fillies Turf) galloped one mile and later schooled in the paddock. Trainer Chad Brown said, "She kind of makes her own trip. As long as she breaks clean, she is very difficult to beat."
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Pivottina (Juvenile Fillies Turf) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Stellar Agent (Juvenile Fillies Turf) galloped on Wednesday morning and schooled in the paddock.
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Varenka (Juvenile Fillies Turf) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Code of Honor (Juvenile) schooled in the paddock after training hours. Trainer Shug McGaughey said, “He jogged a good ways and galloped a mile and a quarter. He is coming into the race good. In the Champagne, he had a lot of trouble for a
young horse but he came out of it good and since then he is very good. If he gets a clean trip in the Juvenile, we
will see what happens.”
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Arthur Kitt (Juvenile Turf) worked 4f on the main track in 50.60.
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Forty Under (Juvenile Turf) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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King of Speed (Juvenile Turf) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Tracksmith (Juvenile Turf) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Almanaar (Mile) schooled in the paddock Wednesday morning.
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Expert Eye (Mile) worked 4f on turf in 48.60 under jockey Frankie Dettori. He took a while to adjust to the track but by the time Dettori had finished he was a lot more at ease. "He was a bit fresh and I thought he was going to try and get rid of me at first," said Dettori. Trainer Sir Michael Stoute appeared relaxed about Expert Eye, "Since he has got over his stall problem he has been pretty consistent. He has gone close in a Group 1 when he was second in the Sussex Stakes. I am happy with the draw but am a bit worried about the rain that is forecast. If it was good or good to soft that would be OK, but anything worse I would be concerned."
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Next Shares (Mile) galloped on Wednesday morning then schooled in the paddock.
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Oscar Performance (Mile) worked 3f on turf in 38.20 with Arnoldo Orellana aboard for trainer Brian Lynch. "He set a world record (for a mile) in the Poker and had a big effort in the Woodbine Mile," Lynch said. "His
best races have been at a mile. Last year he was a 3-year-old who was tailing off a little bit and facing a really good field of older horses. He is going off to stud after this race, so we'll never know (about the longer distances). That's not to say he wouldn't get a mile and a half as a 4- or 5-year-old."
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Polydream (Mile) worked 4f on the main track in 49.20 after cantering once around.
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Whitmore (Sprint) went to the track during the special 7:30am. time and his trainer Ron Moquett was happy with what he saw. "We stood him in the gate and then he galloped one mile with Laura (Moquett). He
looked really good. He's happy."
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Arklow (Turf) galloped twice around on Wednesday.
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Enable (Turf) was reunited with her regular pilot Frankie Dettori. She appeared very happy with the surface and after doing a strong canter returned to the barn. Gosden was pleased with the daughter of Nathaniel. "She has taken longer to come out of the Arc which is understandable. She has gone there not 100 percent but she is eating and drinking well and has settled in nicely. She has had a light campaign and Iast year she won five Group 1's and I would have like to have come here on a crest of a wave but she has won an Arc."
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Glorious Empire (Turf) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Talismanic (Turf) followed a similar pattern to yesterday. He walked to the winning line and then jogged back to the gap before turning around and cantering down the backstretch.
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Insta Erma (Turf Sprint) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Will Call (Turf Sprint) galloped on Wednesday morning.
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Trainer Bob Baffert, who has eight horses running in the Breeders' Cup, at his barn. His runners include West Coast, McKenzie, and Collected in the Classic and Abel Tasman and Vale Dori in the Distaff. He has won fourteen Breeders' Cup races so far, including the Classic in 2016 (Arrogate), 2015 (American Pharoah), and 2014 (Bayern). He has yet to win the Distaff, although he did finish second in 2017 (Abel Tasman). |
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