Edited Keeneland Staff Release — A day after working many of his 2-year-olds expected for the Nov. 4 Future Stars Friday races during the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland, trainer Todd Pletcher on Friday breezed his older horses – led by multiple Grade 1 winner Life Is Good, champion Malathaat and Grade 1 winner Nest – who are scheduled to compete in the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 5.
Shortly after the second renovation break ended at 9 a.m., CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) candidate Life Is Good breezed 5 furlongs on a fast track in 1:00.40 for his first work since scoring a victory in the Oct. 1 Woodward (G1) at Belmont at the Big A. Life Is Good won last year’s Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Del Mar.
Keeneland clockers caught Life Is Good in fractions of :25, :36.80, 1:00.40 and out in 1:13 and 1:26.40.
“Super,” Pletcher said of Life Is Good’s work. “Pretty much what we have come to expect from him. He just does everything so effortlessly. He doesn’t look like he is doing anything, but you look at your watch and he comes home in :23 and change.”
Shadwell Stable’s Malathaat and Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House’s Nest worked together after the first renovation break ended at 7:30 a.m. They covered a half-mile in :48.60, producing splits of :25.40, :48.60 and out in 1:01, 1:14.20 and 1:28.80. (Click here for a video of the work.)
“We were just looking for more of the same,” Pletcher said. “They are two terrific fillies – kind workhorses and straightforward. It was just a maintenance half-mile with both of them coming off races 12 days ago with a target 15 days from now. Looks like they are holding their form great. Both seem to love the track again this morning.”
Both fillies won Oct. 9 with Malathaat taking the Juddmonte Spinster (G1) at Keeneland by 5¼ lengths and Nest capturing the Beldame (G2) at Belmont at the Big A by 9¾ lengths. The two are both being pointed at the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).
For Pletcher, Wertheimer and Frere’s Happy Saver, a possible starter in the Classic, covered a half-mile in :48.40 in company with Never Change.
“It was a workman-like breeze for him, which is his usual style,” Pletcher said. “I had him finishing up good and it looked like he was happy.”
Completing the morning activity for Pletcher were grass works turned in by Bass Racing’s Annapolis and Spendthrift Farm’s Major Dude.
Working in company, Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) winner Annapolis and Pilgrim (G2) winner Major Dude were clocked a half-mile in :47.80.
Pletcher was pleased with the works and indicated both would come back next week and work on the grass, Annapolis for the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) on Nov. 5 and Major Dude for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) on Nov. 4.
CAMPANELLE (IRE) TUNES UP FOR BREEDERS’ CUP RETURN
Stonestreet Stables’ Campanelle (IRE) continued working toward an expected start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) here on Nov. 5 by working 5 furlongs in 1:01.40 on her own over a firm course Friday morning.
“That was a good work,” trainer Wesley Ward said of Campanelle, who was fourth here in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) in her previous start in the World Championships.
The highweighted 2-year-old filly in England and France in 2020 when she won the Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot in England and the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville in France, Campanelle worked for the third time since taking the Mint Ladies Sprint (G3) at Kentucky Downs going 6½ furlongs on Sept. 10.
Another Breeders’ Cup candidate for Ward is multiple graded stakes winner Kimari. Ward is looking at the 6-furlong Sprint (G1) against males or the 7-furlong Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).
The deadline for pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup is noon ET on Monday.
BULLET MOVE BY WONDER WHEEL TOPS
BREEDERS’ CUP WORK TAB AT KEENELAND
D. J. Stable’s Wonder Wheel, winner of the Darley Alcibiades (G1) here on Oct. 7, worked a half-mile in :47.60 at 5:30 this morning when the main track opened for training.
With Elver Vargas aboard for trainer Mark Casse, Wonder Wheel produced fractions of :24.40, :36, :47.60 and out 5 furlongs in :59.80. The work was the fastest of 34 at the half-mile distance.
Working later for D. J. Stable and Casse was Nownownow Stakes winner Webslinger, who breezed a half-mile on the turf in :48.60 in preparation for a likely engagement in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) on Nov. 4. …
Also working on the turf was Augustin Stable’s Delight for trainer Jonathan Thomas.
Winner of the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2) here on Oct. 7, Delight worked a half-mile in company in :50.40 as she prepared for an expected start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) on Nov. 4.
“That was a good piece of work,” Thomas said. “The filly that worked inside of her (stakes winner Born Dapper) is no slouch. I was very pleased with it. We’ll take it.” …
Working on the dirt for trainer Chad Brown was Klaravich Stables’ Free Look, runner-up in the Miss Grillo (G2) in her most recent start. Working in company with multiple graded stakes winner Dolce Zel (FR), Free Look covered a half-mile in :49.20. Free Look also is a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
VETERAN TEMPLE CITY TERROR CHASING GRADED STAKES GLORY
IN SUNDAY’S ROOD & RIDDLE DOWAGER
A couple of rivals that Pocket Aces Racing and Somewhere Stable Kentucky’s Temple City Terror has faced recently will be absent Sunday when she starts in the 31st running of the $300,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) going 1½ miles on the grass.
War Like Goddess, who finished ahead of Temple City Terror in the Glens Falls (G2) and Flower Bowl (G2), is headed for the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1); Virginia Joy (GER), winner of the Flower Bowl, is most likely headed for the $2 million Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
“She beat Virginia Joy in the Glens Falls,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “There was talk (Virginia Joy) was going to run here (in the Rood & Riddle Dowager), and it doesn’t hurt me that she’s not.”
Now 6, Temple City Terror has been with Walsh through her 27-race career in which she has earned $521,843.
“It took her 10 times to break her maiden, but once she got that out of the way, she moved forward by leaps and bounds,” Walsh said.
A winner of two stakes and three times graded stakes-placed, Temple City Terror will be seeking that elusive initial graded victory. She has done her best running on firm ground, a condition that should greet her Sunday.
“She likes this course, and she has run well on it in the past,” Walsh said. “She is doing very good right now.”
Temple City Terror is cataloged to Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale as a racing or broodmare prospect. Consigned by Brookdale Sales, agent for Pocket Aces Racing, she is Hip 197.
UPCOMING STAKES PROBABLES
$300,000 Rubicon Valley View (G3), 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles on the turf (Entries taken Sunday; race Friday, Oct. 28) – California Angel (trainer George Leonard III), Dolce Zel (FR) (Chad Brown), Heavenly Hellos (Rey Hernandez), Turnerloose (Brad Cox). Possible: Diamond Wow (Patrick Biancone).
$200,000 Myrtlewood, 2-year-old fillies, 6 furlongs (Entries taken Sunday; race Friday, Oct. 28) – Alva Starr (Brett Brinkman), Lady Radler (Michael Campbell), Satin Doll (Doug O’Neill), Somebody’s Problem (Greg Foley), Take Charge Briana (D. Wayne Lukas), Time for Champagne (Rusty Arnold).
$350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2), 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/8 miles (Entries taken Wednesday, Oct. 26; race Saturday, Oct. 29) – Ain’t Life Grand (Kelly Von Hemel), First Captain (Shug McGaughey), King Fury (Kenny McPeek), Last Samurai (D. Wayne Lukas). Possible: West Will Power (Brad Cox).
$300,000 Bryan Station (G3), 3-year-olds, 1 mile on the turf (Entries taken Wednesday, Oct. 26; race Saturday, Oct. 29) – Churchtown (Roger Attfield), Dakota Gold (Danny Gargan), Double Clutch (Rusty Arnold), Fort Washington (Shug McGaughey), Play Action Pass (Robert Medina), Ready to Purrform (Brad Cox), Speaking Scout (Graham Motion), Stolen Base (Mike Maker).
$200,000 Bowman Mill, 2-year-olds, 6 furlongs (Entries taken Wednesday, Oct. 26; race Saturday, Oct. 29) – BourbonBash(D. Wayne Lukas), Damon’s Mound (Michelle Lovell), Havnameltdown (Bob Baffert), Quick Hammer (Brad Cox), Two Phil’s (Larry Rivelli). Possible: Sir Lancelot (Mike Stidham).
