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Prado gets acquainted with Tin Cup Chalice Jockey Edgar Prado got acquainted with Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-G1) hopeful TIN CUP CHALICE (Crusader Sword) for the first time on Thursday. The Mike LeCesse sophomore jogged one lap and cantered one lap on the dirt at Hanshin Racecourse, where the about nine-furlong contest will be held Sunday. "I've never teamed up with this horse, but I've raced against him two or three times and have the impression that he's a very strong horse," Prado said. "He was very relaxed this morning during his exercise, the dirt feels good, and he seems to have recovered from the long trip. After seeing the final list of the field, I'll consider what kind of pace I'll race him." "The training went well, and he's coming into his race very well," LeCesse said Thursday. "He looks good and I think he's gained four to five kilograms since he's left the quarantine station. Since we found out he was going to race on a right-handed course, we breezed the horse a few times in that direction at home (at Finger Lakes), and every work has been better. "I prefer (him to draw post) 4 because his style of racing is in the front, so he should be able to get a good position," he added. When entries were drawn, Tin Cup Chalice wound up in post 8 in a 16-horse field. "Tomorrow he'll jog and gallop and stand in the gate -- just to get him to relax in the gate," LeCesse said. "Saturday he'll have a very light and easy day of training." On Wednesday, LeCesse revealed that Tin Cup Chalice had "run down," or sustained abrasions when his heels hit the racing surface, but that he was doing well at present. "He's in good condition and his run-down looks good too," the trainer said. "It's been a week since we arrived and he's getting accustomed to the atmosphere. His wound is healing well too." The overachieving Tin Cup Chalice, who was recently honored as the Finger Lakes Horse of the Year, sports an eight-for-nine lifetime mark. The first winner of the Big Apple Triple for New York-breds, the gelding went on to claim the Indiana Derby (G2) last time out. Also taking to the Hansin track on Thursday were America's other two representatives, Suburban H. (G1) hero FROST GIANT (Giant's Causeway) and Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) star MAST TRACK (Mizzen Mast). With assistant trainer Rodolfo Rodriguez aboard, Frost Giant cantered one lap and jogged a half-lap on the dirt course. The Richard Dutrow charge schooled in the paddock and saddling area as well. "He was more aggressive at the quarantine stables, but he's getting used to the environment here and looks comfortable, happy and relaxed," Rodriguez said. "I liked the way he sat today, he looked good. (Regarding the right-handed course) we just have to get used to the system -- how they run over here. The surface is much different --more sandier, but I hope the horse likes it on the day he runs. I don't see any problems. It would be nice if it (the barrier draw) were in the middle. We'll probably gallop him 1 1/2 miles tomorrow, and after that it will depend on what the trainer says." In his only start since the Suburban, Frost Giant was eased in the Northern Dancer S. (Can-G1) on yielding turf at Woodbine. He has landed in post 2 for the Japan Cup Dirt. Bobby Frankel's homebred Mast Track jogged one lap on the dirt course and schooled in the paddock and saddling area. "He did some speed work yesterday, so he just jogged a lap today," said assistant Jose Cuevas, who was aboard for the exercise. "He moved very good and smooth, and his (constitution) is the same as he was back home. He'll gallop tomorrow and we'll see how he handles the right-handed track and the surface. We would like (the barrier to be) somewhere between 4 to 6 because he races up front. We're planning on a gallop tomorrow and on Saturday, and then maybe do a blowout on the day of the race." Mast Track, who drew post 13, has not won since his front-running score in the Hollywood Gold Cup. Third in the Pacific Classic (G1) and eighth in the Goodwood S. (G1), he was nursing a quarter-crack leading up to his fifth-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. The American trio will face an all-star Japanese cast that includes Peter Pan S. (G2) romper CASINO DRIVE (Mineshaft), who will try to rebound from his disappointing last-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1); defending Japan Cup Dirt champion VERMILION (El Condor Pasa); and KANE HEKILI (Fuji Kiseki), winner of the 2005 edition who recently returned from a two-year layoff.The Japan Cup Dirt, which had traditionally been run the day before the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) at Tokyo, will be held as the last leg of the Japan Autumn International series. The first leg, the November 16 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (Jpn-G1) for distaffers, was taken by Little Amapola (Agnes Tachyon). The mare Blumenblatt (Admire Vega) defeated males to land the second leg, the November 23 Mile Championship (Jpn-G1), while Screen Hero (Grass Wonder) scored a 41-1 upset in the third leg, this past Sunday's Japan Cup.
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