Alcibiades, Phoenix winners eyeing Breeders' Cup starts

Trainer Olly Stevens admitted Saturday morning that there

was "a bit of a celebration last night" in honor of Peace and War's victory in

the Grade 1 Alcibiades on opening day of

Keeneland's fall meet on

Friday.

"We have

had a few close calls, but that was my first Grade 1," Stevens said.

With the victory, Peace and War secured a spot in the

starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies to be run

November 1 at Santa Anita.

"She's great this morning and she acts like she wants to go

back out there," Stevens said. "We are going to let the dust settle, but we plan

to go to California. She trains so well here and there is a lot more activity at

Santa Anita, so we may sit tight here and probably catch a ride when the other

horses here ship out."

Peace and War got up in the final strides to edge Top

Decile by a half-length. Top Decile returned to

Churchill Downs after the race

to trainer Al Stall Jr.'s barn.

"We will see how she does the next couple of days, but

there is a very good chance we'd go," Stall said about the Breeders' Cup. "That

was a tough track yesterday. That last shower that came through when we were in

the Paddock really souped it up."

"I am very proud of him," said Brueggemann, who recorded his first Keeneland

stakes victory. "He is taking us to places we never have been before. I am not

sure what his ceiling is; we're still trying to find out."

One place Work All Week may be going soon is Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup Sprint at six furlongs on November 1.

He earned a guaranteed spot in the starting gate thanks to the Phoenix being a

"Win & You're In" race.

"I have been to Santa Anita for the Eclipse Awards but

never to run," Brueggemann noted. "It will be a new experience if we go."

Brueggemann said a final decision on the Breeders' Cup

would be a couple of weeks away.

"We will see how he comes out of this race," Brueggemann said. "The Pizza Man

runs at

Woodbine on October 19 (in the Grade 1 Canadian International) and after he

runs there we would fly out."