Breeders' Cup horses work in New York, Kentucky

Borrego annexed the Jockey Club Gold Cup by 4 1/2 lengths(Deborah Kral/Horsephotos.com) A plethora of contenders for the October 29 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships worked at Belmont Park on Monday. BORREGO (El Prado [Ire]) breezed six furlongs in 1:16 1/5 over a fast track in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). The Beau Greely trainee is coming off victories in the Jockey Club Gold Cup S. (G1) and Pacific Classic (G1). SOCIETY SELECTION (Coronado's Quest), who finished third in the Beldame S. (G1) on October 1, breezed seven furlongs in 1:25 1/5 for conditioner Allen Jerkens. The three-time Grade 1 winner is expected to run in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). Alabama S. (G1) victress SWEET SYMPHONY (A.P. Indy), fourth in the Beldame and also likely for the Distaff, worked five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 for trainer Bill Mott. Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out Classic probable FLOWER ALLEY (Distorted Humor), who breezed five furlongs over a fast training track in 1:00 4/5 in company with four-year-old maiden Rectory Hill (Sky Classic), who was awarded the same time. Flower Alley captured the Travers S. (G1) and Jim Dandy S. (G2) at Saratoga before unexpectedly dueling for the early lead and finishing fourth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup last out. "I thought he breezed well," Pletcher said. "He finished up strongly. He relaxed nicely off that other horse." Beldame heroine ASHADO (Saint Ballado), last year's champion three-year-old filly, covered the same ground in 1:02 4/5. Ashado will seek back-to-back victories in the Distaff. "She went good, but it was a little bit on the slow side," Pletcher said. "She was nice and relaxed and it looked like she was moving well." Cigar Mile H. (G1) winner LION TAMER (Will's Way) smoked four furlongs in :47 in advance of an expected start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). The five-year-old most recently finished third in the October 1 Vosburgh S. (G1).

"He actually went a little quicker than I wanted, but he was full of himself

out there," Pletcher said. "He was full of run the whole way and galloped out

real well. I'm very pleased."

ENGLISH CHANNEL (Smart Strike), second by a head in the Joe Hirsch Turf

Classic Invitational S. (G1) last out, breezed five furlongs in 1:03 1/5 over a

good inner turf course beneath retired Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. The sophomore, who is prepping for the Breeders' Cup

Turf (G1), previously finished second in the Secretariat S. (G1) at Arlington

Park.

"He's a fit horse," Pletcher said. "We're just trying to keep him where he

is. He did everything in the Turf Classic except put his nose on the wire first.

First time at a mile and a half and first time against older horses, it was what

we were hoping for."

LEROIDESANIMAUX (Brz) (Candy Stripes), undefeated in three starts this season

and the likely favorite for the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1), breezed six furlongs

in 1:15 3/5 over the inner lawn. The Bobby Frankel trainee most recently cruised

to a 7 3/4-length victory in the Atto Mile S. (Can-G1) over yielding ground at

Woodbine. Prior to that, he captured Fourstardave H. (G2) at Saratoga and the

Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) at Santa Anita in front-running fashion.

Brooklyn H. (G2) winner LIMEHOUSE (Grand Slam), also prepping for the Mile,

breezed a grassy half-mile in :49 1/5 under jockey Jose Santos. The Pletcher trainee most recently

finished a close fifth in the Kelso Breeders' Cup H. (G2).

"I thought he went really well," Pletcher said. "Santos said he really liked

the way he handled it."

RISKAVERSE (Dynaformer) and WONDER AGAIN (Silver Hawk), one-two by a head in

the Flower Bowl Invitational S. (G1) on Breeders' Cup Preview Day, breezed five

furlongs on the inner turf course in 1:02 4/5 and 1:01 2/5, respectively. Both

are expected to match up once again in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

Sword Dancer Invitational S. (G1) runner-up RELAXED GESTURE (Ire) (Indian

Ridge), who could run next in the $2 million Canadian International (Can-G1) on

October 23 at Woodbine or the Turf, breezed a grassy four furlongs in :50 2/5.

At Aqueduct, SAINT LIAM (Saint Ballado), a top contender for the Classic,

breezed six furlongs over a fast track in 1:13 1/5. The Richard Dutrow trainee

rolled to a two-length victory in the Woodward S. (G1) in his most recent outing

on September 10. The bay horse was beaten a neck in the Whitney H. (G1) at

Saratoga and captured the Stephen Foster H. (G1) at Churchill Downs and Donn H.

(G1) at Gulfstream Park earlier this year.

Cotillion H. (G2) runner-up YOLANDA B. TOO (Two Punch), prepping for the Distaff, breezed four furlongs in :49 4/5

and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.

"She's very fit and we just wanted to open up her wind pipes," trainer Richard Violette

said.

In Kentucky, Churchill Downs H. (G2) winner BATTLE WON (Honour and Glory)

worked four furlongs out of the gate in a bullet :47 1/5 over a fast track in

preparation for the Sprint. It

was the fastest of 53 works at the distance. Trained by Charles Simon, Battle

Won ran second in the Forego H. (G1) at Saratoga and then was caught in traffic

and blocked while finishing a close fifth in the grassy, 5 1/2-furlong Woodford

S. at Keeneland on October 9.

In other Breeders' Cup news:

Canadian champion A BIT O'GOLD (Gold Fever) will bypass the Canadian

International at 12 furlongs on the turf and instead point toward the $4 million

Classic, according to trainer Catherine Day-Phillips.

"We've pre-entered him in the Classic," Day-Phillips said. "I don't believe

he can handle Grade 1 competition on the turf at a mile and a half, but I don't

know that he can't handle it at a mile and a quarter on the dirt."

A Bit O'Gold finished second in last year's 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate before

taking the final two jewels of the Canadian Triple Crown, which concluded with

the 1 1/2-mile Breeders' S. on the turf at Woodbine.