Espoir City in transit to Louisville

ESPOIR CITY (Jpn) (Gold Allure), Japan's hope for the $5 million Breeders'

Cup Classic (G1) on November 6, is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs early

Tuesday morning.

"He is in the air now," said Mikki Tsuge of the International Racing Bureau,

who will serve as interpreter for trainer Akio Adachi and jockey Tetsuzo Sato at

the Breeders' Cup. "The trainer is coming in this afternoon and the jockey will

be here on (October 22)."

Espoir City was being flown from Japan to Chicago, where he would change

planes for the flight to Louisville with an expected arrival at Louisville

International Airport of 3 a.m. (EDT). He will be in quarantine at Churchill

Downs for 48 hours.

A three-time Group 1 winner in Japan, Espoir City has won 11 of 20 career

starts with a record on dirt of 13-10-2-0. In his most recent start, which

followed a five-month layoff, Espoir City finished second in the October 11

Nambu Hai Mile Championship, a Group 1 race on the local circuit.

Undefeated champion mare ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]) was aggressive in her

Monday morning training session in preparation for her title defense in the

Classic. She galloped 1 1/2 miles on the Hollywood Park dirt training track

under exercise rider Steve Willard.

"She ain't no kid's horse," Willard said after keeping the 19-and-0 star

under a tight hold despite her desire to go faster.

"She wants to do more," trainer John Shirreffs said as he watched her

intently from the rail. "She'll get her chance soon."

Those chances will come in two more scheduled workouts -- one on Friday and

another on October 30.

A group of awestruck fans was on hand Monday to pose for pictures with the

two-time Breeders' Cup winner during her typical 10:30 a.m. (PDT) grazing time.

"I really became a fan of hers after the '09 Classic," said Mike Peterson, a

lifelong racing fan from Los Angeles. "She's just incredible, and such a ham."

The Spinster S. (G1) at Keeneland on October 10 was supposed to be the last

hurrah for ACOMA (Empire Maker). However, a funny thing happened on the way to

the farm -- Acoma upset a stellar field of 10 and became a millionaire in the

process. Now, trainer David Carroll is getting the regally bred five-year-old

ready for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (G1) on November 5.

"She came out of the race fine," said Carroll, who plans to give Acoma two

works leading up to the Breeders' Cup. "She is two-for-two on the dirt (at

Churchill) and she likes it here. If the Breeders' Cup were at Santa Anita or

someplace else, we would not be going. Plus, Zenyatta not

going to be there. There are a lot of factors involved."

In addition to being perfect on the dirt at Churchill, including a win in the

2008 Dogwood S. (G3), Acoma has compiled a 5-3-1-0 mark on the Matt Winn turf

course. Despite that mark, the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1)

was not a consideration.

"It is a mile and three-eighths and way too tough," Carroll said. "Plus, the

ground is likely to be soft, which she doesn't like."

Trainer Michelle Nihei said Monday morning that PRINCE WILL I AM (Victory

Gallop) may be pre-entered next Monday in the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1)

as well as the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon (G3).

"It is hard to believe he was a maiden here last fall," said Nihei, a former

assistant to Todd Pletcher. "You could tell then that he would mature late. He

has a great mind, but his body didn't catch up."

Prince Will I Am entered the Breeders' Cup picture with a victory October 9

in the Jamaica H. (G1) for three-year-olds at Belmont Park going 1 1/8 miles on

the grass. The Breeders' Cup Turf is 1 1/2 miles and the Marathon is 1 3/4 miles

on the main track.

"I am not worried about the distance either on turf or dirt, but there will

be some strong Europeans for the Turf," Nihei said. "It is up to (owner) Susie

(Atkins)."

Nihei said that Prince Will I Am, who broke his maiden at first asking at

odds of 45-1, bounced out of the Jamaica great and would have two works prior to

the Breeders' Cup.

ATTA BOY ROY (Tribunal), winner of the Churchill Downs S. (G2) this spring,

is scheduled to come to Churchill Downs from the Louisville Trackside Training

Center for two works before the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) according to trainer

Valerie Lund.

"He will work Friday or Saturday with Calvin (Borel) up and then on Saturday

the 30th," Lund said. "I will probably bring him over for the Breeders' Cup on

the Monday or Tuesday of Breeders' Cup week."

Atta Boy Roy finished eighth in the 5 1/2-furlong Woodford S. (G3) on the

grass at Keeneland on October 9 in his most start.

"He has done well since that race," Lund said. "The timing of the race was

right, but after the race he told me 'No grass and don't run me in the Turf

Sprint (G2).'"