Flower Alley leads busy workday for Pletcher's Breeders' Cup team

Flower Alley leads busy workday for Pletcher's Breeders'

Cup team

Among Pletcher's Sunday workers was Wait a While, shown dominating older rivals in the Yellow Ribbon last time out (Alex Evers/Horsephotos.com) Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a host of Breeders' Cup contenders for works on Sunday. On a fast track at Churchill Downs, last year's Travers S. (G1) king FLOWER ALLEY (Distorted Humor) smoked six furlongs in a bullet 1:13 2/5 in advance of a likely tilt at the November 4 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Jockey Chris DeCarlo was aboard for the move in company with a stablemate, which ranked as the fastest of five works by more than three full seconds. "I thought he looked good," owner Eugene Melnyk said. "We want to see how he comes out (of the work), and we want to see the rest of the times of the works today. We'll more than likely go (in the Classic). I want to go, but I want to make sure that we've got a good shot to win. We've already got him sold for a stallion, so we want to make sure that whatever we do betters him, rather than take a step back." Flower Alley kicked off his 2006 campaign with a smooth success in the Salvator Mile S. (G3) at Monmouth Park, but the Pletcher charge is coming off a pair of seventh-place finishes in the Whitney H. (G1) and Woodward S. (G1) at Saratoga. Melnyk believes that Flower Alley looks better now than he did at the Spa. "I saw him at Saratoga, and he just wasn't the same horse that I saw earlier in the year," his owner observed. "Now he's coming back. The first thing I noticed was his coat, and he's back on his toes. When he was at Saratoga, he kind of looked a little dull, but he looks better now." A four-year-old chestnut, Flower Alley will retire to stud at Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Kentucky, after this racing season.

The remainder of Pletcher's formidable squadron worked at Belmont Park.

On the soft inner turf, recent Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1)

king ENGLISH CHANNEL (Smart Strike) traveled five panels in 1:05 2/5 in

preparation for the

Breeders' Cup Turf (G1).

English Channel's rabbit for the Turf, Grade 3 winner ICY ATLANTIC (Stormy

Atlantic), went an easy half-mile in :54.

Scintillating American Oaks Invitational S. (G1) and Yellow Ribbon S. (G1)

victress WAIT A WHILE (Maria's Mon) clocked 1:05 1/5 on the grass. The gray

sophomore ranks as one of the leading contenders for the Breeders' Cup Filly &

Mare Turf (G1).

Also tuning up for the Filly & Mare Turf, last-out Flower Bowl Invitational

S. (G1) queen HONEY RYDER (Lasting Approval) took a half-mile spin on the lawn

in :50 4/5.

On the fast main track, last-out Beldame S. (G1) heroine FLEET INDIAN (Indian

Charlie), seeking her ninth win in a row in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1),

strode in 1:01 2/5.

Two of her stablemates also drilled for the Distaff.

Go for Wand H. (G1) queen SPUN SUGAR (Awesome Again) zipped in 1:01, while

Ruffian H. (G1) winner POOL LAND (Silver Deputy) traveled in 1:01 3/5.

Arkansas Derby (G2) king LAWYER RON (Langfuhr), runner-up in the Super Derby

(G2) and on the bubble for the Classic, posted 1:01 1/5.

Hopeful S. (G1) hero CIRCULAR QUAY (Thunder Gulch), runner-up in the

Breeders' Futurity (G1) last out, worked five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 in advance of

the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Also prepping for the Juvenile, Futurity S. (G2) victor KING OF THE ROXY (Littleexpectations)

stopped the watch in the same time.

Schuylerville S. (G3) queen COTTON BLOSSOM (Broken Vow), exiting a fourth in

the Alcibiades S. (G2), posted the same time in preparation for the Breeders'

Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

Two of Pletcher's other Juvenile Fillies contenders likewise exercised

five-eighths.

Adirondack Breeders' Cup S. (G2) victress OCTAVE (Unbridled's Song),

dead-heat runner-up in the Matron S. (G1), finished up in 1:01 2/5.

FEATHERBED (Smart Strike), the other half of the dead-heat for second in the

Matron, clocked 1:02 3/5.

Maryland Breeders' Cup Sprint H. (G3) winner FRIENDLY ISLAND (Crafty Friend),

third in the Forego S. (G1) two back, went in 1:01 3/5. Pletcher is mulling a stab

at the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).

Also at Belmont, horseman Shug McGaughey worked two of his stalwarts.

Alabama S. (G1) and Gazelle S. (G1) heroine PINE ISLAND (Arch) drilled six

furlongs in 1:15 2/5 for the Distaff.

Multiple Grade 1 victor GOOD REWARD (Storm Cat), third in the Kentucky Cup

Classic S. (G2), exercised five-eighths in 1:01 4/5.

Woodward S. (G1) winner PREMIUM TAP (Pleasant Tap) blazed in a bullet :59

4/5, fastest of 77 at the distance, as he gears up for the Classic. The John

Kimmel charge endured a nightmare trip when fifth in the Kentucky Cup Classic.

Over Keeneland's Polytrack, impressive Man o' War S. (G1) hero CACIQUE (Ire)

(Danehill) strode six furlongs in 1:15 4/5 in advance of the Turf.

Prepping for the Juvenile Fillies, unbeaten Summer S. (Can-G3) winner

DREAMING OF ANNA (Rahy) sizzled seven panels in 1:24.

At Churchill, Juvenile Fillies hopeful GATORIZE (Exploit) took a half-mile

spin in :49 1/5 beneath jockey Jordan Charkoudian. The Helen Pitts trainee was

fifth in the Alcibiades in her stakes debut and may not be able to draw into the

14-filly field. If Gatorize doesn't get in, she will point toward Sunday's

Pocahontas S. (G3).

Working at Hollywood Park for the Juvenile Fillies, Oak Leaf S. (G1) queen

CASH INCLUDED (Include) went five furlongs on the synthetic surface in 1:00 4/5.

Arcadia H. (G2) king SILENT NAME (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) motored

three-quarters in a bullet 1:13 2/5, tied for the best of 13 at the distance.

The Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) contender is exiting a seventh in the Shadwell Turf

Mile S. (G1).

On a fast track at Santa Anita, Grade 2 winner SUPER FROLIC (Pine Bluff)

drilled six panels in 1:12 4/5. Conditioner Vladimir Cerin is toying with a

possible bid in the Mile.

Posting the same time was sophomore TOO MUCH BLING (Rubiano), who has been

training up to the Sprint for Bob Baffert. Luis Jauregui was in the

saddle for the move, accomplished in company with stablemate Da Stoops

(Distorted Humor).

"They went nice," Baffert said. "They cruised around there."

Too Much Bling has been freshened since his two-length victory in the July 15

Carry Back S. (G2) on Calder's Summit of Speed program.

Also tuning up for the Sprint, Ancient Title Breeders' Cup S. (G1) hero

BORDONARO (Memo [Chi]) strode a half-mile in :48 3/5. The Bill Spawr charge is

scheduled to ship to Kentucky on Tuesday.

In other Breeders' Cup notes:

Trainer John Sadler reports that Grade 1 winner HEALTHY ADDICTION (Boston

Harbor) actually worked six furlongs in 1:12 at Hollywood on Saturday, not the

five-furlong move that was posted on the official tab.

"It was in heavy fog," Sadler explained, "so it was a little hard to clock.

She went super."

Coming off her second straight score in the Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup H.

(G2), Healthy Addiction is expected to contest the Distaff.

Horseman Bill Currin is thrilled with Norfolk Breeders' Cup S. (G2) victor

STORMELLO's (Stormy Atlantic) Friday work. The juvenile had blazed six panels in

1:11 4/5 at Hollywood.

"It was a helluva work," Currin raved. "He left a lot of skid marks. That

rubber's still burning."

Plans called for Stormello to travel to Kentucky on Sunday.