Fort Larned turns in final pre-Classic breeze

Fort Larned completed his serious preparation for this week's bid for a

second consecutive victory in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa

Anita with a five-furlong workout under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. early Monday

morning at Churchill Downs.

The five-year-old son of E Dubai was among Monday's early workers as he went

to the track at approximately 6:40 a.m. (EDT) and cruised five furlongs over a

fast track in 1:01 4/5.

Fractional splits for Fort Larned's work were :12 3/5, :25 1/5 and 37 3/5. He

galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 4/5.

The move was the third by Fort Larned since October 19 and trainer Ian Wilkes

said the defending Classic winner was happy with both the work and the condition

of his star heading into Saturday's renewal.

"Today was not to squeeze the lemon dry -- it was to get the horse coming off

the track wanting to do more," Wilkes said. "Today he walked off like he was

wanting to do more, so I was happy."

"He worked great this morning," Hernandez said. "He went just like Ian wanted

him to. He cruised right around there to five-eighths and it looks like he's

going into the Classic like he did last year."

Fort Larned led from the start and edged Mucho Macho Man by a half-length in

last year's Classic. He's had an up-and-down 2013 season with two victories in

five races and both of those were at Churchill Downs in the $536,300 Stephen

Foster Handicap and the $191,275 Homecoming Classic.

He set the pace in both of his 2013 victories, which has led some to question

if his running style fits in this year's 1 1/4-mile Classic, a race populated by

speedy horses like Horse of the Year frontrunner Game On Dude, who has not lost

in six races since a disappointing run in the 2012 Classic, and Moreno, the

runner-up in the Travers and Pennsylvania Derby.

But Wilkes is confident that Fort Larned is where he needs to be and has the

ability to adapt to any tactical scenario the Classic might present.

"He can do whatever you want with him," Wilkes said. "He can lay off, he can

sit behind or he can go to the lead. Last year he ran along (the half-mile) in

:46. When you run along at that sort of pace -- that's racehorse time -- and if

someone wants to go with him, go with him. But he can sit behind, it doesn't

matter. I'm not concerned about that."

With Monday's breeze, the serious work for the Classic is completed. The next

step is a Tuesday flight to Southern California and then light training over the

Santa Anita course prior to Saturday's bid to equal the feat of Tiznow, who won

the Classic in 2000 and 2001 and remains the only horse to win the race twice

and in back-to-back years.

"I'm very excited," Hernandez said. "This is what we get up in the morning

for, to compete in big races like this and to go in there with the defending

champion is very exciting."

"I feel good," Wilkes said. "The horse is right where you want him. He's

doing really well. I'm very pleased with him."

Reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan will be among the seven horses that will

accompany Fort Larned on the flight to California for the Breeders' Cup races.

The Charles LoPresti-trained gelding will bid for a second consecutive victory

in the Mile.

The Sutton Forwarding Company flight will originate in New York with a stop

scheduled in Louisville before it heads on to its final destination in Southern

California.

Others scheduled to board the flight in Louisville are Dimension (Turf

Sprint), Havelock (Turf Sprint), Judy the Beauty (Filly & Mare Sprint), Medal

Count (Juvenile), Starship Truffles (Filly & Mare Sprint), and Sum of the Parts

(Sprint).

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com