Verrazano, Capo Bastone drill for Cigar Mile; Honor Code breezes for Remsen

Verrazano, Capo Bastone drill for Cigar Mile; Honor Code

breezes for Remsen

"I thought both horses breezed really well. Both did it willingly, on the

bridle, and gave me the indication they both bounced out of their Breeders' Cup

races in good order.

"Forty Tales is a little less ambitious work horse," Pletcher added. "We

thought he worked well for what he normally does."

Pletcher is expected to have contenders in all four graded stakes on the

November 30 card at Aqueduct, and several others were out in force on the

Belmont training track Sunday.

The trainer said he likely will run Intense Holiday (four furlongs in :49.27) in the Grade 2 Remsen for two-year-olds, Stopchargingmaria

(:48 2/5) in the Grade 2

Demoiselle for two-year-old fillies, and Teen Pauline (four furlongs in :49.27) and Galloping Giraffe (four furlongs in

:51 2/5) in the Grade 3 Comely for three-year-old fillies.

"I think (Intense Holiday) ran a sneaky good race (when fourth) in the Nashua

(on November 3 at Aqueduct)," Pletcher said. "He had a troubled trip and

should have been second with a little clearer run."

Pletcher added that Caixa Eletronica is expected to make a title defense in the

Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap on Thanksgiving, November 28.

For Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, Champagne near-misser Honor Code

breezed an easy five furlongs in 1:03 1/5 Sunday morning

on Belmont Park's fast main track in preparation for the Remsen.

"He went very well and Shug said he was happy with the way he did

it," said assistant trainer Buzz Tenney of the A.P. Indy colt, who in his only

other start was a 4 1/2-length, last-to-first winner of a seven-furlong maiden

race on August 31 at Saratoga. "He'll have one more breeze next

weekend, and that will be it."

Tenney also reported that Imagining emerged from his first graded stakes win in

Saturday's Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap in good order. A front-running winner of

two of his three previous starts, the five-year-old Giant's Causeway horse

displayed a new dimension in coming from off the pace in the 1 3/8-mile race.

"That was really nice to see," Tenney said. "The other thing we were pleased

with was how well he acted shipping over to Aqueduct from Belmont. It seems as

if he's really maturing in a big way recently."

McGaughey said after the race that Imagining could have one more start this year

in California; if not, he would wait to launch his 2014 campaign in Florida.

Down at Palm Meadows on Sunday, Cigar Mile candidate Clearly Now breezed five

furlongs in 1:01 3/5 for trainer Brian Lynch.

"Lovely," Lynch said of the breeze. "I'm really happy. He finished

up strong; we got him going the final eighth in :11."

A three-year-old owned by Up Hill Stable, Clearly Now is exiting a 1 1/2-length win

over Forty Tales in the Bold Ruler, his first start wearing blinkers and first

against older horses. He would be making his Grade 1 debut in the Cigar Mile.

"We're leaning (in favor of running in the Cigar Mile)," Lynch said. "He seems

to be getting better and has improved with blinkers. He ran a great race the

other day (in the Bold Ruler), and he got a great ride (from Jose Lezcano)."

Lynch said Clearly Now likely would breeze six furlongs next week at Palm Meadows

prior to shipping to New York.

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