Funny Cide to Run in Breeders' Cup Classic

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Trainer Barclay Tagg said Sunday morning that Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness (gr. I) winner Funny Cide will make his next start in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) – Powered by Dodge.

The son of Distorted Humor worked a mile in 1:38 3/5 Sunday morning on the Belmont training track, galloping out 1 1/8 miles in 1:52. After the work, Tagg changed plans and opted for the Classic instead of running in next Saturday's Empire Classic.

"We discussed it and decided if we were going to go against older horses, we might as well do it for $4 million," Tagg said. "You'd hate for him to stumble coming out of gate and get beat by New York-breds in the Empire Classic. This way I'll be able to get two more works in him. He's been training great and we felt it was worth the risk taking a chance and running him in the big race. He's a free-running horse, and I'd rather run him around two turns than around that one turn at Belmont where he could get rank. We're conservative people by nature, but I'd say most anyone in our position would run in the Breeders' Cup under the same situation."

Tagg said he's looking to ship Funny Cide to California on the Wednesday, or preferably Thursday, before the Breeders' Cup.

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