Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott sent his quartet of Breeders’ Cup hopefuls out for their final works Oct. 28, with Royal Delta (:48.96), To Honor and Serve (:47.72), and Flat Out (:48.01) all turning in half-mile works over the Belmont Park main track.
Ron the Greek worked four furlongs on the training track in a bullet :47.83. Mott has said that Royal Delta is likely to defend her title in the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (gr. I), though she was pre-entered along with her three stablemates in the $5 million Classic (gr. I) Nov. 3.
Trainer Chad Brown had his six Breeders’ Cup contenders out early in the morning at Belmont, with all but Awesome Feather working on the inner turf.
Headed for the Ladies’ Classic, Awesome Feather covered a half-mile in :48.50 on the main track.
Noble Tune and Balance the Books, both headed to the Juvenile Turf (gr. IT), worked five furlongs together in 1:03.99, while Turf Sprint (gr. IT) nominee Corporate Jungle breezed five furlongs in 1:01.20. Zagora, headed for the Filly & Mare Turf, (gr. IT) worked a half mile in :48.77 with Watsdachances (Juvenile Fillies Turf, gr. IT), who went in 49.76.
Working on the main track Oct. 28 for trainer Barclay Tagg was Jersey Town , who was clocked in 1:04.08 for five furlongs to wrap up preparations for Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I).
Trainer Shug McGaughey's Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) contender Point of Entry was on the inner turf working in company with Boisterous, preparing to defend his title in the Red Smith Handicap (gr. IIT) Nov. 3 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Point of Entry covered the half-mile in :47.64, while clockers caught Boisterous in :48.19.
At trainer Todd Pletcher's barn, assistant Whit Beckman reported that Belmont-based Breeders’ Cup hopefuls emerged from their preparations a day earlier in good order and are ready to ship to California when the bad weather caused by Hurricane Sandy permits.
"We're still scheduled to ship them all out," said Beckman, referring to Shanghai Bobby (Juvenile, gr. I), Dreaming of Julia (Juvenile Fillies, gr. I), Turbulent Descent (Filly & Mare Sprint), and Kauai Katie (Juvenile Fillies or Juvenile Sprint). "My understanding is the flight may be pushed back from Tuesday to Wednesday. But all in all, it doesn't really hurt us."
