WinStar Farm’s Drosselmeyer, most recently second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I), continued his preparations for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) by working five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 in company Oct. 22 at Churchill Downs.
Last year's Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner went to the track for trainer Bill Mott after the morning renovation break with Breeders’ Cup Marathon (gr. II) candidate Birdrun .
Working to the outside of Birdrun with Rodolphe Brisset up, Drosselmeyer put up fractions of :25 and :36 4/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 2/5 as the tandem worked on even terms. Larry Melancon was on Birdrun, who is owned by Preston Stables. The moves were the fourth fastest of 51 at the distance over a track rated as fast.
“I liked both of their works,” said Mott, who said he plans to work Breeders’ Cup hopefuls Royal Delta (Ladies’ Classic) and To Honor and Serve (Classic) on the morning of Oct. 23.
On hand to watch the work was Elliott Walden, president, CEO and racing manager for WinStar.
“I was really pleased with the work and he is as good as he can be,” Walden said. “It looked like he was all over the workmate.”
The Breeders' Cup Classic is Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs.
Runner-up to Flat Out in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) Oct. 1, Drosselmeyer broke his maiden at Churchill Downs in November 2009 but has not trained over the track regularly since that meet. The latest drill was his second at Churchill since the Jockey Club Gold Cup. The 4-year-old son of Distorted Humor --Golden Ballet (Moscow Ballet) posted a half-mile bullet breeze of :47 3/5 Oct. 22.
After initially giving the Breeders’ Cup Marathon some consideration, it is full speed ahead to the Classic for Drosselmeyer.
“He’s a Belmont winner and the Marathon does not matter for him,” Walden said. “He has had two good works here and is coming out of a good race. He deserves a chance at the Classic and the mile and a quarter suits him fine.”
Walden said that Mike Smith, who rode Drosselmeyer to victory in the Belmont Stakes, would have the Classic mount.
Also on the Churchill work tab were 2-year-old fillies Heart of Destiny and Putthebabiesdown, the respective second and third-place finishers in the 1 1/16-mile Darley Alcibiades (gr. I) on Keeneland's Polytrack Oct. 7.
Hurstland Farm and James Greene Jr.’s Heart of Destiny worked five furlongs in 1:02 3/5 before the morning renovation break with exercise rider Rafael Gonzalez up. The move was the 22nd fastest of 51 at the distance.
Heart of Destiny is being considered for either the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) or the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IIT). Both races are Nov. 4.
Heart of Destiny was third in her debut on dirt at Saratoga, then broke her maiden on the grass prior to the Alcibiades.
“It is hard to say (which surface she is best on),” trainer Jim Baker said. “She has run well on all three surfaces. (Her sire) Lion Heart has mostly sprinters but the mare (Doc’s Destiny) is turf. We’ll decide by Monday. We may not find out this fall, but we’ll know what she’s best on next year.”
Baker said Heart of Destiny would work again next weekend.
Putthebabiesdown breezed four furlongs on the main track at Churchill Downs in :48 3/5 to gear up for a bid in the $2 million BC Juvenile Fillies.
Starting two lengths behind her Ken McPeek stablemate Colbert, Putthebabiesdown recorded an opening quarter-mile in :23 3/5 and finished even with her workmate at the wire.
“She went really well and we’re really happy with the time,” assistant trainer Philip Bauer said. “The track seems to be playing a little slow, but she handled it well.”
The Juvenile Fillies would be the first start on dirt for the daughter of Closing Argument. Putthebabiesdown's career has included three starts on turf and one on Keeneland’s Polytrack. After breaking her maiden on the turf at Ellis Park, she finished second and fourth, respectively, in the Tippett at Colonial Downs and the P. G. Johnson at Saratoga.
“This was her first major move over this surface,” Bauer said. “She worked three furlongs here earlier this year, but it was just an easy three-eighths (:37 on April 29 when track was listed as “good”). We’re happy and we can’t complain.”
Putthebabiesdown, owned by J C M Racing, is scheduled to breeze again Oct. 29 in what will be her final prep for the Juvenile Fillies.