Brother Derek Leads Southern Cal Workers Sunday

Cecil Peacock's Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) contender Brother Derek was put through his final preparations for Saturday's $5 million test at Churchill Downs by logging five furlongs in :59 1/5 over a fast Santa Anita main track Sunday morning.

The work was the fourth fastest of 33 who went the distance on the day.

"It was nice and easy," trainer Dan Hendricks said. "He didn't need to do too much. He's ready."

Hendricks said Brother Derek would ship to Kentucky on Tuesday with most of the rest of the California-based Breeders' Cup contingent and visit the track beginning on Wednesday. Regular jockey Alex Solis will be aboard the colt for Saturday's 1 ¼-mile event.

"He'll go to the track and gallop on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday," Hendricks said. The conditioner also said the California-bred son of Benchmark would school in the paddock at least one day, most likely on Friday.

Brother Derek, who has amassed $1,408,450 from a record of 12-6-1-1, won the 2005 Hollywood Futurity (gr. I) and this year's Santa Anita Derby (gr. I). In addition to a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), the bay colt was fourth in this year's Preakness Stakes (gr. I).

Logging the bullet for five furlongs on Sunday was The Hat Ranch and Annabelle Stute's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) hopeful Quick Little Miss, who earned a final time of :58 3/5.

"It was a very nice work," trainer Mel Stute said. "The rider had a hard time pulling her up; she tried to run off after the work. She's very fit right now and doing very well."

Quick Little Miss, a California-bred daughter of Freud  , is to also ship to Churchill Downs on Tuesday and is to visit the track for light training every day leading up to the $2 million event. She's scheduled to school in the paddock on Friday, Stute said.

Quick Little Miss, who won the Barretts Debutante before finishing a fast-closing third in the Oak Leaf Stakes (gr. I) on Sept. 30, has banked $104,230 from a record of 5-1-0-1. She will have jockey Jon Court in the saddle on Saturday.

Zayat Stables' Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) contender Malt Magic posted a bullet six furlongs in 1:11 2/5, easily the fastest of the eight who went the distance on the day. The Kentucky-bred son of Cherokee Run is to also head to Kentucky on Tuesday with trainer Bob Baffert's other Breeders' Cup hopeful, TVG Sprint (gr. I) candidate Too Much Bling.

Across town over the cushion track at Hollywood Park, leading NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) contender Aragorn went six furlongs in 1:14 for conditioner Neil Drysdale.

The Irish-bred son of Giant's Causeway  , owned by Ballygallon Stud, is coming off four consecutive graded stakes scores – the Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) Eddie Read Handicap (gr. IT), Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIT) and Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IIT). From a record of 13-6-4-1, the 4-year-old colt has banked $1,095,325.

Regular jockey Corey Nakatani will be in the saddle on Saturday.