Dynever, exercising at Lone Star Park.
With only 13 of the 101 horses pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships on the grounds at Lone Star Park, there has been a paucity of activity this week by the Cup horses. In fact, an unseasonable heat wave in North Texas has been been the hottest topic of conversation around the track the past couple of days.Both the weather and the action on the track are expected to change this weekend, however. Forecasters are calling for a strong chance of thunderstorms later Friday and a chance of showers each day through Monday. But there is no cooling off period in the forecast, as the high temperatures will continue to be in the high 80s and lows in the mid-60s.On the track, Roses in May and Dynever, among the favorites for the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I), are scheduled to work Saturday over the main track, as is Culinary, who is running in the Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) . Saturday turf workouts are scheduled for John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) entrants Magistretti and Kittten's Joy, and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) contender Wonder Again.The only Breeders' Cup hopeful scheduled to work Sunday is Sense of Style as she continues to prep for the Juvenile Fillies. Royal Regalia, who is pre-entered in the NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), is scheduled to work Monday.The heat and lack of rain over the past week does not seem to have had any effect on the condition of the main or turf tracks."This track is good," Patrick Biancone, who trains Magistretti, said of the turf course. "It does not need any rain. But this track really doesn't get firm. It is a fair track."In fact, Biancone said he would not mind if the turf course was firm on Breeders' Cup Day, noting that Magistretti prefers it that way. "The firmer the better," noting that did not care for the softer going while racing in Europe, where he began his career. 'They is why they sent him to me."The main track was hard Thursday but had more give to it Friday morning, according to Sam Cabrerra, exercise rider for Tim Ritchey-trained Afleet Alex, who is running in the Bessemer Trus Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I). The colt had light exercise Thursday and Friday, with plans for a workout Monday or Tuesday."Yesterday, the horses' hooves were just staying on top of the dirt," Cabrerra said. "Today (Friday), it was lot better. I hope they have it like this on Breeders' Cup day."Meanwhile, the connections of Bay Marvel, a locally-based runner who was the only horse excluded from the field for the oversubscribed Sprint (gr. I) and on the preference list, entered him in a Lone Star Park race on the Thursday, Oct. 28 card.
