Classic Notes For Monday

LOUISVILLE, KY - Following is the daily report on the horses running in the Breeders' Cup Classic, the eighth race of the Breeders' Cup Championship to be run Saturday, Nov. 4, at Churchill Downs.

Fusaichi Pegasus-The Kentucky Derby winner walked the shedrow Monday after working seven furlongs in 1:27 4/5, breezing, Sunday. "He looks well and will just gallop up to the race," said trainer Neil Drysdale. "The initial plan was to run once in the Jerome [Handicap at Belmont] and come here," said Drysdale of the colt's fall return. "But he ran so well in the Jerome we thought that we might run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. But then he came up with a little foot problem. Coming up to the Kentucky Derby, he never missed a beat. Here, he did have to miss a few days for the foot to heal. But it's healed completely. I don't think the time missed will affect him.

"He's a remarkable horse, a very athletic horse, and he ran a remarkable race in the Derby," continued Drysdale. "He's training well and acting well. He has worked easily and is well within himself. He has a lot of charisma. He's quite rambunctious in the morning. He likes to go at his speed. He likes to be in charge. But he's quiet around the stable; he's a very intelligent horse. His bucking and playing is a lot of malarkey." Jockey Kent Desormeaux has the mount.

Agol Lack-The Andre Fabre-trained 4-year-old, who is on the preference list for the Classic, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 3/5 Monday morning. It was his first drill over the Churchill Downs main track. The son of Gulch, who was fourth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup in his first U.S. start, is stabled with trainer Bill Mott's horses at Churchill Downs. In the absence of Fabre, Mott supervised the horse's workout.

Albert the Great-Tracy Farmer's Breeders' Cup Classic contender worked five furlongs in 1:05 4/5, breezing, under jockey Jorge Chavez at approximately 6:30 a.m. Monday at Churchill Downs. The 3-year-old son of 1994 Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin not only impressed his jockey, but trainer Nick Zito as well. "What is time?" Zito said. "I know there are a lot of people who are going to say how slow his work was. What can I tell you? He had a serious work before he left New York [five furlongs on a fast main track in 1:00, breezing, on Oct. 23], and that work came after he ran a mile-and-a-quarter in 1:59." That impressive effort was turned in on Oct. 14 at Belmont Park when he defeated older horses to win The Jockey Club Gold Cup.

According to Zito, Monday's work was ideal. "My thinking, as I've said, was that he had run a mile-and-a-quarter," Zito said. "Nine days later, he works in a minute. Once you get this far, you have to get them over there [the track] healthy and happy. All those things you're thinking, you have to think you're thinking is right." Chavez, whose victories aboard Beautiful Pleasure and Artax, respectively, in the Distaff and Sprint at Gulfstream Park last year catapulted him to the Eclipse Award, says he has learned a lot from Albert the Great since his head loss to Unshaded in Saratoga's Travers and his third-place finish to Fusaichi Pegasus in Belmont's Jerome Handicap. "I learned that if you ask him, he will go," Chavez said. "He was pulling hard on me [Monday] morning. Nick didn't want to go too fast this close to the race. He fooled me before because he is so quick. I've learned from him. Hopefully, we can bring it all together in Saturday's race."

Captain Steve-Captain Steve worked six furlongs Sunday at Santa Anita in 1:12 and is scheduled to arrive Tuesday with the rest of trainer Bob Baffert's contingent. Victor Espinoza has the mount.

Cat Thief-Defending Breeders' Cup Classic champion Cat Thief put in his final major work for Saturday's race by breezing five furlongs in :59 1/5 Monday with exercise rider Stacey Maker up. Cat Thief worked after the renovation break on a fast track. Pat Day will have the mount Saturday. "We are on our home court, and I think he will have something to say about," trainer D. Wayne Lukas said of Cat Thief, who is winless since last year's Classic at Gulfstream Park. "He's doing good now. He has done this at other times, and sometimes he gets in that zone like he is now. His last two works have been very encouraging.

"He knows where the wire is in the morning, and he gives you what he has to. He is an old pro. In his last couple of works, he has galloped out strong and I am pretty pleased with that because it shows his attitude is perfect."

Dust On the Bottle- Sharon Hild's homebred Dust On the Bottle arrived at Churchill Downs on Sunday night and walked the shedrow Monday morning. Hild said that Tim Doocy would ride Dust On the Bottle in the Classic and that the horse would work Wednesday morning.

Euchre-Finishing his serious work for Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic, Euchre worked five furlongs Monday morning in 1:01 3/5 for Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel over a "fast" Churchill Downs track. Jockey Joe Deegan was in the irons for the work as the Classic prospect went in company with Frankel-trainee Mojave Moon, under jockey Victor Espinoza. For Saturday's clash, regular rider David Flores will be up on Euchre. Frankel expressed pleasure with the work. "He went fine," the trainer said. "He finished up real well. He's been doing fine here. We'll see if he's good enough on Saturday." Deegan said the 4-year-old Canadian-bred gelding owned by Stronach Stable handled the work well. "The other horse started a little off of me," Deegan said. "When he came up to me, my horse drew away and finished nicely."

Gander- Gander has been at Churchill Downs for one week now and seems to be enjoying the surroundings. Tonja Terranova, wife and assistant to trainer John Terranova is taking care of the 4-year-old as well as Sprint contender Shadow Caster until John arrives later this week. Tonja reported Monday that Gander jogged in the morning and will gallop Tuesday around 5:45 a.m. Second to Albert the Great in the Jockey Club Gold Cup last out, Gander worked Saturday in 1:00 4/5 under exercise rider Simon Harris. "He's pretty mellow," said Harris. "A cool horse. . .he's good."

The Terranovas acquired the training duties of Gander, Shadow Caster and 10 other horses in June when owners Theodore and Michael Gatsas decided to move some of their better horses from their Suffolk Downs base into New York. The brothers interviewed numerous trainers and chose the Terranovas, a young couple that has already had extensive experience between the both of them, having worked with horsemen such as Allen Jerkens, Brian Mayberry and Bob Baffert. Jockey John Velazquez rides Gander on Saturday.

Giant's Causeway-Due to arrive Tuesday from Ireland at approximately 9 a.m. (ET).

Golden Missile- He was the hero of the Pimlico Special, and set the tone for stablemate Red Bullet to follow with victory in the Preakness. Now, Stronach Stable's Golden Missile will try to cap another big day for trainer Joe Orseno when he goes in the Classic. Golden Missile, a 4-year-old son of 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy, finished third in the Classic last year at Gulfstream Park behind Cat Thief and Budroyale, with less than 1 1/2 lengths separating him from the winner. For that race, Golden Missile prepped in the Hawthorne Gold Cup, where he was beaten a nose by Supreme Sound.

This year, he again prepped for the Classic in the Hawthorne Gold Cup, running third behind Dust On the Bottle and Guided Tour, 1 1/2 lengths back of the winner. "Since he has been here at Churchill Downs, Golden Missile has excelled," Orseno said. "He has won here before on off tracks and I've been impressed with how he looks here. I think he has even put on some weight. Jerry Bailey will ride him, and I think he is ready for a very strong performance." Orseno said that Golden Missile will gallop into the Classic, having worked five furlongs in 1:01 3/5, breezing, at Churchill Downs on Oct. 25.