A pair of Winchell Thoroughbreds' leading contenders for the Breeders' Cup World Championships trained by Steve Asmussen were on the track at Keeneland early Oct. 18, with Untapable breezing five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 and Tapiture getting the same distance in 1:00 3/5.
Untapable, the 2014 champion 3-year-old filly whose four grade I wins included the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I), worked in company with Gold Hawk, who started a half-length in front. Working through fractions of :13, :25, and :37 2/5, the 4-year-old daughter of Tapit finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of her stablemate and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 4/5.
Untapable has won nine of 17 starts, with six placings and earnings in excess of $3.8 million.
David Fiske, racing manager for Winchell Thoroughbreds, said Untapable has been training well at Keeneland and he was happy with her latest performance.
"I don't think she had to do too much, since she just ran in the (grade I Juddmonte) Spinster," he said. "She's on schedule."
Fiske said Untapable is expected to receive her final work for the Distaff the weekend of Oct. 23-24. With 12 days before the race he said the Distaff "looks wide open to me. We'll see who gets the best post position, best trip, least amount of trouble."
Earlier, Tapiture, the multiple grade II-winning son of Tapit who finished second in last year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I), breezed in fractional splits of :12 3/5, :24 3/5, and :37 2/5 en route to the official clocking of 1:00 3/5 for five furlongs. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.
Tapiture has a career tally of 5-4-4 from 17 starts and earnings of more than $1.5 million.
Another Asmussen worker was Jerry Durant's grade II winner Holy Boss , who breezed five furlongs in :59 4/5 with fractions of :13, :24 2/5, and :36 4/5. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 1/5. Holy Boss is scheduled to run in the $1.5 million TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I).
In other works, Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) winner Grand Arch, expected in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), worked a half-mile in :51 3/5 on the main track after the renovation break. Owned by Jim and Susan Hill and trained by Brian Lynch, Grand Arch produced fractions of :12 2/5, and :25 3/5, and galloped out five furlongs in 1:05 2/5.
Wes Welker and Sol Kumin's Undrafted (grade I Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint) and Silverton Hill's Ruby Notion (grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf) worked five furlongs in company in 1:00 1/5. Fractions were :13, :24 4/5, :37 2/5, and out to six furlongs in 1:14 1/5. Abdullah Saeed Almaddah's Green Mask (Turf Sprint) and Ten Broeck Farm's Sunset Glow worked five furlongs in company in :59 4/5. All four are trained by Wesley Ward.
