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Exfactor back at work, headed to Fair Grounds Exfactor, an impressive 2 3/4-length winner of the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs in July, is back in serious training after taking the summer off and the colt's autumn activity has veteran trainer Bernie Flint dreaming about a special day at Churchill Downs in the spring. The gray colt by Exchange Rate breezed four furlongs on the fast main track at Churchill Saturday morning in :48 2/5. The move pleased Flint, who hopes Exfactor has what it takes to become his first career starter in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. "What we're trying to do is get him to the Kentucky Derby," Flint said. "That's what everyone is trying to do. Whether we get there or not is another question." Exfactor recorded fractions of :11 4/5 and :23 2/5 in a work that was the third fastest of 40 at the distance. Stoneway Farm's Exfactor raced three times at Churchill Downs during the 38-day Spring Meet. He finished second behind Sum of the Parts in his career debut and then broke his maiden by 4 1/2 lengths in his second start. The Bashford Manor win was the third start for Exfactor and then he was turned out. He recorded his first work in nearly four months at Churchill Downs on October 30. "He was tired so we turned him out at the farm for a few months," Flint said. "Nothing was wrong with him; he just needed a break. I want a fresh horse for next spring, not a burnt-out horse for the winter. "All the two-year-olds that ran all summer and in the Breeders' Cup are tired. You have to stop on them sometime and give them a break, but when are you going to stop on them now? You can't." Flint, who is fourth all-time in training wins at Churchill Downs with 433, strongly believes that young horses should be given plenty of time to develop and was reminded of this the last time he went against his own philosophy with a precocious two-year-old. "I learned my lesson with Unbridled Express. We beat (eventual Kentucky Derby winner) Street Sense in a maiden race (at Churchill Downs). I thought we'd run him seven-eighths and then run him long, so we brought him (Unbridled Express) back in the (Grade 1) Hopeful. He ran third behind Circular Quay and Scat Daddy and came out of the race with a cracked pastern. "The writing is on the wall," Flint said. "You've got to give those (young) horses a break." Unbridled Express would return to the track six months after the Hopeful to run second in an allowance at Oaklawn Park prior to an eighth-place finish in an allowance at Churchill Downs. The latter was the final start of his career. Flint has since not steered away from his philosophy and now that Exfactor has had his rest and relaxation it is time to start looking for a spot for him to return to the races. "He worked really well today and we'll bring him to Fair Grounds with us and put him in a stake somewhere," Flint said. "I'm not exactly sure where he'll run though." Bred in Kentucky by Bo Hirsch, Exfactor was purchased at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearlings Sale for $27,000. His lifetime earnings currently stand at $109,348.
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