Espoir City took to the track in the first of two planned works at Churchill (Reed Palmer Photography/Churchill Downs)

ESPOIR CITY (Jpn) (Gold Allure), Japan's hope for the November 6 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs, had the first of his planned two works beneath the Twin Spires on Sunday morning, covering six furlongs over the fast track in 1:18 1/5 under jockey Tetsuzo Sato.

Espoir City spent about 20 minutes loosening up in the mile chute before beginning his work that consisted of fractions in :14 1/5, :28 2/5, :41 3/5, :54 1/5 and 1:06 2/5 before galloping out seven furlongs in 1:33 3/5. After the work, Espoir City walked around outside Barn 42 in the grassy area of the quarantine section for another 20 minutes under exercise rider Toshiyuki Abematsu.

"We are coming to this race with the image of a mile and a quarter race and today was a step in that direction," Sato said through an interpreter. "The work this morning went as planned. We are not here to pursue speed, just conditioning."

Espoir City switched leads several times in the stretch, but Sato was not concerned.

"He is up front in most of his races and sometimes he loses a little focus and fools around a bit because he knows he has no competition," Sato explained.

Haynesfield (outside) pulled away from his Grade 2-winning workmate during Sunday's move (Reed Palmer Photography/Churchill Downs)

Trainer Akio Adachi is scheduled to return to Louisville, Kentucky, from Japan for Espoir City's final work, the day of which has not been determined. Sato, who also has been getting on horses for trainers Dale Romans and Todd Pletcher, was scheduled to return to Japan on Monday but would return for the final work.

Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) hero HAYNESFIELD (Speightstown) also readied for the Classic on Sunday morning, working six furlongs in company with dual Grade 2 victor Kensei (Mr. Greeley) after the renovation break at Churchill.

Under exercise rider Ceasar Garcia, the four-year-old chestnut clocked three-quarters in 1:13 3/5 for trainer Steve Asmussen. The two worked on even terms, with Haynesfield on the outside, through fractions of :12 3/5, :25, :37 1/5 and :49 1/5. They galloped out seven furlongs in 1:27 2/5, with Haynesfield kicking clear of his workmate.

Acoma is set to conclude her career in the Ladies' Classic (Keeneland/Coady Photography)

ACOMA (Empire Maker) had her first work since winning Keeneland's Spinster S. (G1) on October 10, covering five furlongs at Churchill in 1:01 3/5, the 11th fastest of 32 at the distance.

Working on her own before the renovation break under jockey Tony Farina, Acoma carved out fractions of :12 3/5, :24 4/5 and :37 1/5 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15 2/5.

"It was a nice work and she did it well within herself," trainer David Carroll said. "I was going to work her a half, but she went five-eighths to get the edge off. Tony knows her and will give me good feedback."

The November 5 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (G1) will be the final race for Acoma, who has spent a good portion of her career at Churchill Downs. She has competed under the Twin Spires seven times, going two-for-two on the dirt and winning three graded stakes on the grass.

"It's huge," Carroll said of what amounts to Acoma's home-field advantage in the Breeders' Cup. "If it were anywhere else, we would not be running. She has trained here, had a lot of success here and is very happy here. She has never had a bad race here. She was fourth once (in this summer's Locust Grove H. [G3]), but she was right there at the wire (beaten only a neck)."

Switch toured Churchill's track for only the second time (Reed Palmer Photography/Churchill Downs)

SWITCH (Quiet American) will face older rivals in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) on November 5, but in her first try against older fillies and mares, she turned in a performance that was nearly one for the record books. In the Lady's Secret S. (G1) at Hollywood Park on October 2, the three-year-old lass cut the corner at the top of the stretch, opening a daylight lead on a field of five that included the undefeated Zenyatta (Streety Cry [Ire]).

"It is etched in my mind," trainer John Sadler said with a laugh Sunday morning. "The thing about it was the place went quiet for a few seconds when Switch spurted clear. And then Zenyatta came on and the place erupted."

Zenyatta is scheduled to come to Churchill Downs on November 2, in a bid to complete her career 20-for-20 with a run in the Breeders' Cup Classic, a race she won last year against males on the synthetic Pro-Ride at Santa Anita.

Switch will not get a second shot at the supermare as she is readying for the Filly & Mare Sprint, posting five-eighths in her most recent move Sunday in 1:00 1/5 at Churchill under exercise rider Lupillo Alferez.

Working on her own after the renovation break, Switch recorded fractions of :12 1/5, :23 4/5, :35 2/5 and :47 2/5 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13 4/5. The five-furlong time was the second fastest of 32 at the distance and comes on the heels of a bullet half-mile move in :47 last Sunday.

"It was nice and smooth and she looked good doing it," Sadler said. "I told him to go in a minute, so that was fine."