Bernardini has final work; Dubai Escapade will not run in Sprint

Horse of the Year favorite Bernardini in his last workout prior to the Classic (Ross Woodson/Horsephotos.com)

In his final workout prior to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), classic winner
BERNARDINI (A.P. Indy) breezed five furlongs in 1:02 4/5 over a fast track at
Belmont Park on Tuesday. The Darley Stable homebred will be the favorite in the
$5 million Classic, which will be decided at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday.

The Tom Albertrani-trained colt was clocked in fractions of :26 and :38 1/5
before completing his final quarter-mile in :24 3/5 and galloping out six
furlongs in 1:15 1/5 under exercise rider Simon Harris.

“The horse worked well again,” Albertrani said. “We couldn’t be happier with
him at the moment. It’s always good to see him come back healthy, we got the
last work done, and he couldn’t be doing any better.”

Added Harris: “Once he gets into his rhythm he just starts clicking off. He’s
always done that. He’s never been doing better than he is now. He’s ready.”

After finishing fourth in his debut, Bernardini has won six straight
races by a combined 40 lengths, including the Preakness S. (G1), Jim Dandy S.
(G2), Travers S. (G1) and the Jockey Club Gold Cup S. (G1).

Balletto will seek her first stakes win this year in Distaff (Ross Woodson/Horsephotos.com)

Stablemate BALLETTO (UAE) (Timber Country) breezed five furlongs in 1:02 1/5
in her final workout prior to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). The Darley
homebred was timed in fractions of :25 2/5 and :38 before completing her final
quarter-mile in :24 1/5 and galloping out six
furlongs in 1:14 4/5 under Harris.

“Balletto is doing really well,” Albertrani said. “It looks like she is at
the top of her game.”

Harris was also pleased with the work.

“She’s doing awesome,” he said. “She warmed up great and breezed nice. She’s
smart; she knows exactly where that wire is. The cooler weather helps her a lot.
She’s more responsive. She sometimes gets lethargic in the hot weather.”

Balletto won the 2004 Frizette S. (G1) and finished second in the Breeders’
Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) before being sidelined. The four-year-old filly
returned to action this year and exits runner-up efforts in the Beldame S. (G1),
Personal Ensign S. (G1) and Go for Wand H. (G1).

Bernardini and Balletto are scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs on
Wednesday.

Alfred G. Vanderbilt Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) winner WAR FRONT (Danzig) scorched
four furlongs in a bullet :45 in advance of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). The
move was easily the fastest of 43 works at the distance. The second-best work on
the tab was :47 2/5.

“It was a good work,” trainer Allen Jerkens said.

Spinster winner Asi Siempre will make her first dirt start in the Distaff (Alex Evers/Horsephotos.com)

On the Polytrack at Keeneland, the Patrick Biancone-trained ASI SIEMPRE (El
Prado [Ire]) breezed five furlongs in :59 3/5 under Julien Leparoux, who will
ride the gray four-year-old on Saturday. The four-year-old filly is cross-entered in the
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and the Distaff, but will likely compete in the
latter.

“Good. She ran good,” Biancone said.

In her first non-turf start, Asi Siempre rallied for a 2 1/4-length victory
in the Spinster S. (G1) at Keeneland. She will ship to Churchill Downs Thursday
afternoon with Biancone’s three other Breeders’ Cup starters.

Ballston Spa H. (G2) queen MY TYPHOON (Ire) (Giant’s Causeway) sizzled five
furlongs in a bullet :59 in preparation for the Filly & Mare Turf.

The Bill
Mott-trained filly most recently finished third to Gorella (Fr) (Grape Tree Road
[GB]) and Karen’s Caper (War Chant) in the First Lady S. (G2) at one mile on the
grass in Lexington.

My Typhoon is a half-sister to five black-type winners, including European
champion Galileo (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), and is out of 1993 Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe (Fr-G1) winner Urban Sea (Miswaki).

At Churchill Downs, SUMMERLY (Summer Squall), who is hoping to draw into the
Distaff, breezed four furlongs in :49 3/5. The Scott Blasi-trained filly set the
early tempo before finishing seventh in the Spinster. Last year, she won the
Kentucky Oaks (G1) on the main track at Churchill Downs.

“The work was super,” Blasi said. “It was exactly what I wanted. It’s just a
shame. I can’t believe she’s on the outside looking in.”

If Summerly does not start in the Distaff, she will be retired. The
four-year-old is slated to be sold on Sunday at the Fasig-Tipton sale in
Lexington, Kentucky.

The D. Wayne Lukas-trained PEGASUS WIND (Fusaichi Pegasus) breezed a
quarter-mile through the stretch in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
(G1). The bay colt most recently set the pace before holding on gamely for third
in the Champagne S. (G1) at Belmont Park.

Gorella, who like Asi Siempre is owned by Martin Schwartz, preparing for her tilt in the Mile (Alex Evers /Horsephotos.com)

Pegasus Wind warmed up in the mile chute for about five minutes before the
move.

“If they are aggressive, we go up there because it kind of relaxes them,”
Lukas explained. “He is a pretty tough horse for (exercise rider) Stacy (Prior)
to gallop.”

Lukas will be seeking his sixth victory in the Juvenile and his 19th overall
in Breeders’ Cup races. He is the all-time leader in victories (18) and total
earnings ($19,645,520).

In other Breeders’ Cup news:

DUBAI ESCAPADE (Awesome Again) will not be entered in the Sprint after she
was found to have some inflammation in her front ankle, the Breeders’ Cup press
office reported on Tuesday. The Eoin Harty trainee worked five furlongs in a bullet
:59 3/5 over a fast track at Churchill Downs on Monday.

The defection of Dubai Escapade will allow Frank Calabrese’s homebred LEWIS
MICHAEL (Rahy) to draw into the Sprint from the Preferred List, following
AREYOUTALKINTOME (Smokester), who got in after Commentator (Distorted Humor) was
withdrawn on Monday.