DIRT MILE

Caleb's Posse – The McNeil Stables and Cheyenne Stables’ 3yo colt galloped 1m on the muddy track Friday morning in final preparation for Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

“He went well this morning,” trainer Donnie Von Hemel said. “Our time here has been uneventful, which is what you want. The horse is ready to run. We’re looking forward to tomorrow.”


Irrefutable – Exercise rider Dana Barnes had her hands full with Bob Baffert’s Dirt Mile contender, who took to the track Friday morning at the same time as stablemate and fellow Dirt Mile starter The Factor.

The 5yo son of Unbridled’s Song was on the muscle and full of himself as he hauled Barnes around the Churchill oval.

“Tell you what, that Irrefutable, he sure likes the mud,” assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes reported over the radio.

“These horses perk up when it gets cold like this; they like the cold,” Baffert said.

Irrefutable ran second to Sprint contender Amazombie last time out in the Oct. 8 Ancient Title Stakes and breaks from post 6 under jockey Rafael Bejarano in the Dirt Mile.

 
Shackleford -- The 2011 Preakness winner was one of three Breeders’ Cup starters that trainer Dale Romans sent to the track for a 1 1/2m gallop Friday morning.

“Everyone’s good,” Romans said. “All three of my horses are doing great. We schooled in the gate Wednesday, went to the paddock yesterday, and just galloped today. We’re ready.”


Tapizar/Wilburn – Trainer Steve Asmussen is confident both of his Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile contenders are sitting on a big race, but he also believes pace, racing luck and the riders will play a big role in the outcome.

“In a one-turn mile, if you’re an off-the-pace type and you let horses with natural speed go within themselves the first quarter of a mile, you’ve given yourself no shot,” Asmussen explained. “The pace scenario can alter the outcome of a one-turn mile more than anything. It’s going to be a riders’ race.”


The Factor – Bob Baffert’s gray son of War Front galloped 1m under exercise rider George Alvarez Friday morning and looked as though he wanted to go another.

“That’s a Ferrari right there,” Baffert remarked. “My horses even gallop fast.”

Baffert will be represented by nine Breeders’ Cup starters, three of which will start from the 1 hole – including The Factor.

"I always drew the rail, even in my Quarter Horse days,” Baffert said. “I remember one time, I drew the rail in a $750,000 stakes race; I was so upset, I backed over a fire hydrant and thought my day couldn’t get any worse. The horse won by two, so that shows you what I know.”


Trappe Shot – Exercise rider Rob Massey gave the 4yo son of Tapit an easy 1 1/4m gallop over the muddy Churchill Downs track Friday morning.

Trappe Shot is the fastest he has trained, according to speed figures, says trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

“He had a negative one and a half on the Ragozin Sheets, which is the fastest number I’ve ever had. But he got beat this far because he was wide and that’s how the sheets measure lost ground,” said McLaughlin, positioning his thumb and index finger to indicate the nose margin that Trappe Shot had lost to Sean Avery in the 7f A.G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga last summer.