By Steve Sherack
LOUISVILLE, Ky – With the excitement and anticipation continuing to build by the day ahead of this weekend's Breeders' Cup, a plethora of racing's biggest stars were out during training hours on a surprisingly warm fall Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs.
Trainer John Gosden was on hand to watch his Classic contender Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy)'s morning trackwork, which included a trip to the starting gate with the legendary reinsman Frankie Dettori in the irons.
Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) was on his toes and continues to give off good vibes as he prepares to take on his elders in the big one. The same could certainly be said about the 4-year-old Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), who has displayed very good energy in his mornings here, too.
Mind Your Biscuits (Posse), sporting a black shadow roll, was another Classic contender out on the track during the special Breeders' Cup training session conducted under cloudy skies and humid temperatures in the mid 60s at 7:30 a.m.
Two of Hall of Famer Bob Baffert's big guns in 'TDN Rising Star' McKinzie (Street Sense) (Classic) and Marley's Freedom (Blame) (F/M Sprint) appear locked and loaded as do the John Sadler- trained duo of Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) (Classic) and the stunning chestnut Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags) (Dirt Mile).
Trainer Jason Servis ponied Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) (Dirt Mile) to the track and the duo briefly took in the scene near the clubhouse turn. Uncle Benny (Declaration of War) (Juvenile Turf) has looked outstanding in the flesh for Servis here as well.
The Iowa-bred Topper T (Bellamy Road), acquired privately by the very sharp duo of Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel, may not exactly get the most respect entering the Juvenile off a runner-up finish in Canterbury's Shakopee Juvenile S. with a lifetime-best 70 Beyer, but the dark bay certainly looked like he belonged while strutting his stuff Wednesday morning.
City of Light (Quality Road) (Dirt Mile) turned his head and seemed to enjoy all the attention from the photographers lined up while setting up shop by the rail.
Trainer Chad Brown watched nearby as he sent out the powerhouse trio of unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Wow Cat (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky) (Distaff) and Fourstar Crook (Freud) (Filly & Mare Turf) later in the morning.
Of all the Euros training on dirt this week, Polydream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {Ire}) may have looked the best, striding out wonderfully as she prepares to take on the boys in the Mile. Her trainer Freddie Head certainly knows what it takes to get it done in that one, that's for sure.
Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) (Classic) certainly caught many off guard, including this writer, motoring down the lane while completing a four-furlong bullet breeze in :47.40 (1/77).
With the sun beginning to making its way through the clouds following the break, champion West Coast (Flatter) (Classic) put a big smile on exercise rider Dana Barnes's face as he bounded onto the track. He was joined by 'TDN Rising Star' Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}), who will put his unbeaten record on the line for Baffert in the Juvenile.
The brilliant two-time G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) (Turf), 'TDN Rising Star' Oscar Performance (Kitten's Joy) (Mile) and Line of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (Juvenile Turf) were among the headliners to go out for a spin over Churchill's turf course as training hours began to wrap up just before 10 a.m.
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