Champions workout prior to Breeders' Cup

By: By Don Agriss, Horse Racing Editor

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The 27th annual Breeders' Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs is quickly approaching. The two-day horse racing extravaganza will feature 14 races with more than 100 thoroughbreds participating.

On Monday, 11 days prior to the start of the Breeders' Cup. several highly acclaimed horses had their final workouts for the championship races. Three of the horses are Eclipse Award winners and the fourth is a fan favorite.

At Keeneland Racecourse, trainer Jonathan Sheppard sent out 2008 female turf champ Forever Together along with reigning female sprint champion Informed Decision. The two ladies each worked five-furlongs at the Lexington, KY track.

Forever Together, who won the 2008 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, covered the five-furlongs in 59 3/5 seconds with Julien Leparoux in the saddle. Leparoux was also aboard defending Filly and Mare Sprint winner Informed Decision as she worked the distance in 59 2/5 seconds, the fastest of the morning.

Informed Decision, a five-year-old mare owned by Augustin Stable, was timed for six-furlongs in 1:11 4/5. Also owned by Augustin Stable, Forever Together had her workout with stablemate and potential Filly & Mare Turf rival Fantasia.

Down the road from Keeneland at Churchill Downs, 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird had a five-furlong work in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. With exercise rider Arielle Witkowski aboard the four-year-old gelding went a flat one minute for the distance and was ridden out six- furlongs in 1:15 4/5.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas disclosed that Mine That Bird has been pre-entered in the Dirt Mile. If the gelding does not go in the Breeders' Cup race he has also been nominated to the Ack Ack Handicap to be run November 5 at 1 1/16- miles at the Louisville track.

At Hollywood Park, 2009 champion two-year-old Lookin At Lucky had a six- furlong workout. The Preakness and Haskell winner worked the distance in 1:10 4/5. Trained by Bob Baffert, the three-year-old will start in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday, November 6.

Pre-entered fields for all 14 Breeders' Cup World Championships races will be announced on Wednesday, October 27.