Animal Kingdom gets ready for Breeders' Cup Mile

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Lexington, KY (Sports Network) - Animal Kingdom, 2011 Kentucky Derby winner, continues to train for a return to the races in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, Nov. 3. The 4-year-old has not raced since winning on the turf at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 18.

Trained by Graham Motion, Animal Kingdom had a six-furlong workout Wednesday at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. The colt covered the distance in 1:18 on the grass.

Graham plans to have the colt put in a final workout at Keeneland before heading off to California.

"The plan right now is to work here (Keeneland) one time, probably the last weekend of the meet and then go on out to California," Motion said Thursday morning.

Owned by Team Valor, Animal Kingdom developed a stress fracture of the illium three weeks after his Gulfstream race. The injury kept him out of the $10 million Dubai World Cup in March.

The colt did not need surgery and after 30 days of stall rest. Animal Kingdom resumed training in June and began breezing in late August.

The 4-year-old won last year's Kentucky Derby and was second to Shackleford in the Preakness Stakes. After finishing sixth to Ruler On Ice in the Belmont Stakes, the colt was taken out of training for the remainder of 2011.