Breeders’ Cup Contenders Essential Quality, Bell’s The One, Shedaresthedevil Work At Churchill Downs

LOUISVILLE, KY – The action began early Saturday morning beneath the famed Twin Spires as several possible contenders for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships recorded workouts, including Godolphin’s Essential Quality (5 furlongs, :59.20), Lothenbach Stables’ Bell’s the One (4 furlongs, :47), and Qatar Racing, Flurry Racing, and Big Aut Farm’s Shedaresthedevil (4 furlongs, :50.40).

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Travers Stakes (G1) winner Essential Quality, one of the nation’s top 3-year-olds, breezed on the outside of allowance winner Colonel Bowman. The duo worked shortly after the track opened at 5:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) and began their breeze from the 1/2-mile pole. They crossed the wire in :46.80 and completed their move around the clubhouse turn.

“Essential is the type of horse that just keeps finding more in every race,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I thought his race in the Travers was a tremendous effort to run down (Midnight Bourbon). He’s a really nice horse in his own right.

“The distance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (1 1/4 miles) is not going to be an issue for him. He’ll be fit and ready for the Classic. There wasn’t a race in between the Travers and the Classic that made a lot of sense for him to run in. We gave him two easy 1/2-mile works prior to (Saturday) and we’ll keep tightening the screws each week.”

Essential Quality’s stablemate Shedaresthedevil, the winner of the $300,000 Locust Grove (G3) 2 weeks ago, recorded her first work back since the 1 1/16-mile event. Her owners reported the multiple Grade 1 winner will be sold at the Fasig Tipton November Sale following the Breeders’ Cup.

The speedy mare Bell’s the One returned to the work tab following her narrow defeat to Sconsin in the $300,000 Open Mind. Trained by Neil Pessin, Bell’s the One worked in company with recent allowance runner-up Audrey’s Time. With regular rider Corey Lanerie aboard, Bell’s the One started about 5 lengths behind her stablemate at the 1/2-mile pole and finished even at the wire.

A total of 200 horses recorded published workouts Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Along with the Breeders’ Cup contenders, Kentucky Derby (G1) fan-favorite Soup and Sandwich has returned to Louisville. Trained by Mark Casse, the Florida Derby (G1) runner-up cruised 5 furlongs in :59.60. He is scheduled to make his first start since finishing last in the Derby in late October at Keeneland, according to assistant trainer David Carroll.