With an eye towards the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar in two weeks time, trainer Brian Lynch put two of his top grass contenders through half-mile works over a firm Keeneland turf course Sunday morning. Terry Hamilton's Heart to Heart (English Channel), with jockey Julien Leparoux aboard, covered the distance in :49.20 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.20. (Click here for a video of the work.) Soon afterward, Amerman Racing's three-time Grade 1 winner Oscar Performance completed a half-mile in :51.40, galloping out five furlongs in 1:03.80 under jockey Jose Ortiz. (Click here for a video of the work.) Both runners are scheduled to depart for Del Mar Friday with half-mile works over the Del Mar turf course slated for Sunday.
“Heart to Heart looked very comfortable,” Lynch said of the Oct. 7 GI Shadwell Turf Mile runner-up. Heart to Heart is being pointed to the $2-million GI Breeders' Cup Mile Nov. 4.
“We put up the $160,000 (to make Heart to Heart Breeders' Cup-eligible) and I can give you two million reasons why,” explained Lynch. “Since his last race, he has been doing well and checked all the boxes. I think he will like the course out there with the tight turns and short stretch.”
In addition to a trio of seconds in Grade I company this term, Heart to Heart also won Saratoga's GII Bernard Baruch H. and GIII Canadian Turf at Gulfstream earlier this spring.
“I'd probably rip the top off the grandstand,” laughed Lynch.
The work for GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Oscar Performance was his second at Keeneland since finishing third in Belmont's GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Sept. 30 in his first venture against older horses. He had worked a half-mile on the grass in :49.60 last Sunday.
“I thought he went great,” said Lynch about the bay's latest move. “He built into it, picked it up nicely and had a nice gallop out.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
