nov 2 - velazquez on araafa

Ad Valorem/Aussie Rules: - Trainer Aidan O'Brien chose not to send his pair for the NetJets Mile to the track Thursday morning, opting instead for a canter at 9 a.m. Friday.

"We would consider Ad Valorem a very live contender in the Mile," O'Brien said. "He won the Queen Anne (Stakes) which is one of the better mile races in our part of the world. He lost a shoe when he ran in Canada last time, but Patrick Husbands, who rode him, was very happy with him.

"Aussie Rules is a French Guineas (Poule d'Essai des Poulains) winner who won the Keeneland (Shadwell Turf) Mile when we put the visors (blinkers) on him. His problem is when he gets to the front, he waits on horses. That's what happened to him at Goodwood, but at Keeneland, with the visors and Garrett (Gomez) producing him late, we got what we thought we would."

O'Brien seemed unconcerned that Ad Valorem drew the rail and Aussie Rules was on the outside of the field of 14, saying they would both be coming from off the pace.

Araafa: - The 3yo Irish-bred colt galloped 1 ¼ m on the turf Thursday morning with jockey John Velazquez in the irons.

"Well, he's booked to ride Saturday, so we thought we'd make him earn his money," trainer Jeremy Noseda said with a smile. "Actually, John was available and I wanted him to get acquainted with the horse a little. I'm hoping he'll be able to gallop Araafa again tomorrow."

Noseda, who won the 2004 Juvenile with Wilko at Lone Star Park, said he's been delighted with the colt's progress this year.

"It's been something of a long year for us," he said, "because we started early to get him ready for the (English) 2000 Guineas in May. We started talking about the Breeders' Cup at Ascot in June, and because it was in November, decided his summer campaign shouldn't be too hard. He's had just three runs in three-and-a-half months, as planned.

"Last out, (in the Sept. 23 Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot), he was beaten a little more than a length by George Washington, who will skip the Mile and go in the Classic. So that should set him up for this.

"I'm very happy with the way he's coming into this race," Noseda said. "He's in good shape, he's eating well, and doing well all around. I'm not worried about track condition, because he goes on any ground.

"The low draw (post three) was a big help. He runs on Lasix Saturday. We've worked him on Lasix at home, and he's done well with it.

"And having John Velazquez is a big benefit," Noseda said. "We were pleased that the champion American jockey was available to ride our horse."

>b>Aragorn: - The Irish-bred colt is on a roll - having won four straight in California for trainer Neil Drysdale. Saturday he'll go for No. 5 and likely championship honors in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

The chestnut took a step in that direction Thursday morning at Churchill Downs when he galloped a mile at 9 o'clock on the main track under exercise rider Deborah Biggs and the watchful eye of Hall of Fame conditioner Drysdale.

The trainer had shipped in from California Wednesday, properly bringing his cool-weather gear in anticipation of the November chill in Kentucky.

"I'm fine and so is the horse," Drysdale said. "All's good by us."

Aragorn, who is by the young Storm Cat stallion Giant's Causeway, has been handled by Corey Nakatani in all four of his stakes tallies. Nakatani rides again Saturday.

Badge of Silver: - The Silver Deputy 6yo horse went to the main track after the break Thursday morning and galloped a 1 ½ m under Jose Cuevas. Trainer Robert Frankel took his spot near the five-eighths gap on the backside to watch his charge go through his exercise.

The trainer discussed his chances in the mile race with a horse that hasn't had a start since winning the San Gabriel Handicap at Santa Anita on Jan. 1.

"I'll be on the lead, I'll be saving all the ground and I'll be 10-1," the Hall of Fame conditioner said. "There are some reasons to like him.

"I looked at the race pretty good and there's not a lot of speed in it this year. In other years there has been, but not this year. I don't think (another horse) is going to want to run with him. If they do, they'll compromise themselves. So, if he gets loose up front...

"I had some problems with him after the California race. He had a surgery and we took a chip out of his ankle. Then I got him ready to run at Saratoga and he had an abscess in a back foot and I couldn't run him there. I had an allowance race picked out for him in Kentucky, but this horse is getting ready to go to stud.

"He's not going to race after this. So what's the point in winning an allowance race with a (stakes-winning) horse like this? But if he can win a Breeders' Cup race - well, obviously, that's greatly to his advantage.

"I didn't have any trouble getting him fit. He's there. He's a very generous horse in the mornings. He's ready -and you never know."

Echo of Light/Librettist: - Trainer Saeed bin Suroor is due into Louisville Thursday afternoon, meanwhile traveling head lad Sam Avis is quietly overseeing the late preparation of the Godolphin duo for the Mile. As they did Wednesday and will do again on Friday, Librettist and Echo of Light galloped 1 ¼ m on the main track Thursday morning.

"Just a routine gallop," Avis said after the pair had returned to Barn 42 at 8:50 a.m. "They're both in good form and should go well on Saturday."

Despite Librettist winning two Group I races in his last three starts, stable jockey Frankie Dettori will be aboard Echo of Light in the Mile, whose most significant victory came last out in the Group II Prix Daniel Wildenstein. Echo of Light is 10-1 in the morning line, Librettist, Christophe Soumillon up, is 6-1.

Free Thinking: - The Mile contender galloped 1 ½ m over the Turfway Park Polytrack on Thursday morning in his final preparation before shipping to Churchill Downs on Friday morning.

"He's super," reported trainer Doug Danner. "I have another starter on Friday, so we'll probably be in Louisville by 9 or 9:30 and we're going into my cousin's barn." Mark Danner is stabled in Barn 33.

Gorella: - Gorella galloped 1 ½ m Thursday at Keeneland, and trainer Patrick Biancone said he had decided to delay her move to Churchill Downs until Friday morning.

All Breeders' Cup starters - and Biancone has four - must be on the grounds of the host track by noon Friday.

Early in the week, Biancone had announced plans to ship Thursday afternoon.

"I changed my mind," Biancone said. "The track here [Polytrack] is much better. It's too slippery over there."

Biancone was asked how he felt about his filly's status as 4-1 favorite for the Mile, but he sidestepped the question.

"There are the most difficult races in the world," he said. "All the horses are in great form."

Miesque's Approval: - Live Oak Plantation's Miesque's Approval galloped 1 3/8 m at Churchill Downs on Thursday with exercise rider Jody Giorgio in the saddle. The 7yo son of Miesque's Son goes to the track early each morning, usually before daylight.

"He's sharper than a Ginsu knife on Thanksgiving Day," said Giorgio.

Trainer Marty Wolfson is traveling Thursday from south Florida to Louisville.

Rob Roy: - The Kentucky-bred son of Lear Fan galloped on the turf course Thursday morning with trainer Michael Stoute looking on.

Stoute, who saddled Kalanisi to win the Turf the last time the Breeders' Cup was run at Churchill Downs in 2000, said he was pleased with the way the 4yo is coming up to the race.

"He journeyed well, and he's been doing well since he arrived here," said the trainer, who will be looking for his fourth Breeders' Cup victory. "The condition of the course doesn't really matter. He's impervious to track conditions."

The trainer feels that the colt's last start - a second to Pride in the Champion Stakes on Oct. 14 - might have been his best of the season.

"I'll be happy if he's in the same form Saturday that he was for the Champion," Stoute said.

Rob Roy drew post nine for the Mile, which satisfied Stoute.

"I'm happy he's not farther out," the trainer said. "Anyway, you need a bit of luck in a mile race on an American course."

Stoute is giving luck a helping hand by having Rob Roy treated with Lasix for the first time, and by employing American rider Ramon Dominguez.

"With Lasix," he said, "why not use it if it's allowed?

"And Neil Drysdale (who saddles Aragorn in the Mile) is the one who recommended Dominguez. He won the Turf (aboard Better Talk Now) at Lone Star."

Silent Name: - A light, 1m gallop filled the bill Thursday morning for Silent Name as he heads toward Saturday's Breeders' Cup Mile.

That's exactly what trainer Gary Mandella wanted for the 4yo Japanese-bred son of 1989 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sunday Silence. "I just want him to have light gallops," the trainer said. "I'm trying to have him sharper than he was at Keeneland. I think that will let him place himself better in the race."

In Keeneland's Shadwell Mile, Silent Name got away slow, remained well back through most of the race before coming 10-wide down the stretch to finish seventh but only 2 ¾ lengths to the rear of winner Aussie Rules.

Mandella, son of Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, made his championship day debut in 2005 with a rousing second-place finish in the Sprint with Taste of Paradise, who was beaten a head by Silver Train. His father has six Breeders' Cup victories, four of which came at Santa Anita in 2003.

Sleeping Indian: - The 5yo son of Indian Ridge, was out on the turf course Thursday morning for a 1 ¼ m gallop

John Gosden, who saddled the English-based Royal Heroine to win the first running of the Breeders' Cup Mile at Hollywood Park in 1984, said he was pleased with the entire Breeders' Cup picture.

"He's doing great," the trainer said. "He looked good out there this morning. He switched leads when he should and he was going very well.

"We got a nice draw (post four) and he's coming into this race a fresh horse. That's not entirely by design," Gosden said.

"He got sick on us in the spring, so he didn't race until September. The Breeders' Cup was the logical place for him to finish the season.

"He's a fresh horse in good form, and his game is seven furlongs to one mile, so I'm pleased with everything."

Sleeping Indian won his two starts in England this year, including the Challenge Stakes last out on Oct. 14, and was unlucky in his Longchamp loss on Sept. 30, the trainer said.

Gosden is another trying for an edge in the Mile by hiring an American jockey. Alex Solis, who has won two Breeders' Cup races, has the call Saturday.

Super Frolic: - One day after learning that two of his three Breeders' Cup hopefuls would not make the races because of oversubscribed fields, yet picking up a second starter when Super Frolic joined his barn, it was business as usual for trainer Scott Blasi as he prepared for his first Breeders' Cup as head trainer.

Super Frolic, who was shipped from the California barn of Vladimir Cerin on Tuesday, galloped 1 m and stood in the gate.

"I really don't feel too much pressure for a horse that I've only had one day," said Blasi. "He looks good and is a nice mover. I'm very confident in the way he was prepared before coming here, so I just have to walk him over."