(October 15, 2004)- Trainer Richard Mandella said defending $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge champion Pleasantly Perfect has "never been better" after a 1 1/8-mile workout in 1:50 3/5 at Santa Anita on Saturday.

"He went terrific," Mandella said. "He went a mile-and-an-eighth in :50 and a little change. He pulled up his mile-and-a-quarter in 2:03 and a little change. This was his big one. We've built up to it over the last month to this point and the rest will kind of taper off from here. Because he hasn't raced in a while, I had to give him something similar to a race."

Pleasantly Perfect, owned by Dallas financier Gerald Ford, won the Grade I Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 22. Following that race, Mandella announced he would train the 6-year-old up to the Oct. 30 Classic 10 weeks later. Last year, Pleasantly Perfect prepared for the Classic with a race in early October.

"He's as fit as he's ever been," Mandella assured. "We had a little disappointing day in the San Diego [Handicap on Aug. 1], but he made up for it in the next one and I think he's in as good of shape or better now. He's never been better."

Mandella confirmed that Pleasantly Perfect will fly into Dallas on Monday, Oct. 25, five days out from the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Frankel Horses 'Doing Good,' Megahertz Possible

Trainer Bobby Frankel reported that his drove of contenders for the Oct. 30 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Lone Star Park are "doing good."

The roster of Frankel probables for the Breeders' Cup includes potential $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge favorite Ghostzapper; Shadwell Turf Mile winner Nothing to Lose ($1.5 million NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile); Yellow Ribbon winner Light Jig ($1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf); defending $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint champion Cajun Beat; and Forego winner Midas Eyes (Sprint).

"All my horses are doing good," Frankel said. "There's an outside chance I could bring Megahertz [for the Filly & Mare Turf], too."

Megahertz, a two-time Grade II winner this year, has been off since May.

Breeder's Cup Pre-Entries Due Monday, Announced Wednesday

Pre-entered fields for all eight Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships races will be announced on Wednesday at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. The 21st Breeders' Cup, with purses and awards totaling a minimum of $14 million, will be run Saturday, Oct. 30 at the Dallas Fort Worth area racetrack.

Breeders' Cup Pre-Entry is the first stage of a two-stage entry process for all owners intending to run a horse in a Breeders' Cup race. At the Pre-Entry stage, the first payment to compete in the Breeders' Cup is due Monday by noon CT. The second payment is due Wednesday, Oct. 27, when entries are taken for all eight Breeders' Cup races. Owners have the option of Pre-Entering a horse in a maximum of two Breeders' Cup races.

Breeders' Cup fields are limited to 14 horses. Should a race have more than 14 horses pre-entered, the race is considered "oversubscribed." The Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel - consisting of seven North American and European racing experts - will convene Tuesday to set fields for the oversubscribed races. In such cases, the seven horses who have earned the highest number of Breeders' Cup Points receive an automatic berth in that Breeders' Cup race. Breeders' Cup Points are earned by finishing first, second or third in American graded stakes races held since Jan. 1. The remaining seven horses are selected by the Panel to fill out the rest of the 14-horse field, with consideration given to horses' positions in the World Thoroughbred Rankings. A preference list is then established beginning with the No. 15 rated horse. Prior to the Oct. 27 Entry deadline, horses will fill vacancies, in order of preference, should there be a defection from the main body of the field.

The latest Breeders' Cup Point standings are available at ntra.com.

$4 million Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge
Known probable participants in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic for 3-year-olds and up at 1 ¼ miles (with trainers): Birdstone (Nick Zito); Bowman's Band (Allen Jerkens); Domestic Dispute (Paddy Gallagher); Dynever (Christophe Clement); Fantasticat (Bobby Barnett); Freefourinternet (Mike Maker); Funny Cide (Barclay Tagg); Ghostzapper (Bobby Frankel); Newfoundland (Todd Pletcher); Perfect Drift (Murray Johnson); Personal Rush (Kenji Yamauchi); Pleasantly Perfect (Richard Mandella); and Roses in May (Dale Romans).

Known possibles: Azeri (D. Wayne Lukas); Powerscourt-GB (Aidan O'Brien); and Supah Blitz (Doug O'Neill).

$2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff - Presented by Nextel
Known probable participants in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up, at 1 1/8 miles (with trainers): Ashado (Todd Pletcher); Azeri (D. Wayne Lukas); Bare Necessities (Frank Kirby); Elloluv (Craig Dollase); Indy Groove (Tom Proctor); Island Fashion (Marcelo Polanco); Society Selection (H. Allen Jerkens); Stellar Jayne (D. Wayne Lukas); Storm Flag Flying (Shug McGaughey); and Tamweel (Wayne Catalano).

Known possibles: Island Sand (Larry Jones) and Nebraska Tornado (Andre Fabre).

$2 million John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf
Known probable participants in the $2 million John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf for 3-year-olds and up at 1 ½ miles on turf (with trainers): Balto Star (Todd Pletcher); Better Talk Now (Graham Motion); Kicken Kris (Michael Matz); Kitten's Joy (Dale Romans); Magistretti (Patrick Biancone); Request for Parole (Stanley Hough); Sarafan (Neil Drysdale); and Star Over the Bay (Mike Mitchell).

Known possibles: Mustanfar (Kiaran McLaughlin); Powerscourt-GB (Aidan O'Brien); and Simple Exchange (Dermot Weld).

$1.5 million NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile
Known probable participants in the $1.5 million NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile for 3-year-olds and up at one mile on turf (with trainers): Artie Schiller (Jimmy Jerkens); Blackdoun-FR (Julio Canani); Honor and War (Paul McGee); Mr. O'Brien-IRE (Robin Graham); Nothing to Lose (Bobby Frankel); Royal Regalia (Justin Nixon); Silver Tree (Bill Mott); Singletary (Don Chatlos Jr.); Six Perfections-FR (Pascal Bary); Soaring Free (Mark Frostad); Special Ring (Julio Canani); and Whipper (Robert Collet).

Known possibles: Antonius Pius (Aidan O'Brien); Balto Star (Todd Pletcher); Cacique-IRE (Andre Fabre); and Diamond Green-FR (Andre Fabre).

$1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf
Known probable participants in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf for fillies and mares, 3-years-olds and up, at 1 3/8 miles on turf (with trainers): Crimson Palace-SAF (Saeed bin Suroor); Film Maker (Graham Motion); Katdogawn-GB (James Cassidy); Light Jig-GB (Bobby Frankel); Moscow Burning (James Cassidy); Nebraska Tornado (Andre Fabre); Shaconage (Mitch Shirota); Stay Forever (Marty Wolfson); Super Brand-SAF (Kiaran McLaughlin); Wonder Again (James Toner); and Yesterday-IRE (Aidan O'Brien).

Known possibles: Aubonne-GER (Eric Libuad); Megahertz-GB (Bobby Frankel); Ouija Board-GB (Ed Dunlop); Riskaverse (Patrick Kelly).

$1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint
Known probable participants in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs (with trainers): Abbondanza (Timothy Tullock Jr.); Beau's Town (Cole Norman); Bwana Charlie (Steve Asmussen); Champali (Greg Foley); Cajun Beat (Bobby Frankel); Clock Stopper (Dallas Stewart); Cuvee (Steve Asmussen); Gold Strom ("Bubba" Cascio); Kela (Mike Mitchell); Midas Eyes (Bobby Frankel); Our New Recruit (John Sadler); Pt's Grey Eagle (Craig Dollase); and Speightstown (Todd Pletcher)

Known possibles: A Huevo (Michael Dickinson); Hombre Rapido (John Sadler); Medallist (Allen Jerkens); My Cousin Matt (Jeff Mullins); and Voodoo (James Jerkens)

$1.5 million Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Known probable participants in the $1.5 million Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile for 2-year-old colts and geldings at 1 1/16 miles (with trainers): Afleet Alex (Tim Richey); Bellamy Road (Michael Dickinson); Boston Glory (Eoin Harty); Consolidator (D. Wayne Lukas); Diamond Isle (Ken McPeek); Proud Accolade (Todd Pletcher); Rebuttal (Brian Meehan); Roman Ruler (Bob Baffert); Sun King (Nick Zito); and Wilko (Jeremy Noseda).

Known possible: Scandinavia (Aidan O'Brien) and Storied Cat (D. Wayne Lukas).

$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
Known probable participants in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles (with trainers): Balletto-UAE (Thomas Albertrani); Culinary (Mike Stidham); Culture Clash (Marcello Polanco); Enduring Will (Al Stall Jr.); Dabce Away Capote (Graham Motion); Higher World (Mark Casse); In The Gold (Nick Zito); Memorette (Bill Curran); Play With Fire (Mark Hennig); Ready's Gal (Todd Pletcher); Runway Model (Bernie Flint); Sense of Style (Patrick Biancone); Sharp Lisa (Doug O'Neill); and Sweet Catomine (Julio Canani).

Known possible: Mona Lisa-GB (Aidan O'Brien)

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