by Jeff Lowe

After kicking around the idea of running Red Giant in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), owner John Fort and trainer Todd Pletcher have decided to keep him on the grass in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).

Fort had said shortly after Red Giant’s victory in the Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship Stakes (G1) on September 27 at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park that he would likely pre-enter the Giant’s Causeway colt in both Breeders’ Cup races.

“I think we’ve changed our minds on that,” Fort said Tuesday afternoon. “Initially, I was thinking we could keep him at the mile-and-a-quarter distance [in the Classic], which he obviously has run very well at in the past in both the Virginia Derby (G2) and Clement Hirsch. And with the synthetic surface, I thought maybe we’d go for the big money.

“It’s a little bit of a guess, though, and he couldn’t have left much question in my mind of how much he likes the Santa Anita turf course, so I think we’ll just pre-enter him in the Turf.” 

Red Giant set a North American turf record of 1:57.16 for 1 ¼ miles in the Clement L. Hirsch, prevailing by a head over Out of Control (Brz).

The Turf will be Red Giant’s first attempt at 1 ½ miles.

Trainer Eoin Harty said a decision on Well Armed’s status for the Breeders’ Cup could come after a Wednesday workout at Santa Anita Park. The workout will be Well Armed’s first breeze since winning the Goodwood Stakes (G1) on the September 27 card.

Well Armed is a candidate for either the Classic or the TVG Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Harty also trains Travers Stakes Presented by Shadwell Farm  (G1) winner Colonel John for Well Armed’s owner-breeder, WinStar Farm. Colonel John is slated for the Classic.

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer