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Photo: Jason Moran / Eclipse Sportswire
Trainer Doug Cowans reportedly confirmed he was a dirt stayer
Next will be entered in a Breeders’ Cup race Nov. 2 at Del Mar. He just didn’t say which one.
“Once I see the pre-registrations, the decision will probably be easy for me,” Cowans said Blood horse.
Next up will be a 6-year-old gelding riding a seven-race winning streak to win one of the $7 million prizes classic at 1 1/4 miles on gravel or the $5 million turf at 1 1/2 miles.
Owned by Michael Foster, the son of Not This Time has made his last 10 starts on dirt at distances ranging from 1 3/8 to 1 5/8 miles. His last six victories came by 9 1/4 to 25 lengths, including the last two races of the Grade 2 Brooklyn and Greenwood Cup (G3).
If he were to compete in the Classic, Next would be racing at a distance he has never raced on clay before. The last time he went less than 1 3/8 miles on such a main course, he was relegated to last place in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile over 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland.
The Turf would keep Next in his 1 1/2-mile wheelhouse, but he hasn’t raced on the turf since finishing fourth in an Ellis Park grant more than two years ago, covering 1 1/8 miles. That was before Cowans turned Next into a dirt marathon runner from the following race.
Pre-registrations for the Breeders’ Cup are due Monday at 3:00 p.m. EDT but will not be announced until midday Wednesday. Submissions will be accepted on Monday, October 28th. The draw for postal places will take place at 7:15 p.m
