Funny Cide Breeders' Cup Bound

Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide breezed a mile over Belmont's fast training track Sunday morning in 1:38 3/5 with exercise rider Robin Smullen aboard. Following the move, it was announced that Funny Cide, who had been pointed to the $250,000 Empire Classic for New York breds, would skip that race and instead run in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

"We had discussed the Breeders' Cup and if we were going to do it, I wanted to get him a work around two turns," said trainer Barclay Tagg, who would have had to work Funny Cide significantly further to go two turns on the 1 ½-mile main track. As of Saturday morning,

Funny Cide was considered a probable starter for the October 18th Empire Classic, but Tagg had reservations about that race. "I wasn't real keen on him going a one-turn mile and an eighth back off a long layoff," said Tagg, whose charge has not run since finishing third in the August 3rd Haskell. "If he got beat in a restricted race for New York breds, it would be very hard for him to get the championship for three-year-olds. I'd rather run for $4 million than $250,000."

Tagg said Funny Cide would have one more work next weekend here at Belmont before shipping to California on Wednesday, October 22nd for the Breeders' Cup.