Frosted Confirmed For Classic One Day after Wrong-Way Work

By Laura Pugh

On Thurday, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin finally made it official and announced that multiple grade 1 winner Frosted will be pointed to the November 5 Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) rather than the Dirt Mile (GI) as had been previously mentioned.

On Wednesday, the colt’s Breeders’ Cup status was surrounded in confusion after social media became ablaze with tweets and Facebook posts indicating the gray son of Tapit was officially set for the Classic, information that according to McLaughlin jumped the gun a little bit.

“We wanted to wait until the day after he breezed, so that we could see how he jogged up, to make sure all systems were a go,” McLaughlin said. “I told (Jimmy Bell) if you say our first preference is the Classic then we don’t have to talk anymore, but I don’t think he meant to say that.”

Wednesday’s six-furlong work in 1.11 impressive his connections but had no bearing on the final decision of pointing Frosted to the Classic, McLaughlin revealed.

“We’ve been thinking Classic for most of the time,” McLaughlin said. “It’s just the process, making sure he’s doing well, but the race shape of the Classic sets up best.

“I’ve always felt that the Classic was best for the horse. If it was a one-turn mile things would be different.”

With the Classic shaping up to have a seemingly hot pace on paper, McLaughlin noted that it would be ideal for Frosted to sit third or fourth, not too far behind the early leaders in the 1 ¼-mile test.

“He won’t be way back because Arrogate and California Chrome will probably set a fast pace,” McLaughlin said. “We’ll have to see how we break and how it unfolds, but that’s how it looks on paper.”

McLaughlin continued on to say that Frosted has been training spectacularly for the Classic, and that he is coming into the race similar to the way he came into the Met Mile (GI) back in May.

“He worked fabulous,” McLaughlin said. “The more time in between races seems to be better for him. He’s feeling great, his energy level is high and he showed that (by) going :58 4/5 and 1.11 flat. He’s ready to go, doing great and couldn’t be happier.”

In Wednesday’s work, McLaughlin revealed, Frosted worked clockwise as opposed to the conventional method of working counter clockwise. However, this method is far from uncommon in the McLaughlin barn.

“He always works right-handed; we work most of them right handed at Greentree,” he explained. “We feel like horses are always going left-handed and then end up with injuries on their left fore and their right hind because of always going left-handed. We feel like it’s an advantage to go right-handed.”

McLaughlin did say that while Wednesday’s work was right-handed, Frosted will have one final work at Santa Anita that will be left-handed.

“He will be shipped out (to Santa Anita) Sunday,” the trainer said. “He could work Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, but our optimum day is Friday.”