With owner William Simon looking on and trainer John Ortiz in the saddle, Brightwork on Saturday began her major preparations for an expected run in the $2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) run at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Nov. 3. 

Working with 4 G Racing’s Crown Imperial, a candidate for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) also on Nov. 3, Brightwork finished in front of her stablemate while completing 5 furlongs in 1:00.80 and galloping out 6 furlongs in 1:14. Crown Imperial received a time of 1:02.20 for 5 furlongs. 

“She did it very easy,” Ortiz said of Brightwork, who sustained her first defeat in the Oct. 6 Darley Alcibiades (G1) run at 1 1/16 miles after opening her career with four victories. “She’s a filly that likes to take direction and she understood that today I wanted to give her confidence to go two turns.” 

Ortiz plans to breeze Brightwork here next Saturday, Oct. 28 with a scheduled Oct. 30 departure date to Southern California. She and Crown Imperial would mark the first starters for Ortiz at Santa Anita. 

“Never saddled one on my own,” Ortiz said. “I was out there before as an assistant to Kellyn Gorder.” 

The deadline to pre-enter for the Breeders’ Cup is Monday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. ET. Pre-entries will be announced Oct. 25 at noon ET.