Dermot Weld is to step Pine Dance up in grade following the colt`s easy victory in the Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park last night.
'They said he won most impressively last night so we`ll aim him at the Breeders` Cup Classic now,' the Curragh trainer said today.
'We`ll find a race two or three weeks beforehand at somewhere like Keeneland or Churchill (Downs, the venue for the Breeders` Cup on November 4th).'
The Pennsylvania Derby was Pine Dance`s second success in the United States following his win in the American Derby at Arlington last month.
The three-year-old, making his debut on dirt, came from last to first to lift the Grade Three nine-furlong event by three lengths from Mass Market, in the hands of Michael McCarthy.
'When I asked him to go about the three-eighths pole he really surprised me with his turn of foot,' McCarthy said of the winner.
'I almost thought we were moving too fast. He`s a tremendous horse.'
The local rider was taking overfrom Eddie Ahern, who won the American Derby on Pine Dance.
'I did some homework and found that Michael McCarthy was the leading rider at the track,' Weld said.
'He`ll be considered for the horse in the future.'
Explaining the decision to campaign Pine Dance on dirt Weld said: 'I got the idea watching him work on dirt at Arlington and said then that`s what he wants - he handled it so well.
'So I went through the American programme book and looked for a valuable race and came up with a 300,000-dollar stakes race, the Pennsylvania Derby.'
Pine Dance looks set to return to Ireland this week before a decision is made on whether or not the son of Pine Bluff will go back to the United States for good.
'I haven`t decided yet but he will most likely come back here on Wednesday,' Weld added. 'He must be the first three-year-old to travel to America, win on turf come home and then go back and win on dirt - quite remarkable.
'He is a very durable horse. He flew to Chicago and then to Albany and was then boxed on to Philadelphia. He`s a super doer and always eats up.'
The Karl Burke-trained My Alibi finished second to Pic A Lil on his American debut in the Steve Van Buren Handicap on the same Labor Day card.
But Mick Ryan`s Diamond White could finish only fifth of eight in the Arlington Matron Handicap at Arlington in Chicago.
Blueprint, formerly owned by The Queen, finished fifth to Northern Quest in the Grade Two Del Mar Handicap in California last night.
The Jockey Club Stakes winner, sent off 6-4 favourite, was beaten six and a half lengths by the former French-trained winner.
Now trained by Bob Hess, Blueprint had finished sixth on his American debut in the Hollywood Gold Cup.
The Queen`s Fictitious finished sixth of seven to Perfect Sting in the Grade Two Diana Handicap at Saratoga.
