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BREEDERS' CUP TURF SPRINT (G1), 7TH-SA, $1,000,000, 3YO/UP, *6 1/2FT, 5:05PM, 11-1
by Vance Hanson For those with unlimited funds, the "ALL" button might come in handy for this renewal of the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint over Santa Anita's about 6 1/2-furlong downhill turf course. An unbelievably tough handicapping exercise, a case can be made for virtually everyone in the field. As in years past, our focus will be on those with positive prior experience over the course and/or distance. 1ST -- Although he finished in a dead heat for second in last year's Turf Sprint with the filly Reneesgotzip, TIGHTEND TOUCHDOWN is going to offer at least twice the price as that one, who drew a tough spot on the rail. Ignored at 18-1 in 2013, most likely due to not having run over the local turf, the chestnut gelding handled the course remarkably well. Tracking Reneesgotzip from second all the way down the hill, he eventually finished on even terms with that one while losing by a half-length to the brilliant Turf Sprint repeater Mizdirection. Tightend Touchdown turned in his worst performance since beginning his stakes career when eighth in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint in February, but had a legitimate excuse after getting bumped at the break. He rebounded to take the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup at Penn National for a second time, ran the iconic Ben's Cat to a nose decision in the Parx Dash, and then might have been a tad short when third in the Turf Monster Handicap over wet ground on Labor Day. A gem of consistency for most of his stakes career, he'll have every chance to get a trip similar to the one he had a year ago, and perhaps can fend off the late surges from various locally-based hopefuls. 2ND -- The beaten favorite in the one-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf a year ago when setting too fast a pace, BOBBY'S KITTEN might find the cut back to sprinting helpful. A top miler in the three-year-old ranks this term, the Chad Brown trainee fared well when taking on older rivals for the first time in the Woodbine Mile, finishing 2 1/4 lengths third to the globetrotting Trade Storm. Bobby's Kitten won't be showing as much early speed here as others are far quicker, but he should be well-placed in mid-pack and might get the jump on some of the other serious stalkers and closers. He's unlikely to get leg-weary as this will be the shortest distance he will have ever raced over. 3RD -- RENEESGOTZIP ran third here in 2012 and in a dead heat for second in 2013, but it might be a little tougher for the speedball mare this time as she drew post 1. She'll have to come out winging to protect her position coming down the hill, and the threat exists that other speed benefiting from outside posts might snatch the early advantage from her. The five-year-old has raced just twice since last year's Turf Sprint, finishing third to an in-form Judy the Beauty in the Rancho Bernardo, and then blowing the doors off lesser in a restricted stakes at Del Mar. Worse than third only once in 15 starts, that in the 2012 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, she'll be difficult to keep out of the frame. OTHERS -- SWEET SWAP is certain to be overlooked despite having won the San Simeon and Joe Hernandez here at the winter-spring meet, and the only question is whether he will be fit enough off a layoff approaching seven months. HOME RUN KITTEN and AMBITIOUS BREW, one-two in the opening day Eddie D, are also logical course-and-distance specialists. Multiple Grade 2 winner SILENTIO has won or placed in eight of nine starts over this course, but the miler doesn't have a lot of experience sprinting. The Wesley Ward-trained duo of NO NAY NEVER and UNDRAFTED have made their marks both stateside and in Europe, but concede crucial experience over this course. SOMETHNG EXTRA, DIMENSION, CASPAR NETSCHER, MARCHMAN, and AGELESS are all capable of making noise if they handle the course.
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