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Bobby's Kitten last to first in BC Turf Sprint

Bobby's Kitten zoomed from last to edge a hidden No Nay Never for his first Grade 1 win (Wendy Wooley/EquiSport Photos) Bobby's Kitten turned in an incredible rally down the middle of the course to deny fellow sophomore and 7-2 favorite No Nay Never in the final jumps of Saturday's Grade 1, $920,000 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita. Last of 14 crossing the dirt between the hillside part of the course and the main turf, Bobby Kitten's had turn in a sub-22 second final quarter to win by a half-length over No Nay Never, who had tracked in second and third behind the filly Reneesgotzip, who had clear lead through splits of :21 3/5 and :43 3/5. "I was kind of worried with my position in the beginning," winning jockey Joel Rosario said. "There was a lot of speed in the race, but I thought I could have been closer. I had to take a hold and was further back than I wanted to be. I thought I had no shot but he gave me a huge turn of foot."

Bobby's Kitten, making his first ever start at less than a mile, returned $16.40 after completing about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:12 3/5 on good ground.

No Nay Never just barely held second by a nose over fellow Wesley Ward trainee Undrafted. The mare Ageless was a neck back in fourth and was followed by Sweet Swap, Tightend Touchdown, Ambitious Brew, Caspar Netscher, Reneesgotzip, Something Extra, Home Run Kitten, Dimension, Marchman, and Silentio. Free as a Bird and the also-eligible Za Approval were scratched.

This score served as redemption for Bobby's Kitten, who was the beaten favorite in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf after being rank and setting an extremely fast pace he could not sustain. He finished third that day, but provided trainer Chad Brown with his second Breeders' Cup win of the afternoon and third of weekend.

"I was a little worried early because he got shuffled far back, but Joel (Rosario) rode him perfect," Brown said. "He knows the hill so well and that's one of the big reasons we put him on this horse. We had this race in mind and it was a good decision. He's terrific. He fits the horse perfect. This makes up a little bit for the disappointment of this horse's race in the Juvenile Turf last year.

The Ramsey family was also smiles bringing Bobby's Kitten into the winner's circle (Wendy Wooley/EquiSport Photos) "It's an unbelievable weekend. I am so happy for my clients and my staff who work so hard. I'm down here in the winner's circle getting the trophies and doing the interviews, but I have so many hard working people under me who don't get the credit. I'm just so happy for all of them and so proud of them. I'm just speechless right now." Bobby's Kitten is a homebred racing for Ken and Sarah Ramsey and was foaled in Kentucky. A maiden winner in his second start, Bobby's Kitten romped by more than six lengths in the Pilgrim at Belmont for his first graded stakes win, and ran the aforementioned third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

An allowance winner at Tampa Bay Downs to kick off his three-year-old campaign, the son of Kitten's Joy next finished 12th in the Blue Grass before taking the $500,000 Penn Mile. Subsequently eighth in the Belmont Derby, he preceded this win with a second in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame and a third in the Woodbine Mile. His record now stands at 11-5-1-3, $1,294,916.

Bobby's Kitten was produced by Celestial Woods, a daughter of Forestry who has also produced multiple stakes winner Major Magic. His third dam was the noted producer North of Eden, whose offspring include 1994 turf male champion Paradise Creek and Grade 1 winners Forbidden Apple and Wild Event. North of Eden is also the second dam of multiple English highweight David Junior and Grade 1 queen Eden's Moon.

Bobby's Kitten's fourth dam was Tree of Knowledge, the dam of 1987 turf male champion Theatrical and leading Japanese performer Taiki Blizzard.

Click here for the transcript from the winning connections.

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