BC Sprint

Lost in the Fog could be the shortest price on Breeders’ Cup day (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

Leading the pack is the undefeated three-year-old LOST IN THE FOG (Lost
Soldier), who comes into this event on a 10-race tear. Despite being listed at
even money on the morning line, he looks best to us and rates our top pick. The Greg Gilchrist trainee
exits an easy score in the Bay
Meadows Speed H. against inferior opponents, capturing that one by 7 3/4
lengths, but he showed his class two starts back in the King’s Bishop S. (G1),
defeating five other stakes winners, including Grade 2 victors Santana
Strings (Wheaton) and Fusaichi Rock Star (Wild Wonder) as well as eventual Super Derby
(G2) winner The Daddy (Valid Expectations). Lost in the Fog has earned BRIS
Speed figures under 106 only once, his maiden debut over a muddy track, and he
figures to excel over any kind of track conditions. Russell Baze has the call.

SILVER TRAIN (Old Trieste) comes off an impressive victory in the Jerome H.
(G2) and has been working bullets for conditioner Richard Dutrow at Aqueduct.
The three-year-old dark bay has two scores in four attempts at the Elmont, New
York, track, and he’s hit the board in all five races at six furlongs. Silver
Train owns good
late speed and could come on strong in the end at a price.

ELUSIVE JAZZ (Elusive Quality) is inexperienced against high-quality fields,
but can make that up with skill. He annexed the Phoenix Breeders’ Cup (G3) at
Keeneland in his last outing despite a bumping incident at the three-sixteenths mark,
eventually pulling away to his first stakes win by three lengths. The
four-year-old chestnut has worked nicely since then at Churchill Downs for trainer Bobby Barnett, going a half-mile in
a bullet :47 last Saturday, and he relishes six furlongs (3-1-0 in last four
starts). Robby Albarado
returns for the mount.

Gygistar hasn’t lost his step at six years of age (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

GYGISTAR (Prospector’s Music) could be this year’s sleeper. He exits an
encouraging prep versus optional claiming/allowance company, finishing a dominant four
lengths ahead of the rest of the pack, and the six-year-old gelding has shown an affinity
for Belmont, winning five of eight tries, including two Grade 2 scores. Winner
of the last runnings of the Westchester H. (G3), Gygistar has also captured two
of three attempts at three-quarters of a mile. The chestnut has been putting
together some sharps works for conditioner Mark Hennig and could make a good
showing.

Although fifth in Keeneland’s Woodford S. last out, BATTLE WON (Honour and Glory)
comes into this one with very respectable form. The Charles Simon-conditioned five-year-old
has excelled switching from the turf to dirt before, annexing the Churchill Downs H. (G2)
over a strong field in May following a fourth in the grassy Shakertown
H. (G3) at Keeneland, and he got bottled up in the Woodford with no place to
run. The dark bay gelding was a close second
in the Forego S. (G1) two-back and runner-up in the Bing Crosby H. (G1) at Del
Mar, and Battle Won could hit the bottom of the gimmicks with Ramon Dominguez.

TASTE OF PARADISE (Conquistador Cielo) is another dead closer who exits a
victory in the Vosburgh S. (G1) over this same surface under hot jockey Garrett
Gomez. The California transfer ran big in that one, his first start at Belmont,
and has been working bullets for trainer Gary Mandella at Hollywood Park.
Don’t count out this improving late runner. LION TAMER (Will’s Way) owns
commendable late speed that could come in handy if a
fast pace develops on the front end. He has two wins at the Sprint’s distance
in three tries for trainer Todd Pletcher, and the five-year-old chestnut made a late
run to finish third in the Vosburgh last out. Your call.