TURF SPRINT PREVIEW
The pattern is unavoidable. Since the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint was
inaugurated in 2008, every winner had previously won over the Turf Sprint’s
course and distance, whether it was at five furlongs on a relatively tight
course at Churchill Downs or about 6 1/2 furlongs downhill on Santa Anita’s
unique hillside grass. With that in mind, concentrating on the Southern
California-based entrants is probably the way to go.
The venerable eight-year-old California Flag captured the Turf Sprint when it
was last run at Santa Anita in 2009. He’s made only 10 starts in the intervening
three years, with mixed success, but one thing he hasn’t lost the touch for is
winning down the hill at Santa Anita. Indeed, his last two victories occurred in
the Morvich last October and the San Simeon Handicap, his most recent start, on
April 21. He is six-for-nine on the Santa Anita turf and five-for-six at the
Turf Sprint distance of about 6 1/2 furlongs.
The three-year-old Unbridled’s Note was a lukewarm 3-1 favorite in his turf
debut in September 28 Eddie D. (formerly the Morvich) at Santa Anita, and the
son of Unbridled’s Song lived up to expectations by showing a powerful stretch
burst to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Runner-up that day was Chosen Miracle, a
Ghostzapper colt coming off a seven-month layoff. He, too, owns a win over the
course, against allowance company back in February.
Camp Victory has won over the Santa Anita turf, but not sprinting. He’s been
a common presence in the major main track sprint stakes on the circuit for the
last couple of years, even posting a 10-1 upset in the Triple Bend Handicap at
Hollywood Park in July. Although not overly fond of this particular trip and
surface, Camp Victory could factor at long odds. He has sufficient class based
on his main track form, and fell a nose short of catching Regally Ready in the
2011 edition of the San Simeon over this course and distance. Regally Ready, of
course, went on to win last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill.
Another horse for the course not to be ignored is Mizdirection, a filly who
will be making her first start against males. She has two course-and-distance
stakes wins to her credit, in the Monrovia and the Clocker’s Corner Handicap
last winter, and is a versatile sort who can win on the front end or come from
slightly off the pace.
While Bridgetown has never had the privilege of sprinting at Santa Anita, he
did finish a strong second in the one-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf over this
course back in 2009. He’s more or less established himself as one of the East
Coast’s top turf sprinters this term, and arguably offers the best chance for an
East Coast horse to end this race’s historical home course advantage.
Great Attack has won two stakes this year, but hasn’t raced since winning the
Twin Spires Turf Sprint on the Kentucky Derby undercard. The Wesley Ward trainee
also looks a bit suspect competing beyond 5 1/2 furlongs.
The New York-bred Next Question came out of nowhere to register a 16-1 upset
in the Nearctic at Woodbine going six furlongs. The Stormy Atlantic gelding had
never raced in a stakes previously, much less a Grade 1 event like the Nearctic,
and he will have to prove his class again over a course he has yet to run on.
The three-year-old filly Reneesgotzip is freakishly fast but will be
encountering other pace elements in the field. She’s never run on turf before,
either, and this assignment is difficult enough without having to try something
new.
East Coast invader Corporate Jungle, who won the one-mile Appleton at
Gulfstream last winter, has never run at a distance this short but might be able
to make up some late ground with the right trip in this congested field.