For the second year running, Casa Creed earned an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) by winning Saturday’s $400,000 Jaipur S. (G1) at Belmont Park. Unfortunately for Casa Creed, the Turf Sprint will be run over 5 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland in November, which is a bit on the short side for a horse who very much needed all of the Jaipur’s sixth furlong to pull off the repeat win under Luis Saez.
Saving ground much of the way while improving his position, Casa Creed was switched outside at the eighth pole to take aim on True Valour and 1.85-1 favorite Arrest Me Red, who had run one-two from the start. With a final burst of speed, Casa Creed wore them both down to win by a half-length.
“It’s great to get back-to-back wins in the Jaipur with him,” trainer Bill Mott said. “We finally found out what he wants to do. He wants to run in the Jaipur every year.”
Owned by LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable, Casa Creed finished up in 1:07.44 over the firm ground and paid $10.40. Arrest Me Red edged True Valour for second by a half-length, with Change of Control two lengths behind in fourth.
The order of finish was rounded out by Whatmakessammyrun, Greyes Creek, Gregorian Chant, Smokin’ Jay, Omaha City, Gear Jockey, Scuttlebuzz, Filo Di Arianna, and Chasing Artie.
Casa Creed is likely to step back up in trip during the Saratoga meet, according to Lee Einsidler of LRE Racing. Casa Creed has finished third in the last two editions of the one-mile Fourstardave H. (G1), and completed his 2021 campaign by finishing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Del Mar.
Casa Creed kicked off his 2022 campaign in the Middle East, finishing third in the S.T.C. 1351 Turf Sprint (G3) in Saudi Arabia and fifth in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) in Dubai. Besides the two Jaipur victories, Casa Creed has won three other stakes, the most notable being the 2019 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2). His record now stands at 26-6-4-4, $1,428,308.
Bred in Kentucky by Silver Springs Stud, Casa Creed is a six-year-old by Jimmy Creed and out of Achalaya, by Bellamy Road. Casa Creed is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Chess’s Dream.
