MyRacehorse’s Straight No Chaser raced prominently from the start and courageously reeled in Bentornato late in Saturday’s $1,840,000 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Del Mar, edging away to an exciting half-length win.
John Velazquez was up on the five-year-old horse for Dan Blacker, and Straight No Chaser sped six furlongs in 1:08.62.
Following a brilliant win in the Sept. 29 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2), Straight No Chaser was put to the test in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, and he’s now in the driver’s seat for champion male sprinter. The son of Speightster left the starting gate as the 6.10-1 fourth choice among 11 runners.
Federal Judge showed speed from the inside at the break, establishing an opening quarter-mile in :21.74 while being chased by Bentornato. Straight No Chaser tracked three-wide, about a length back through a half-mile in :44.12, and offered a serious bid after straightening into the stretch.
“He ran great,” said Velazquez, who earned his second Sprint and 21st overall Breeders’ Cup race win. “The pace was really fast up front, and I was hoping that they would back up to me as we turned for home. I asked him for run and he responded and found another gear late. I was very proud of him.”
Straight No Chaser established himself as a rising star in the sprint division when earning his first stakes win, a 7 1/4-length romp in the Maryland Sprint (G3), on last year’s Preakness undercard, but he wasn’t seen again under silks for nearly 12 months, returning with a troubled fourth in May’s Runhappy (G3) at Aqueduct. The Santa Anita Sprint Championship marked his second start of 2024.
“He’s just a really talented horse, I’m just really thankful to MyRacehorse for having me,” Blacker said. “They’ve been such great patient owners. It means a lot to me, obviously, but it’s the horse. Ultimately, he’s just a really talented horse. All the other horses … in the race are great, super talented horse, too, I’m just lucky to have the best one today.”
Bentornato, winner of the Gallant Bob (G2) at Parx last out, was overlooked at 28-1 in his first start against older horses and finished 2 1/2 lengths better than 3-1 favorite Mullikin in third. Next came Gun Pilot, Federal Judge, Nakatomi, Raging Torrent, Meta Max, Don Frankie, Skelly, and Remake.
Bred by John Eaton and Steve Laymon in Kentucky, Straight No Chaser was purchased for $110,000 as a two-year-old in training at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic’s May Sale. His dam, the Johannesburg mare Margarita Friday, also foaled stakes winner Hangover Saturday. Further back, this is the family of current Black-Eyed Susan (G2) heroine Gun Song and Hall of Famer Housebuster.
Straight No Chaser has now bankrolled more than $1.4 million from a 10-6-0-1 record.
Check out 2024 Breeders’ Cup News and Notes on TwinSpires.com.
