Las Vegas, NV – Santa Anita in Arcadia, California will be the scene of a full weekend of Breeders’ Cup races. On Saturday, November 1 the $1.5 million Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint will be contested – a six furlong test for horses three years old and upward.
A full field of 14 plus two alternate entries will take part in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint – race 10 on Santa Anita’s stacked Saturday card. Post time is 4:01 PM PDT. Here is a brief glance into the past performances of all 16 possible entries for this Grade 1 stakes.
Street Circle 9-2 – Bob Baffert trained colt won five of seven starts in 2012 with two seconds to go along with it – the highlights being wins in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes in February of 2012 and the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes in March 2012. He won both starts in 2013 as well – an Allowance Optional Claiming score October 14 after 14 months away and an incredible score in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He finished second in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes on this track way back in February, took eight months away and most recently was third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship here October 4. Street Circle has been impressive when on the track – seven wins, three seconds and a third place finish in 11 starts and is the tepid morning line favorite Saturday. Martin Garcia gets the mount from post 4.
Rich Tapestry 5-1 – Irish bred gelding made his North American debut October 4 and won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship in this very track and has looked very good the last 2 1/2 years in limited starts. Since May, 2012 he has just six starts – five wins and a second place finish – the second coming in March in a Group 1 race at Meydan which followed a nice win in a Group 3 on that same course three weeks earlier. Off a win in his North American debut Rich Tapestry has to be in the conversation. Oliver Doleuze gets the call from gate 6.
Private Zone 6-1 – Canadian bred Doug O’Neill entry had a string of four straight second place finishes including the 2012 Grade 3 Vernon Underwood, the Grade 1 Malibu and the Grade 2 Palos Verses in January, 2013 end with a ninth in the Grade 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in March of last year. He went on to a two race win streak – the minor Pirate’s Bounty Stakes at Del Mar September 4 and the Grade 1 Vosburgh Invitational September 28, 2013. Private Zone has just four starts since – a terrific win last time out in the this year’s Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park September 27 followed a fourth in the Grade 3 Turf Monster Handicap at Parx , 10 months away, a second in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile and a disappointing tenth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Private Zone will be looking to return to his early 2013 and off a win could do just that with Martin Pedroza aboard from post 5.
Palace 6-1 – impressive Linda Rice trained colt has three wins, two seconds and a third place finish in seven starts this year – a fourth in the Grade 3 General George Handicap in February being his only off the board finish. Last time out was an OK third in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park after a nice victory in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes August 30, another win in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap August 2, a second in the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint Championship July 5 and a win in the Grade 2 True North Stakes in June. He has six wins and three seconds and a third in his last 11 starts overall – as competitive as they come right now. Cornelio Velasquez gets the mount from gate 8.
Salutos Amigos 6-1 – had a three race win streak earlier this year (no stakes) and went on to consecutive thirds – the Grade 2 True North Handicap and the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint Championship. He followed that with a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming, a fourth in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes September 27 and a terrific win last time out in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park last week! He has 11 starts this year with four wins, a second and three third place finishes and has won five of 22 career starts. He leaves from post 9 with Javier Castellano in the irons
Bakken 10-1 – impressive Chad Brown trained colt has just five career starts with three wins (two gate-to-wire) and a second place finish. The wins include an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out October 2, an Allowance at Aqueduct November 23 and a MSW at Belmont Park October 13. He also had a somewhat disappointing fifth in his stakes debut – the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on December 26 and a good second in the Grade 2 True North Handicap in June. Gary Stevens rides from post 11.
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Work All Week 10-1 – has 14 career starts with an astonishing 11 wins and two third place finishes. He is coming off a win in his graded stakes debut – the Grade 3 Ogden Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland October 3 after a second in the minor Addison Cammack Handicap in July and seven straight wins including the minor Iowa Sprint Championship in June and the minor Hot Springs Stakes in March. Work All Week has been sensational against lesser competition and hopes his hot streak continues Saturday. Florent Giroux gets the call from the outside post.
Indianapolis 12-1 – Bob Baffert trained colt has three career starts and three wins but steps into graded stakes company for the first time Saturday. Last time out he won an Allowance Optional Claiming here September 26 after a win in the minor San Pedro Stakes in January and a maiden score at first asking in November. Mike Smith gets the call from post 2.
Fast Anna 12-1 – Katherine Rivto pupil makes just his fifth career start. His first two career starts were wins – an Allowance score July 6 and a maiden score at first asking in April – both results at Gulfstream Park and his next two were runner-up finishes – the Grade 3 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx last time out and the Grade 1 King’s Bishop Stakes at Saratoga August 23. The legendary John Velazquez rides from post 12.
Big Macher 12-1 – Richard Baltas trainee made his graded stakes debut March 8 and finished a good second in the Grade 2 San Carlos after a win in his stakes debut – the minor Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint here January 25. He went on to a two race win streak – the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes over Goldencents at Del Mar July 27 followed the Grade 2 Potrero Grande Stakes in April. Last time out was an uncharacteristic sixth in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar August 24. Big Macher has won three of his last five starts overall, with a second sandwiched in there and enters this weekend looking to bounce back after a career-worst performance. Tyler Baze gets the mount from post 10.
Mico Margarita 15-1 – has eight starts this year with three wins and a third place finish. He enters on a two race minor stakes win streak – the Remington Park Sprint Cup last time out September 28 and the Senator Robert C. Byrd Memorial at Mountaineer in August. He won the Grade 3 Carry Back Stakes in July, 2013 and followed that with a second in the Grade 2 Amsterdam – he hopes to get back to that form Saturday. Rosie Napravnik rides from post 7.
Seeking the Sherif 20-1 – has seven wins, a second and two thirds in 11 career starts for trainer Ron Ellis and enters off a win in the minor Katella Stakes at Los Alamitos September 20 and consecutive thirds – the minor Pirate’s Bounty Stakes September 3 and the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes July 27. Before that was a four race win streak – all Allowance races. Edwin Maldonado gets the call from the rail Saturday.
Wind Fire 30-1 – has just one win in six starts this year – a stakes race at Sandown Park in June but makes her North American debut Saturday. She has three wins, a second and two third place finishes in 13 career starts and looks over her head in this one. Jamie Spence has the mount from post
Bourbon Courage 30-1 – hadn’t won since the Grade 2 Super Derby in September, 2012 before last time out – an Allowance Optional Claiming at Keeneland October 3. Prior to that he did place in nine of 13 starts, including thirds in the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes and the competitive Harlan’s Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream in December and in the Grade 3 Texas Mile at Lone Star April 26 – which was followed by a sixth in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special in May. He has four wins, five seconds and five thirds in 19 career starts overall. Ricardo Santana rides from the outside post Saturday.
Bahamian Squall 20-1 – Alternate Entry finished sixth in this race last year and has a win, three thirds and a seventh place finish – in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes in August. He is coming off a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream October 2 after a third in the minor Tale of the Cat Stakes at Saratoga in August.
Indexical 30-1 – Alternate Entry has two wins and a third place finish in 10 career starts including an Allowance Optional Claiming score May 17. Lately he’s had a seventh in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in September, was a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar August 24, a fourth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes July 27 and an OK third in the Grade 1 Triple Bend in June at Santa Anita.
Race 10 on Santa Anita’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:01 PM.
| Entry | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | ML Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seeking the Sherif | E. Maldonado | R. Ellis | |
| 2 | Indianapolis | M. Smith | B. Baffert | |
| 3 | Wind Fire | J. Spencer | D. Brown | |
| 4 | Secret Circle | M. Garcia | B. Baffert | |
| 5 | Private Zone | M. Pedroza | A. Velazquez | |
| 6 | Rich Tapestry (IRE) | O. Doleuze | C. Chang | |
| 7 | Mico Margarita | R. Napravnik | S. Asmussen | |
| 8 | Palace | C. Velasquez | L. Rice | |
| 9 | Salutos Amigos | J. Castellano | D. Jacobson | |
| 10 | Big Macher | T. Baze | R. Baltas | |
| 11 | Bakken | G. Stevens | C. Brown | |
| 12 | Fast Anna | J. Velazquez | K. Ritvo | |
| 13 | Work All Week | F. Geroux | R. Brueggemann | |
| 14 | Bourbon Courage | R. Santana, Jr. | K. Gorder | |
| 15 | Bahamian Squall | R. Bejarano | D. Fawkes | |
| 16 | Indexical | M. Gutierrez | B. Cecil |
| Breeders’ Cup Race | Grade | Purse | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | I | $1,000,000 | November 3 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | I | $1,000,000 | November 3 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies | I | $2,000,000 | November 3 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf | I | $1,000,000 | November 3 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | I | $2,000,000 | November 3 |
| Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | I | $1,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint | I | $1,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile | I | $1,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf | I | $2,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Sprint | I | $2,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Mile | I | $2,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Distaff | I | $2,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Turf | I | $4,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Classic | I | $6,000,000 | November 4 |
