Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint 2014

Las Vegas, NV – The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint comes our way from Santa Anita in Arcadia, California this Saturday, November 1. Horses three years old and upward will take to Santa Anita’s fames turf track and dash 6 1/2 furlongs looking for the winner’s share of the $1 million purse.

A full field of 14 plus two Alternate Entries have been confirmed for the Turf Sprint – race 7 in Santa Anita’s ridiculous Saturday card. Post time is 2:05 PM. Let’s take a glance into the past performances of all 16 possible entries for this intriguing Breeders’ Cup Grade 1 stakes.

No Nay Never 9-2 – Wesley Ward trained colt has four wins and a second place finish in five starts in his career and has just two starts in 2014. Last time out was a nice win in the Grade 3 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland October 4 after a second in the Grade 2 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream way back in March. He also posted a Group 1 win in France in August of last year. He is the morning line favorite for a reason Saturday and will have Lanfraco Dettori in the saddle from the outside post.

Reneesgotzip 5-1 – Peter Miller trained mare also has just two starts this year – a win last time out in the minor C.E.R.F Stakes at Del Mar September 3 followed a third in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Stakes in August and nine months away. She finished second in this race last year after two straight wins including the 2013 Rancho Bernardo. Reneesgotzip has 15 career starts with eight wins four second and two third place finishes and despite being lightly raced this year is the second choice Saturday. Edwin Maldonado has the call from the rail.

Silentio 8-1 – Gary Mandella trainee enters this weekend on the heels of three straight third place finishes – the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes last time out at Del Mar, the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile in this track in June and the Grade 3 American Stakes also here in May. He has placed in six of his last seven starts overall with one win (the 2013 Grade 2 Citation Handicap) and hopes to break a string of thirds this weekend. Victor Espinoza gets the mount from post 2.

Tightend Touchdown 8-1 – Jason Servis pupil has placed in 13 of his last 14 starts ahead of this weekend – six wins, five seconds and two third place finishes. Last time out was a third in the Grade 3 Turf Monster Handicap September 1 which followed a second in the Grade 3 Parx Dash and a win in the minor Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup at Penn National May 13. He had an uncharacteristic eighth in the minor Gulfstream Park Turf Spring in February and a good second to end his 2013 campaign – the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Before that were seconds in the Grade 3 Turf Monster and behind Ben’s Cat in the 2013 Parx Dash. Tightend Touchdown has 10 wins, seven seconds and two third place finishes in 26 career starts and is in by far the best form of his career. Javier Castellano will be in the saddle from post 4.

Undrafted 8-1 – Wesley Ward trained gelding has a win, a second and two third place finishes in five starts this year – a win three back in the Grade 3 Jaipur Invitational being the best result. He followed that with a fourth in a stakes in Britain and a third last time out in the minor Kentucky Downs Turf Dash September 24. Undrafted has 16 career starts with four wins, a second and six third place finishes and hopes for the biggest win of his career this weekend when he starts from gate 11 with John Velazquez guiding him.

Caspar Netscher 10-1 – British bred entry has just one start this year and it was a good one – a win in the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine October 19. Before that he failed to place in five races on home soil. His only other North American start was an eighth in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. He hopes to build on a career-best effort this weekend with Patrick Smullens aboard from post 13.

Bobby’s Kitten 10-1 – Chad Brown trained colt has four wins, a second and three third place finishes in 10 career starts and is coming off an OK third in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile September 14 which followed a good second in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga August 8 and an ugly eighth in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational July 5. He also had a brutal performance five back – a twelfth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in April. In between those results are a win in the minor Penn Mile Stakes May 31 and an Allowance score in March. Bobby’s Kitten did finish a respectable third as favorite in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf so we know he can run with the best – he also won the Grade 3 Pilgrim at Belmont by 6 ¼ lengths before the Breeders’ Cup try. Joel Rosario will be in the saddle Saturday from post 6.

Sweet Swap 12-1 – John Sadler trainee has three starts this year with two wins and a second place finish. Last time out was a win in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes on this track way back in April after a win in the minor Joe Hernandez Stakes also here in February and a second in the minor Clocker’s Corner Strakes on this track in January. He has 12 career starts with six wins, two seconds and a third place finish and makes his first star in six months Saturday. Corey Nakatani will be in charge from post 3.

Ambitious Brew 12-1 – has three starts this year for trainer Martin Jones with two wins and a second place finish. The second came last time out in his graded stakes debut – the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes here September 26 which followed a win in the minor Sensational Star Stakes in February and an Allowance score in January. He has been competitive in every career start – four wins and four seconds in eight career starts and will have Mike Smith aboard from gate 5.

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Home Run Kitten 12-1 – David Hofmans pupil broke maiden in his second career start -January 11 after a third in a similar race in his debut December 15. His stakes debut resulted in a disappointing fifth – in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes February 8 but he has place in four of five stakes starts since the best result coming last time out – a win in the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes on this track September 26. He has nine career starts with four wins, a second and two third place finishes and hopes to build on that nice win last time out. Joe Talamo gets the mount from post 10.

Dimension 12-1 – British bred Dimension posted a win at 10-1 odds in last year`s Play the King Stakes August 25 and has been OK since. Last time out was a good win in the minor Kentucky Downs Turf Dash September 24 after a third in the 2014 Grade 3 Play the King Stakes, an ugly ninth in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup at Woodbine and a second in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland in April. He has four starts this year with a win, a second and a third place finish and has wins five of 25 starts. Dimension hopes for a breakout performance this week and will leave from post 12 with Ryan Moore aboard.

Marchman 12-1 – Keith Desormeaux trained colt has been OK in 2014 – two wins, a second and two third place finishes to start his year including a good second in the Grade 3 Jaipur Invitational at Belmont Park June 7, a great win in the Grade 3 Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs in May and a win in the Grade 3 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland in April. He has stumbled a bit lately however – a sixth last time out in the Grade 3 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland followed a third in the Grade 3 Parx Dash in July. Kent Desormeaux will be in the saddle from post 7.

Free as a Bird 15-1 – Ian Wilkes trained mare has been mighty good this year – eight starts with six wins and two second place finishes. She makes her graded stakes debut Saturday on the heels of five straight wins – all minor stakes scores. Last time out was the Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes and before that was the Smarts and Fancy Stakes, the Smirnoff Sorbet Caress Stakes, the Intercontinental Stakes and the License Fee Stakes. She steps up in company in fine for this week with Tyler Baze in the saddle from gate 9.

Something Extra 20-1 Gail Cox trained gelding has five starts this year – a terrific win in the Grade 2 Highlander Stakes in July followed a good second in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup in May and a third, just a length back in the Grade 3 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland April 12. His last two starts have been decent as well – a second last time out in the minor Kentucky Downs Turf Dash followed a fourth in the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes at Woodbine in August. He has placed in 21 of 27 career starts with eight wins and could be a factor Saturday. Eurico Rosa Da Silva will be in the reins from post 8.

Ageless 20-1 – Alternate Entry has three wins, a second and two third place finishes in six starts this year and may enter in the best form of his career. He won the Grade 3 Royal North Stakes at Woodbine in July and followed that with a second in the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters in September and a second last time out in a minor stakes race at Keeneland.

Za Approval 20-1 – Alternate Entry has a win and a third place finish in five starts this year – the win coming last time out in the minor Real Courage Stakes at Belmont Park September 7 and the third coming three back in the Grade 3 Poker Stakes. He finished second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile and has posted three graded stakes victories in his career.

Race 7 on Santa Anita’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 2:05 PM.