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SPRINT DIARY AUGUST 12, 2008 by Vance Hanson There have been several interesting developments on and off the track since our last installment, including the elevation of who I consider to be the one to beat in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita on October 25. In other ways, however, the sprint picture continues to look clear as mud, but the fact is we are still only in mid-August and the entire round of Saratoga and Del Mar preps have yet to be played out. Before proceeding, I must address the Maryland Jockey Club's recent decision to cancel the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G1), which in recent years has been run over Thanksgiving weekend at Laurel. While the MJC's decision to "suspend" (their words) one of its premier events is nothing new (recall the various cancellations of the Pimlico Special [G1]), the removal of the De Francis from the calendar is particularly irksome given the fact the Breeders' Cup races will be contested over a synthetic surface this year. Though the De Francis has had less influence on Eclipse Award balloting since it was moved several years ago from mid-summer to a date after the Breeders' Cup, the fact is there will be some horsemen hesitant to ship all the way out to California to run over an unfamiliar surface, enough perhaps that the De Francis might have attracted its best field in years and possibly had championship implications as the country's final top-level dirt sprint. It was only two years ago that a late-season victory in the De Francis by Breeders' Cup Sprint winner THOR'S ECHO (Swiss Yodeler) propelled the gelding to divisional honors. Alas, horsemen and management seem willing to accept the continued freefall into mediocrity that has become the story of Maryland racing. A circuit that once garnered national headlines more than once a year by staging the Washington D.C. International, Laurel Futurity and Selima S. now only has Preakness S. (G1) weekend to crow about. With a stagnant national economy, a shortage of horses and a maturing of the alternative gaming industry in the region, it is reasonable to doubt that passage of a slots referendum in November, while fulfilling the wishes of all parties involved, will be the manna from heaven its supporters think it will be. My final thought on this matter is that when finances and/or politics dictate the elimination of prominent and historic fixtures, the intangible quality of a racetrack's identity suffers. For a circuit that has seen a disproportional amount of its identity lost in recent decades, it is hard for an outside observer to understand why more is not done within Maryland to halt its further erosion, nor why, when economic conditions should require an equal amount of sacrifice, restricted stakes always seem to escape a similar fate. Enough proselytizing. To the sprinters! He's the Boss: Having started the year eligible for a first-level allowance, with two consecutive unplaced finishes against that kind as 2008 arrived, it's hard to fathom how far STREET BOSS (Street Cry [Ire]) has come this term. He has proven nearly invincible winning six of seven, his only loss being by a neck, and with a dramatic last-to-first score in the July 27 Bing Crosby H. (G1) at Del Mar, he has shot to the top of our list as favorite for the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Admittedly, much of this is a function of the kind of track the Sprint will be contested over and the fact many of his eastern counterparts will have relatively little to no experience over synthetic surfaces. As we wrote last month, fans and horsemen will have to get used to the idea that our sprint champions for the next two years will more than likely have to show ability over a synthetic track to get the Breeders' Cup and/or Eclipse hardware. Street Boss has clearly relished this kind of footing, and jockey David Flores has made an excellent pilot in his last three races. Content to trail the field through the opening half-mile in the Bing Crosby, Street Boss came off the rail turning for home, went seven-wide as he accelerated down the stretch, and prevailed by a length over IN SUMMATION (Put it Back), the 2007 Bing Crosby winner who seems to be regaining his best form. Visually it was a thing of beauty, though our enthusiasm for Street Boss is somewhat tempered by the fact that a deep closer in a 14-horse Breeders' Cup Sprint will undoubtedly need a little luck on his side both at the draw and in the race itself. For now, however, there is none better in California. Saratoga Guys: The opening week of Saratoga brought us the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G2) for older horses and the Amsterdam S. (G2) for three-year-olds. The Vanderbilt lost much of its luster with the scratch of BUSTIN STONES (City Zip), just the latest in a seemingly endless number of setbacks for the New York-bred. Winner of the Vanderbilt by 2 1/2 lengths was ABRAAJ (Carson City), a solid third behind BENNY THE BULL (Lucky Lionel) in the True North H. (G2) in his previous start. The downside to that breakout win is that for a few moments around the far turn, I wouldn't have given anyone two cents for Abraaj as he was under vigorous urging by jockey Alan Garcia and seemingly not responding at all. Still 3 1/2 lengths behind the leader with a furlong to go, he finally kicked into high gear to win going away. The impression right now is that LUCKY ISLAND (Arg) (Lucky Roberto) is the leader of Kiaran McLaughlin's sprinters. Earning far higher BRIS Speed ratings two days after the Vanderbilt were Amsterdam one-two finishers KODIAK KOWBOY (Posse) and DESERT KEY (E Dubai), who each received a 113 compared to Abraaj's 103. Desert Key, a veteran of only four races going into the Amsterdam, including a five-length allowance romp on Belmont S. (G1) day, ran a sensational race setting fractions of :21 3/5 and :44, and just narrowly failed to hold off Kodiak Kowboy, the Canadian champion two-year-old who certainly benefited from a less taxing trip. Now undefeated in two starts over the Saratoga strip, Kodiak Kowboy could certainly be a viable player in the August 23 King's Bishop S. (G1) if he gets a similar set-up. Both bear watching. Saratoga Dolls: A much more ratable INDIAN BLESSING (Indian Charlie) has reared her head in recent months. Once a one-dimensional front runner, lessons in rating by trainer Bob Baffert and jockey John Velazquez have transformed last year's two-year-old filly champion into a far more productive runner. Her recent seven-length romp in the Test S. (G1) was perhaps the finest of her career, but Baffert has already signaled that he might not be willing to run her over a synthetic surface again despite her victory over Santa Anita's old Cushion Track in the Santa Ynez S. (G2) last January. The improved Indian Blessing would probably not set the kind of eyeball-popping fractions over such a rock-hard surface as she did in the Santa Ynez, which nearly resulted in a loss in the final yards, but that might not be enough to dissuade Baffert from pointing her elsewhere. This is the kind of situation where a De Francis Dash would come in handy. Also at the Spa, ANY LIMIT (Limit Out) seized early control of the August 1 Honorable Miss H. (G2) and was never pressured en route to a score of 5 3/4 lengths. Following up on her win in last month's First Flight H. (G2), it's great to see this Allen Jerkens-trained mare back in top form, though our gut tells us her days as an unchallenged front runner will end sooner rather than later, perhaps in the August 24 Ballerina S. (G1) over seven furlongs against what should be a far tougher field. Rocky: Trainer Marty Wolfson has ROCKERFELLER (Maria's Mon) on the cusp of stardom following an impressive score in the August 3 Teddy Drone S. at Monmouth Park. The performance was a bit different than what we've been accustomed to seeing from the gelding as he broke on top and led all the way to win by 3 3/4 lengths, whereas in his previous races at Calder he was more inclined to rally from off the pace. He earned a BRIS Speed rating of 109, and has now won three of his last four by a combined margin of 16 3/4 lengths. Some might look at his three-length defeat by Benny the Bull in the Smile Sprint H. (G2) and consider him nothing more than listed stakes quality. They might be right, but he is headed in the right direction and proved in the Teddy Drone he is not just a Calder specialist. Did we say that?: If anyone questioned the accuracy of my optometrist's prescription after digesting my brief turf sprint analysis last month, rest assured you were not alone. I humbly take the blame for my short-sightedness on a couple counts. First, in my "One to Watch" section, I had implied that the Arlington Sprint S. was still contested on Polytrack when it fact it has been moved to the turf for its August 23 renewal. The Midwest road to the Breeders' Cup Sprint is even shorter than I thought. More egregious was my failure to acknowledge the presence of perhaps the two most accomplished turf sprinters in North America at the moment, MR. NIGHTLINGER (Indian Charlie) and HEROS REWARD (Partner's Hero). Mr. Nightlinger is only in the midst of a four-race win streak, which includes victories in the Shakertown S. (G3) at Keeneland, the Aegon Turf Sprint (G3) at Churchill Downs and the July 26 Taylor's Special S. at Arlington Park. All were accomplished with relative ease, and he should be a short-priced favorite should he wind up in the Arlington Sprint. Heros Reward ended his 2007 campaign with a score in the Nearctic S. (Can-G2) at Woodbine, and has won three of four this year including the Highlander S. (Can-G3) in Toronto two back and the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup H. at Penn National on August 1. His connections have made no secret of their desire to repeat their success in the Nearctic and follow-up with a trip to Santa Anita for the inaugural Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Elsewhere, trainer Bobby Frankel seems inclined to keep Jaipur S. (G3) winner FIRST DEFENCE (Unbridled's Song) on the dirt for a while longer, while GET FUNKY (Straight Man) retains his rule of the California roost as of this writing, though that might change pending the results of Wednesday's Green Flash H. at Del Mar. At least I wasn't totally myopic. On the horizon: Our next entry, around Labor Day, will feature thoughts on the King's Bishop S., Victory Ride S. (G3), Ballerina S., Pat O'Brien H. (G2), Rancho Bernardo H. (G3), and Forego H. (G1). In addition, there will be several lucrative turf dashes to analyze, including the Arlington Sprint, the Play the King S. (Can-G2) at Woodbine and the Turf Monster H. at Philadelphia Park.
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