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BREEDERS' CUP SATURDAY PREVIEWS
This will be the fourth running of the Turf Sprint, a race previously run at Santa Anita in 2008-09 and at Churchill Downs in 2010. In each case, the race was won by an established horse-for-the-course. 1ST -- While it bothers us a bit that we're not taking more of a risk in this race, REGALLY READY is most deserving of being our top selection and of morning-line favoritism. The ability to succeed over five furlongs on Churchill Downs' relatively tight turf course on Saturday is as important as being a specialist at about 6 1/2 furlongs over Santa Anita's downhill turf course was back in 2008-09. Until proven otherwise, we'll stick to the course specialists in this race. Regally Ready arguably hasn't been as impressive lately as he was early in the season, but it's also hard to ignore how thoroughly dominant he's been in two previous track-and-trip starts. In his turf debut in late November 2010, he crushed an allowance field by nearly eight lengths. When returning to Churchill in May after a largely successful winter at Santa Anita, the Steve Asmussen trainee rolled over a good field in the Grade 3 Twin Spires Turf Sprint by 1 1/4 lengths. Though a tad slow to get back into the winning mode following a summer break, he rebounded last time in the Grade 1 Nearctic at Woodbine, slugging out a wire-to-wire score going six furlongs on yielding ground. On dryer footing and at a shorter distance, the conditions figure to be more ideal this time. He seems well drawn in post 8, and showed in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint that he's just as capable playing the stalk-and-pounce game. 2ND -- HAVELOCK couldn't be coming into this race any better. Though only third in his lone prior attempt on this course, he's won his last four on turf including the Arlington Sprint Handicap, Grade 2 Play the King, and the Grade 3 Woodford. If able to avoid traffic, he most certainly would be one of the prime beneficiaries of a pace meltdown. The gelding has come a long way in a short time this season, and seems primed for another sharp effort under Robby Albarado. 3RD -- It's been a close-but-no-cigar season for GREAT ATTACK. A close runner-up in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint and the Turf Dash at Tampa Bay Downs to start the year, he then weakened slightly in the final stages of the Grade 3 Shakertown and wound up third, beaten a half-length. The Wesley Ward pupil was then absent for six months before reappearing in the Woodford on October 8. The colt ran a solid race, making the lead a furlong out after a four-wide move, but he couldn't hold and retreated to fifth, 3 3/4 lengths behind the victorious Havelock. Most likely at a fitness disadvantage in that race, Great Attack figures to be stronger this time. However, his lack of a prior stakes win relegates him to the lower rungs of the exotics. OTHERS -- Besides Regally Ready, no horse cherishes the Matt Winn turf course like CHAMBERLAIN BRIDGE, last year's Turf Sprint hero. Despite possessing a 6-4-1-1 mark here and showing improved form in the Grade 3 Turf Monster Handicap last time, the seven-year-old still has the look of a horse who's regressed quite a lot this year. Post 14 does him no favors, either. PERFECT OFFICER has been knocking heads with the best turf sprinters in the country of late and has fared respectably. He might be a worthy longshot inclusion in exotics plans. The Kiwi HOOFIT has developed into a leading dasher on synthetic, but his grass form in his native New Zealand was no great shakes. Several of the California shippers are tough to gauge. CARACORTADO has the class but hasn't sprinted since last year, nor has he raced at such a short distance for an even longer period. CAMP VICTORY has blown hot and cold in prior turf outings, but did get within a nose of Regally Ready in the Grade 3 San Simeon Handicap in April. The mare BROKEN DREAMS, despite a Grade 3 win last time, doesn't seem quite as imposing as last year's female third-placer Unzip Me.
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