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Midnight Lute splashes to victory in Sprint

Midnight Lute was clear, but not clean, in the Sprint (Mathea Kelley/Horsephotos.com) MIDNIGHT LUTE (Real Quiet) broke nearly last of 10 in Saturday's $1,832,000 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Monmouth Park, but jockey Garrett Gomez didn't panic and guided the Bob Baffert-conditioned four-year-old to a 4 3/4-length score for owners Watson & Weitman Performance LLC & Mike Pegram. Paying $7, $4 and $3, the dark bay finished three-quarters on the sloppy, sealed dirt in 1:09 to take his second straight Grade 1 score. Gomez patiently guided his near-black mount to the rail after the tardy break while Talent Search (Catienus) moved to the front to set quick splits of :21 2/5 and :44. The pair swung out rounding the turn and circled the field as Talent Search and Idiot Proof (Benchmark) continued their battle up front. Idiot Proof had gotten the better of Talent Search in midstretch, but nearing the line, the two rivals suddenly found a muddy blur to their outside as Midnight Lute gobbled up ground down the center of the track, easily finishing in front as the 5-2 favorite. "He really didn't break all that bad," Gomez admitted. "The horse (Ryan) Fogelsonger was on (Talent Search) made us take back. I felt really comfortable at the half. I felt that we had a good shot. I made the decision to come around horses and Commentator took us out a little farther than I would have liked, but once I got him clear, he came on."

Idiot Proof took second over Talent Search by 1 3/4 lengths, giving back $6.60 and $4.60 at 5-1, while show was worth $8.60 at 17-1. The exacta paid $49.80, the trifecta ($1) returned $242.60, and Benny the Bull (Lucky Lionel) ended the 2-7-4-8 superfecta ($1) that gave back $1,374.40. Kelly's Landing (Patton) was next under the wire and followed by Bordonaro (Memo [Chi]), Commentator (Distorted Humor), Greg's Gold (Lake George), Smokey Stover (Put It Back) and Forefathers (Gone West). Attila's Storm (Forest Wildcat) was withdrawn Thursday.

Midnight Lute entered the Sprint owning just one win this year, taking the seven-furlong Forego S. (G1) at Saratoga on September 1 prior to this event. He ended his sophomore season with a score in the Perryville S. (G3) and a third in the Malibu S. (G1) before opening 2007 with a nose second in the San Fernando Breeders' Cup S. (G2). Adding this one to his record, the colt's line now reads 10-5-2-1 and he's earned $1,550,600.

"What a horse!" Baffert exclaimed. "He's just getting better and better. When he didn't break, I said, 'Oh my God.' It was an incredible run he made. He's the best one I've ever led over here to the Breeders' Cup. I always thought he was in the 'Top 10' of all my horses, now he's in the 'Top Five.'"

Bred in Kentucky by Tom Evans, Macon Wilmil Equines and Marjac Farms, Midnight Lute fetched a bid of $70,000 at the 2004 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Produced from the unraced Candytuft (Dehere), Midnight Lute is a half-brother to the current stakes-placed juvenile Tusculum Rd (Gilded Time), as well as an unnamed yearling colt by Sir Cherokee.

More Breeders' Cup Recaps:

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Bayern survives inquiry to win Breeders' Cup Classic

Dayatthespa proves uncatchable in Filly & Mare Turf

Judy the Beauty holds on at wire in Filly & Mare Sprint

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