BC Sprint

BREEDERS'

CUP PREVIEWS

This year's $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) features one

of the most talented fields that Lone Star Park will see on

Saturday, as any number of the entrants have the ability to win.

Only three horses in the field of 13 have raced over the Texas

track, and most of the sprints that have taken place at Lone Star

this year have seen winners lead wire-to-wire or come from just

off the pace to win. We believe that CHAMPALI (Glitterman) has

the most potential to walk away victorious.

Champali looks like the most underrated horse in the field.

The bay four-year-old has never raced against Grade 1

competition, but he's shown a great ability to sit just off the

pace and make a winning move turning for home. With the certainty

of a fast pace here, he'll be in position to take advantage when

the front-runners tire. On a day that calls for possible rain,

the Greg Foley charge has proven himself on an off track, coming

away with two wins and a place in three starts on a track rated

less than fast. The colt comes off a stellar win in the Phoenix

Breeders' Cup S. (G3), earning a 110 BRIS Speed rating, and will

have jockey Rafael Bejarano back in the saddle. Champali could be

our next Breeders' Cup Sprint champion.

SPEIGHTSTOWN (Gone West) enters the race as the 3-1 favorite,

despite a 4 1/2-length loss earlier this month in the Vosburgh S.

(G1). Fortunately for the chestnut six-year-old, he will not have

to contend with Vosburgh winner Pico Central (Brz) (Spend a Buck),

whose owner, Gary Tanaka, did not put up the supplemental entry

fee. Speightstown has shown that he deserves the low odds by

winning three Grade 2 races and his first four starts of the year.

Look for the Todd Pletcher charge to challenge for the lead from

the beginning in pursuit of a familiar wire-to-wire run. Jockey

John Velazquez has the call.

CLOCK STOPPER (Gilded Time) has participated in a number of

close races and, although he could be more successful if

stretched out to a mile, is very capable of winning here. The

Dallas Stewart trainee will once again find himself under the

influence of Pat Day, who will be making his 11th start aboard

the chestnut four-year-old, eight of these an on the board run.

Clock Stopper's last victorious effort came back in June under

Day in an optional claimer, but look for him to make a good

appearance here and claim another top three finish.

KELA (Numerous) is coming off a winning effort in the Pat

O'Brien Breeders' Cup H. (G2) back in August. In this race, he

earned his highest Speed rating to date (113), which came just on

the heels of a 112 set in winning the six-furlong Bing Crosby

Breeders' Cup H. (G1) the race prior. The Mike Mitchell-trained

six-year-old already has two races under his belt at Lone Star,

one a victory in the one-mile Texas Mile S. (G3) in April. Jerry

Bailey will be making his first appearance on the bay and Kela

looks dangerous.

MIDAS EYES (Touch Gold), who is coming off a 56-day layoff,

will make his first start since winning the Forego H. (G1) in

early September. The four-year-old has shown tremendous

improvement since being put under the whip of Edgar Prado,

earning duel 112 Speed figures in his last two outings, and Bobby

Frankel's bay colt should sit a good trip just off the pace here.

Midas Eyes is capable of a serious challenge from the far outside

post.

GOLD STORM (Seeking the Gold) comes off a second-place finish

in the Phoenix. The four-year-old chestnut is the most

experienced on Saturday's surface, posting a 4-3-0-1 record at

Lone Star, and his present form is a plus. Trainer Bubba Cascio

and jockey Larry Taylor have been a good combination lately, with

the duo going 10-3-1-3 in the past two weeks, and Gold Storm will

be winging it early for the pair. He'll face serious pressure,

but we wouldn't be shocked to see him hold for part.

BWANA CHARLIE (Indian Charlie) is the more talented of two

Steve Asmussen entries. The bay colt was victorious three back in

the Amsterdam S. (G2) at Saratoga and came just shy of the

winner's circle last out in the Alysheba Breeders' Cup S. at Lone

Star. He should find this company much more difficult, but the

three-year-old is one to consider for the exotics with Richard

Migliore in the irons.

CAJUN BEAT (Grand Slam) comes into the race Saturday to defend

his title from last year. The four-year-old gelding will start

from the 11-hole, the same post position from which he won last

year's Sprint at Santa Anita, and he'll be making his second start

for Frankel. That start, however, resulted in a fourth-place finish and Cajun Beat has not seen the same

success as he did with former trainer Steve Margolis. PT'S GREY

EAGLE (Pleasant Tap) enters off a win in the Ancient Title

Breeders' Cup H. (G1), in which he entered the lane five-wide to

rally in the stretch. He has also shown an ability to run near

the front of the pack and come out in good form. The three-year-old

gelding will be coming out of the eight spot but has a history of

running well previously when starting from outside posts.

Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) winner OUR NEW RECRUIT (Alphabet

Soup) comes into this race off a victory in the Pirate's Bounty H.

in early September, a 54-day layoff. Despite his success in these

two races, he might not have what it takes to be a serious factor.

ABBONDANZA (Alphabet Soup) will need to prove himself against

this kind of competition. The three-year-old chestnut posted a

third-place spot in the Riva Ridge Breeders' Cup S. (G2) in June

and a second in the Bay Shore S. (G3) back in April, but we'll go

against here.

CUVEE (Carson City) has only two races behind him this year,

the last a second in the Kentucky Cup Sprint (G3) at Turfway. He

owns nice BRIS E1 and E2 Speed figures, but he'll likely have a

difficult time sustaining his speed. MY COUSIN MATT (Matty G) has

not really shown that he has the ability to keep up with his

fellow entrants here. His lone graded win came in 2003 when he

took the General George H. (G2).