Breeders' Cup Sprint

BREEDERS' CUP SPRINT (G1),

10TH-SA, $1,500,000, 3YO/UP, 6F, 7:01PM, 11-1

by Vance Hanson

One of the most difficult races to decipher on Breeders' Cup Saturday, the

$1.5 million Sprint could go any number of ways. This is best reflected on the

morning line, with 2013 winner Secret Circle only a mild 9-2 early choice in a

field of 14, with two also-eligibles hoping to draw in.

1ST -- Only a winner of a California-bred allowance when the year began, BIG

MACHER developed into one of Southern California's leading sprinters this

season. He fared particularly well during Santa Anita's winter-spring meet,

landing the California Cup Sprint and Potrero Grande, and only narrowly losing

the San Carlos to the classy Sahara Sky.

Following a three-month break, Big Macher returned to the winner's circle

following the Bing Crosby at Del Mar, but threw in one of the worst clunkers of

his career over the same track in the Pat O'Brien a month later.

Trainer Richard Baltas purposely skipped the main local prep, the Santa Anita

Sprint Championship, in order to have the four-year-old gelding in peak

condition for the Breeders' Cup, and judging by several of his recent works (six

furlongs in 1:11 2/5 and five furlongs in :58 3/5), the son of Beau Genius is

looking solid indeed.

Never worse than second in five starts over the Santa Anita strip, Big Macher

breaks from post 10 and figures to sit behind a blistering pace before making a

contending bid. At 12-1 in the morning line, he's the value play.

2ND -- A lightly-raced three-year-old, FAST ANNA faces a severe class test

stepping up to face older horses for the first time. However, the son of

Medaglia d'Oro is capable of putting up some severely wicked fractions.

A blowout winner of his first two starts at Gulfstream earlier in the year,

the Kathy Ritvo charge nearly stole the seven-furlong King's Bishop at Saratoga

after setting a moderate pace of :22 4/5 and :46.

More was required of him in the early stages of the Gallant Bob at Parx in

September, where he dueled through early splits of :21 1/5 and :43 1/5 over a

lightning-fast strip that was yielding track records. He didn't win, but his

second-place finish was good enough to have won a lot of major stakes this year.

Fast Anna did not get a favorable draw -- post 12 -- but a sharp break puts

him in an ideal position outside the other speed. He enters with a profile

similar to that of Trinniberg, the three-year-old who upset the 2012 Sprint

after losses in the King's Bishop and Gallant Bob.

3RD -- Hong Kong-based RICH TAPESTRY pulled off the 7-1 upset of the Santa

Anita Sprint Championship on October 4, nipping Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile favorite

Goldencents by a nose in his U.S. debut. He faces a deeper cast this time, but

based on that race he is most deserving of respect.

Unraced for more than five months prior to the Sprint Championship, Rich

Tapestry was previously a Group 3 winner on turf in Hong Kong and a Group 2

scorer over the former Tapeta surface at Meydan in Dubai. He was also a close

second in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen on World Cup night. However, he

had run on dirt previously in a pair of handicaps at Sha Tin in 2012, winning

both times.

Rich Tapestry figures to get a trip similar to the one he had last time,

stalking a swift pace and hoping the speed backs up a bit. Barring unforeseen

traffic problems, he should have every chance.

OTHERS -- SECRET CIRCLE was in need of a race when a tiring third in the

Santa Anita Sprint Championship, his first start since February, but doesn't

appear to be coming into this race as strongly as he did last year. This edition

looks tougher.

PRIVATE ZONE enters off a repeat victory in the Vosburgh at Belmont Park, but

hasn't won in four previous tries on this track and was well-beaten in this

event last year. Chicago-based WORK ALL WEEK is actually undefeated in nine

starts on dirt and was a solid winner of the Phoenix at Keeneland in his final

prep.

PALACE, the East's leading sprinter for much of the summer, will attempt to

rebound off a third in the Vosburgh, but New York-based sprinters have often had

difficulty replicating their home form at Santa Anita.