Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

BREEDERS' CUP TURF SPRINT (G1),

7TH-SA, $1,000,000, 3YO/UP, *6 1/2FT, 5:05PM, 11-1

by Vance Hanson

For those with unlimited funds, the "ALL" button might come in handy for this

renewal of the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint over Santa Anita's about 6

1/2-furlong downhill turf course. An unbelievably tough handicapping exercise, a

case can be made for virtually everyone in the field. As in years past, our

focus will be on those with positive prior experience over the course and/or

distance.

1ST -- Although he finished in a dead heat for second in last year's Turf

Sprint with the filly Reneesgotzip, TIGHTEND TOUCHDOWN is going to offer at

least twice the price as that one, who drew a tough spot on the rail. Ignored at

18-1 in 2013, most likely due to not having run over the local turf, the

chestnut gelding handled the course remarkably well. Tracking Reneesgotzip from

second all the way down the hill, he eventually finished on even terms with that

one while losing by a half-length to the brilliant Turf Sprint repeater

Mizdirection.

Tightend Touchdown turned in his worst performance since beginning his stakes

career when eighth in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint in February, but had a

legitimate excuse after getting bumped at the break. He rebounded to take the

Pennsylvania Governor's Cup at Penn National for a second time, ran the iconic

Ben's Cat to a nose decision in the Parx Dash, and then might have been a tad

short when third in the Turf Monster Handicap over wet ground on Labor Day.

A gem of consistency for most of his stakes career, he'll have every chance

to get a trip similar to the one he had a year ago, and perhaps can fend off the

late surges from various locally-based hopefuls.

2ND -- The beaten favorite in the one-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf a year

ago when setting too fast a pace, BOBBY'S KITTEN might find the cut back to

sprinting helpful. A top miler in the three-year-old ranks this term, the Chad

Brown trainee fared well when taking on older rivals for the first time in the

Woodbine Mile, finishing 2 1/4 lengths third to the globetrotting Trade Storm.

Bobby's Kitten won't be showing as much early speed here as others are far

quicker, but he should be well-placed in mid-pack and might get the jump on some

of the other serious stalkers and closers. He's unlikely to get leg-weary as this will

be the shortest distance he will have ever raced over.

3RD -- RENEESGOTZIP ran third here in 2012 and in a dead heat for second in

2013, but it might be a little tougher for the speedball mare this time as she

drew post 1. She'll have to come out winging to protect her position coming down

the hill, and the threat exists that other speed benefiting from outside posts

might snatch the early advantage from her.

The five-year-old has raced just twice since last year's Turf Sprint,

finishing third to an in-form Judy the Beauty in the Rancho Bernardo, and then

blowing the doors off lesser in a restricted stakes at Del Mar. Worse than third

only once in 15 starts, that in the 2012 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, she'll

be difficult to keep out of the frame.

OTHERS -- SWEET SWAP is certain to be overlooked despite having won the San

Simeon and Joe Hernandez here at the winter-spring meet, and the only question

is whether he will be fit enough off a layoff approaching seven months. HOME RUN

KITTEN and AMBITIOUS BREW, one-two in the opening day Eddie D, are also logical

course-and-distance specialists.

Multiple Grade 2 winner SILENTIO has won or placed in eight of nine starts

over this course, but the miler doesn't have a lot of experience sprinting. The

Wesley Ward-trained duo of NO NAY NEVER and UNDRAFTED have made their marks both

stateside and in Europe, but concede crucial experience over this course.

SOMETHNG EXTRA, DIMENSION, CASPAR NETSCHER, MARCHMAN, and AGELESS are all

capable of making noise if they handle the course.