BREEDERS' CUP RACES -- A LOOK BACK
10-14-2012 --
Inaugurated at the 2008 Breeders' Cup, the Turf Sprint is a wild ride, especially at Santa Anita. The 6.5 furlong runs downhill to the stretch and curves to the finish. Th
e 2008 winner, Desert Code, was ridden perfectly by ThoroFan's Advisory Board member, Richard Migliore. The "Mig" sat third from last in the early goings. As the field turned for home and spread-out, he threaded the field, closing with a rush to beat Diabolical by ½ length. He rewarded his followers with a hefty $75 win ticket.
Although Richard Migliore will not be riding in this year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, he assuredly will be there watch the tradition of the race continue. Maybe, we can get him to drop by our ThoroFan Meet-up on Friday at 11:00 a.m.
The fields are always large for this race. Ironically, each of the four runnings of the race have had field of fourteen. With the downhill run and turn into the stretch, the race is a mixture of speed, luck and survival. Perhaps more than any other Breeders' Cup race, the jockey can make the difference ---one miscalculation and you're lost in the crowd. Yet with a perfect trip and quick thinking as was demonstrated by Migliore in 2008 you are on the line---first.
The Turf Sprint field is large because of the million dollar purse and the four Breeders' Cup Challenge race known as "Win and You're In Races". They started in April with the Darley T.J Smith at the Royal Randwick race course in Australia. That race was won by Master of Design. Next up is Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York Race Course --- 200 mile north of London. This event was won by another Australian entry, Ortensia. The third Challenge for the Turf Sprint is the Turf Monster run a PARX in Pennsylvania. Ben's Cat took that sprint. The last "win and you're in" race leading to the Turf Sprint is the Nearctic Stakes to be run Sunday, October 14, 2012, at Woodbine in Canada. This six furlong event drew a field of eleven and looks truly competitive with three locked in the Morning Line favorite cluster---Night Carnation (9-2), Big band sound (3-1) and Fire Lilly (7-2).
