2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint Final Preps

The final two major preps for this year’s Breeders' Cup Sprint are lined up and ready to grant two more lucky horses an automatic berth. The Phoenix Stakes (G3) and Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1) round out the Breeders' Cup Challenge races for the Sprint.

First up, on Friday, is the Grade 3 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix; responsible for being the final prep for last year’s eventual Breeders Cup Sprint victor and Eclipse Award champion Work All Week, who will be attempting to win it again this year.

Runhappy: 9/5 favorite Runhappy is entering the Phoenix off of an scintillating performance in the King’s Bishop (G1) at Saratoga. Two allowance optional claimer wins in Indiana and Kentucky accompanied him before his eye popping runaway performance at The Spa where he was clocked in stakes record time of 1:20.54 for seven furlongs. Interesting to many, Runhappy has never once run on Lasix and will continue Lasix-free as he hopes to continue his steep upward climb in the sprinter ranks this Friday at Keeneland.

Work All Week: As mentioned, last year’s Breeders' Cup Sprint victor used this spot as his springboard to the world championships. This year, and unlike last year, though, the champion is sporting two loses in graded stakes. A lone win in the ungraded Senator Robert C. Byrd Memorial highlights his 2015 resume, but justifiable seconds in both of his graded starts of the year are not to be overlooked with a second off the layoff in the Aristides (G3) to Alsvid after a poor break, and a second to Favorite Tale in the Smile Sprint (G2) after breaking through the gate and suffering a gash on his head.

Holy Boss: Holy Boss is entering the Phoenix off a third place finish behind Runhappy in the King’s Bishop. The 3-year-old son of Street Boss was one of the most elite sprinters of the sophomore crop earlier this year landing wins in the Bachelor, Chick Lang, and Amsterdam (G2) prior to his third place finish in his first G1 try. Facing Runhappy again, in addition to champion Work All Week, Holy Boss has a tall task ahead of him if he looks to return to his winning ways in the Phoenix.

Hutcheson (G2) winner Barbados, Aristides (G3) winner Alsvid, and the very quick Fast Anna, along with Gentlemen’s Bet, A. P. Indian, Waco, Sharp Sensation, Nates Mineshaft, and Bump Start complete the field of twelve.

Out in sunny California, eight contenders have lined up in hopes of taking the final Win and You’re In berth through the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Saturday.

Masochistic: So far into 2015, Masochistic is 3-for-4. His lone loss came last out in the Bing Crosby (G1) at Del Mar where he was upset by longshot Wild Dude by 1 ¼ lengths. Prior to that, Masochistic started out the year with a win in an allowance optional claimer before jumping into stakes competition. He made his stakes debut in the Kona Gold (G2) a winning one before following up with a Grade 1 score in the Triple Bend. Since suffering his first loss of the season in the Bing Crosby, Masochistic has yet to race again and hopes to redeem his winning ways over the rival who defeated him last time.

Gimme Da Lute: The lone three-year-old in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship field, Gimme Da Lute is entering the race off of four straight stakes victories. Yet to finish off the board this year, or in his entire career even, Gimme Da Lute is 6-for-9 on the 2015 calendar. Since his last loss in the Chick Lang, the son of two time BC Sprint champion Midnight Lute has reeled off victories in the Affirmed (G3), Los Alamitos Derby (G2), Real Good Deal, and El Cajon. Thought to be a prime contender in the Pennsylvania Derby (G2) only two weeks prior, Gimme Da Lute was scratched with a minor foot problem and was in turn entered at Santa Anita.

Wild Dude: Of his seven starts this year, Wild Dude has only picked up only two victories, but those victories have come in the San Carlos (G2) and, most recently, the Bing Crosby. A second in the Pat O’Brien (G2), and thirds in the Los Angeles (G3), Palos Verdes (G2), and Triple Bend also sprinkle his record for the year. Only off the board with a trip to Aqueduct in the spring, Wild Dude is searching to continue his consistency and hand another defeat to the highly regarded Masochistic. San Onofre, a close second to Masochistic in the Kona Gold earlier this year, Commonwealth (G3) victor Kobe’s Back, and the lightning fast Los Angeles winner Distinctiv Passion, in addition to Glacken Too and Indexical round out the Sprint Championship field.