2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint Final Preps: Vosburgh
With the Breeders' Cup a mere five weeks away the nation’s best horses are revving up for their final prep race. As of the sprint division three major preps remain, all Breeders' Cup Challenge series races, the Vosburgh Stakes (G1), Phoenix Stakes (G3), and Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1). This Saturday, seven horses will line up at Belmont Park and attempt to take home the prize in the Vosburgh.
Palace: Dual G1 winner Palace is returning in the Vosburgh after suffering a gate injury to his foot in his last race, the John Morrissey, in which he finished third. After having to miss the remainder of the Saratoga season, last year’s winner of the True North (G2), Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1), and Forego (G1) will attempt to regain his Grade 1 form that landed him those victories. Palace finished third in last year’s Vosburgh before going on to finish off the board in the Breeders Cup Sprint. Pegged at 8-1 on the morning line, the 6-year-old New York-bred is hoping to regain his old form and return to the winner’s circle for the first time in 13 months.
Wildcat Red: He’s finally back where he probably should have been all along, and that’s running in sprints. Wildcat Red was entered in primarily distances over a mile for almost all of last year. Now back in sprints, Wildcat Red is searching for his first G1 victory in the Vosburgh. After finishing behind the speedy Favorite Tale and champion Work All Week in his first race back in a sprint, Wildcat Red threw it all down at Monmouth Park to ekk out a gritty victory in the Teddy Drone. Since then, he finished a respectable 4th in the Forego behind Private Zone, a race in which he didn’t run as bad as it may have looked.
Weekend Hideaway: Longshot Weekend Hideaway is entering the Vosburgh off of four straight off the board finishes, most recently a 4th place finish in the Tale of the Cat in which he was beaten only 2 ¼ lengths, but was victorious this year in the Florida Sunshine Millions Sprint over the quick Happy My Way. Weekend Hideaway looks to be in over his shoulders, but could pull off the upset if he manages to regain the form that led him to his most recent victory.
Brothersofthetime: Brothersofthetime is the longest shot on the morning line at 30-1. Despite not visiting the winner’s circle yet this year, Brothersofthetime was fourth behind that three horse photo finish in the Teddy Drone, beaten only one length by Wildcat Red. The step up to the Vosburgh, his first G1 try, will definitely be a big one, but Brothersofthetime will attempt to pull off possibly the most unthinkable stakes upset on this jam packed weekend.
Stallwalkin’ Dude: The David Jacobson trained Stallwalkin’ Dude has faced the starting gate 13 times so far this year and has walked away victorious 6 of those times, along with 3 seconds and 2 thirds. A claimer only this past April, Stallwalkin’ Dude has rose through the sprinter ranks and landed himself two stakes victories and two graded stakes placings since. Last out, Stallwalkin’ Dude fought out a nose victory in the Tale of the Cat, and previous to that lost a stinging headbob to Wildcat Red in the Teddy Drone. Having not finished off the board since March, the former claimer will look to continue his climb and land his first graded stakes victory in the Vosburgh.
Salutos Amigos: The gritty Salutos Amigos carried wins in the Fall Highweight (G3) and Gravesend into 2015 before extending his winning streak to four with wins in the Toboggan (G3) and Tom Fool (G3). Sent to Dubai and finishing off the board, Salutos Amigos returned three months after to pick up another win in the Mr. Prospector. Since then, Salutos Amigos has stepped up to G1 company, finishing fourth in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt and fifth in the Forego. The 2015 dual graded stakes victor is hoping to finally walk away with his first G1 win in the Vosburgh.
Rock Fall: Simply put, Rock Fall is the horse to beat. The 2-5 morning line favorite is entering the Vosburgh off of wins in the True North and Alfred G. Vanderbilt. 4-for-4 this year, Rock Fall reeled off two allowance optional claimer victories before winning his stakes debut in impressive fashion with a 3 ¾ length win in the True North. In his most recent start, Rock Fall refused to be beaten and squeezed out a nose victory over The Big Beast to score his first G1 victory in his first G1 try. The Vosburgh is just the next step in what could be Rock Fall’s continued domination as he chases both Breeders' Cup glory and possible Eclipse Award charm.