Trinniberg Surprises in the BC Sprint

Trinniberg sat off the lead and took over on the turn to win the 2012 Breeders' Cup Sprint at odds of 14-1. The three year old Teuflesburg colt tenaciously held off fellow sophomore The Lumber Guy to win by 3/4 of a length in 1:07.98, just 2/5 of a second off the track record. Veteran Smiling Tiger ran well off a layoff to get third. 

Trinniberg, always dapper with his yellow bridle and red pompom, was facing his elders for the first time and ran with blinkers on today.  It apparently gave him the confidence he's been lacking in his last couple of races. Winning trainer Shivananda Parboo and jockey Willie Martinez never lost confidence in Trinniberg, though, and felt he would have a good shot if he was in it at the top of the lane. Trinniberg is also one of the few three year olds that was on the Derby trail left standing with the remarkable attrition this year.

The connections of second choice The Lumber Guy were hopeful of his chances with an eighth of a mile to go but he couldn't reel in Trinniberg. Smiling Tiger, coming off a 4 month layoff, closed well to just beat Sum of the Parts for third. Amazombie, the 7-2 favorite to repeat in the Sprint, was never a factor while finishing 8th and jockey Mike Smith knew they were in trouble on the turn.

Sum of the Parts was followed across the line by Justin Phillip, Fast Bullet, Coil, Amazombie, Jimmy Creed, Hamazing Destiny, Gantry, Capital Account, Boxeur des Rues, and Poseidon's Warrior.

Will this make Trinniberg a contender for the Eclipse Award for Male Sprinter? I think so.  He's shown up all year and managed to capture a G1 against older horses today, as well as two G3s and a G2 plus a place in another G3. Not many others have a comparable resume.  It will be a long wait 'til January!