Kobe's Back Looks for a Championship Moment
In one part of the sports spectrum, Kobe Bryant is gearing up for the 20th season of his hall of fame career. Kobe is a first ballot hall of famer with 5 NBA Championships. While “The Black Mamba” is returning from a pair of seasons filled with injuries, Kobe's Back, the race horse is looking for his own Championship moment in the $1,500,000 Twinspires Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
While Kobe Bryant has never been known as a longshot, he is known as a closer and that’s what his namesake will be looking to do in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Saturday. The Sprint is a race historically filled with early speed and this year’s field is no different with some seven horses showing early speed.
The Peter Eurton trainee is coming off a fast closing 2nd to Wild Dude in the (G1) Santa Anita Sprint Championship at Santa Anita. The son of Flatter hopped at the start, which left him some 16 lengths behind the early pace setter fellow Breeders’ Cup Sprint competitor Masochistic. Kobe showed his grit and turn of foot as he closed quickly running right by the early pacesetters before coming up just a neck short of fellow closer Wild Dude.
A $480,000 purchase, Kobe’s Back hasn’t exactly lived up to billing. Much like Kobe Bryant, Kobe’s Back was highly touted as a juvenile for then trainer John Sadler. In his two-year-old debut he was made the 8/5 betting favorite in the Willard Proctor Memorial Stakes at the now defunct Hollywood Park. He showed his talent and gave us a glimpse of what could be as he closed from last to capture the Proctor Memorial by 3 ¼ lengths.
After a promising debut, the wins were few and far between. Kobe did destroy a strong field by some 5¼ lengths in his sophomore debut in the (G2) San Vincente Stakes at Santa Anita. He didn’t find the winner’s circle again in his sophomore season. After a somewhat disappointing 2014 season, Kobe’s Back was moved from the John Sadler barn to the Peter Eurton barn. In his 4-year-old debut, and his first start for Eurton, Kobe’s Back showed signs of improvement. He showed his typical fast closing style to run 2nd to Wild Dude in the (G2) San Carlos stakes at Santa Anita in March.
In his second start for Eurton, Kobe proved he was BACK in a BIG way. In the (G3) Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland, the son of Flatter showed his typical style, as he walked out of the gate and found himself 7 lengths behind the pace-setter Rocket Time. Kobe closed faster than the Lakers on the Kings in the 2002 Western Conference Finals. Kobe’s Back who looked hopelessly beaten in the early stages of the race closed with a rush to take the Common Wealth by ¾ of a length in the 7 furlong affair.
While Bryant has 5 rings, Kobe’s Back is looking for his first championship while doing it with a closing style. Drawing the #2 post position for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint jockey Gary Stevens will be hoping for a pace meltdown for his late running mount Kobe’s Back. The Eurton charge is (15/1) on the morning line as he looks to catch a speed duel between #5 (3/1) Runhappy, #13 (5/2) Private Zone, #14 (12/1) Private Tale, and #9 (10/1) Masochistic.
With all the speed in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint we could see a sub :44, maybe even a sub :43 half-mile, which will play right into the style of the long-shot Kobe’s Back. If he can keep within striking distance early on, his late kick will allow him to pass tiring speed and put him right there at the wire for a strong “Kobe Like” Championship run. He's already shown an affinity for the new Keeneland dirt surface, he'll just have to prove he can win at the 6 furlong distance. #2 Kobe’s Back will be on all of my tickets, including a Win-Place-Show bet.