Bobby's Kitten Saves Best for Last

Bobby’s Kitten, who seemed to leave himself in park on the hill during the early stages of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, rocketed home from last in the final 1/16 of a mile to claim victory over favored, No Nay Never by a widening ½ length. Undrafted, who moved almost in tandem with Bobby’s Kitten finished a fast closing third just another nose back.

The dramatic finish by breeder/owner Ken Ramsey’s self-proclaimed “best ever” homebred gave trainer Chad Brown his third Breeders’ Cup winner while denying trainer Wesley Ward his third, who trained both the second and third place finishers. 

Brown had previous winners Lady Eli in the Juvenile Filly Turf and Dayatthespa in the Filly and Mare Turf. Ward had a winner each on Friday and Saturday with Hootenanny taking the Juvenile Turf and Judy the Beauty in the Filly and Mare Sprint. 

Ramsey’s Stephanie’s Kitten just missed a similar finish a few races before when the five-year-old daughter of Kitten’s Joy almost ended up in the grandstand turning for home in the Filly and Mare Turf finishing a fast closing second. 

An elated Ramsey, who made sure to pose with his wife, Sarah, in the Breeders’ Cup winner’s circle with their championship trophy, said Bobby’s Kitten is likely to travel to Ascot next June to race in front of Queen Elizabeth. Leading sire, Kitten’s Joy, unbelievably got his first Breeders’ Cup with Bobby’s Kitten. 

Bobby’s Kitten hit his best strides as frontrunner Reneesgotzip started to back up in mid-stretch. As usual splits coming down Santa Anita’s hillside course were ridiculously fast, :21.69 for the first quarter mile and :43.67 for half mile. For a brief moment, Tightend Touchdown got to the lead along the rail, then No Nay Never moved in the middle of the track. Further out, Bobby’s Kitten was flying.

Winning jockey, Joel Rosario, thought his chances ended just after the gates opened. “I thought I had no shot, but he gave me a huge turn of foot.” This was understatement of the day.

Brown whose weekend was just a tad better than Ward’s gave full credit to his entire racing team. “I’m down here in the winner’s circle getting the trophies and doing the interviews, but I have so many hard working people under me who don’t get the credit. I’m just so happy for all of them and so proud of them.” 

Bobby’s Kitten paid $16.40 for the win and his human connections received $550,000.