Breeders’ Cup Sprint 2018: Projected field, odds
The $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint is one of the original seven races that were offered at the inaugural championships in 1984 at Hollywood Park. This field ranks among the event’s best, featuring last year’s 1-2 finishers in Roy H and Imperial Hint. Both are entering off convincing Grade 1 victories, and a win at Churchill Downs would likely clinch the division championship.
Below is a look at the projected field with odds. They will not balance given the field isn’t set, but instead reflect the type of price we expect each horse to go off at on race day.
Firenze Fire, 15-1 [Poseidon’s Warrior – Jason Servis – 13: 6-1-1 - $1,074,100] Servis will cross-enter Firenze Fire in the Dirt Mile and make a decision after he can look at both fields. Sprinting at six furlongs, Firenze Fire is perfect in two starts – the Sanford at Saratoga as a 2-year-old and his most recent race the Gallant Bob at Parx Racing.
Imperial Hint, 5-2 [Imperialism – Luis Carvajal Jr. – 18: 12-2-0 - $1,402,655] He has easily won his last two victories in the consecutive Grade 1s in what looked like an effortless manner. A rematch of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint is looming, when Imperial Hint was run down nearing the wire by Roy H.
Limousine Liberal, 10-1 [Successful Appeal – Ben Colebrook – 24: 9-6-5 - $1,705,261] Colebrook will also enter this 6-year-old in the Dirt Mile. Limousine Liberal has not run at the six-furlong distance of the Sprint since he ran third in the Vanderbilt at Saratoga in 2017. The horse is 6-for-8 at Churchill Downs and that home track advantage can’t be understated.
Mind Your Biscuits, 7-2 [Posse – Chad Summers – 24: 8-10-3 - $4,279,566] Biscuits’ two big-money victories came in the six-furlong Golden Shaheen at Meydan in Dubai. However, with trainer Chad Summers also considering the Classic and the Dirt Mile, a return to the Sprint seems unlikely, especially on the heels of his impressive nine-furlong victory in the Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs where he earned his career-high Beyer Speed Figure.
Promises Fulfilled, 6-1 [Shackleford – Dale Romans – 10: 6-0-2 - $920,280] Romans will enter his star sprinter in the Dirt Mile as well. He is 2-for-2 at the Sprint distance of six furlongs with victories in his debut race and then in his most recent win in the Grade 2 Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland. The Phoenix was his first start against older horses.
Ransom the Moon, 8-1 [Malibu Moon – Phil D’Amato – 25: 6-7-2 - $884,829] Last year Ransom the Moon won the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar, but then could not duplicate that effort in his next two starts including a fifth place in the Breeders’ Cup. This year is going the same way with the Crosby win and then a third in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship.
Roy H, 3-1 [More Than Ready – Peter Miller – 21: 8-5-2 - $1,919,765] The defending Champion is back with a convincing victory in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship. Trainer Peter Miller said that a veteran sprinter like Roy H needs just one big race to be at 100%. Roy H took the same path to last year’s Sprint victory.
Switzerland, 20-1 [Speightstown – Steve Asmussen – 13: 5-2-3 - $437,380] He just began competing in graded stakes races in May when he won the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint. His final prep for the Breeders’ Cup was a victory in the DeFrancis Dash at Laurel while in front every step of the race. He earned a career best 103 Beyer in the race.
Whitmore, 12-1 [Pleasantly Perfect – Ron Moquett– 23: 11-6-2 - $2,041,000] The 5-year-old continues to pile up the wins with that long, sustained off-the-pace move down the stretch. He earned his first career Grade 1 win this summer at Saratoga in the Forego. Last year, he had a disappointing eighth place run in the Breeders’ Cup.
X Y Jet, 15-1 [Kantheros – Jorge Navarro – 22: 10-7-2 - $1,558,663] Now a 6-year-old, X Y Jet has frequently been plagued by injuries, and he had to skip an anticipated prep race because of a minor issue and his connections hope to make the race on training alone. He got nipped at the wire in Dubai by Mind Your Biscuits, but otherwise he has won his last four races. He is strictly a horse that needs the lead.
Possible: Always Sunshine, Distinctive B, Mr. Crow