Hard-luck Imprimis gets the green light for Breeders' Cup try
Trainer Joe Orseno reports that Imprimis will be shipped from Gulfstream Park to Santa Anita Park on Tuesday for a scheduled start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 2.
Breeze Easy LLC’s Imprimis has been the beaten favorite in his last two races, lacking running room while finishing fourth in the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G3) and third in the Woodford (G2) at Keeneland.
Orseno is hoping the son of Broken Vow has better racing luck at Santa Anita.
“I think he’s good enough," the trainer said. "He didn’t get a chance to run his race the last two times. I just want him to be able to run his race and know that I had him at his best. If you don’t win, you gave it everything you can do.
"You hope racing luck doesn’t beat you, which has happened in his last two."
Imprimis began the year with an impressive 3 ½-length victory in the March 9 Silks Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park and a late-rallying triumph in the Shakertown (G2) at Keeneland a month later. The Florida-bred 5-year-old gelding was subsequently shipped to Royal Ascot, where he finished a troubled sixth in the King’s Stand (G1), a 5-furlong turf sprint that’s run on a straightaway.
Orseno won a pair of Breeders’ Cup races in 2000 for Stronach Stables, scoring with Perfect Sting in the Filly & Mare Turf and Macho Uno in the Juvenile. Both horses were later honored with Eclipse Awards as champions of their respective divisions.