Spring to the Sky Tops GP Turf Sprint

Making his first start since running in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) last fall, Spring to the Sky was favored to win at Gulfstream Park on the drop into allowance company on Jan. 5.           

Turf allowance races during the Champions Meet at Gulfstream Park are frequently stakes quality, and such was the case that day, when Spring to the Sky finished fourth, beaten 1 ¾ lengths.           

The 5-year-old son of Langfuhr is set to jump back into stakes company on Saturday for the $75,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, and trainer Bruce Brown is expecting better results in the five-furlong grass dash.           

“Our main goal has been this race all along, it being a stakes race. That last race, I think it was a useful race. He got kind of pushed down to the inside a little bit. I think things could have worked out better, as far as his trip went. He would have run a little better, but we weren’t looking for this A-One race,” Brown said. “He’s sitting on his best for this race coming up.”           

Spring to the Sky will have to be at his very best in the Turf Sprint, which attracted a deep field of 11specialists, including Tightend Touchdown, who finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.           

Tightend Touchdown was beaten by a just a half-length by back-to-back winner Mizdirection and finished well ahead of eleventh-place finisher Spring to the Sky in the 6 ½-furlong turf race run down the hill at Santa Anita.           

“I don’t think he’s back to himself. I haven’t been thrilled with him. He’s fine. He scopes clean. It’s been three months, so …,” said trainer Jason Servis, who is hoping that the 5-year-old gelding will find himself when he’s back in action.           

Leading jockey Javier Castellano has the return mount.           

Claimed twice by Servis for the Mr. Amore Stable, Tightend Touchdown hasn’t finished worse than second in eight starts since being claimed for $35,000 at Aqueduct last January.           

While Tightend Touchdown showed an affinity for the downhill course in the Breeders’ Cup, Spring to the Sky didn’t seem suited to the unique layout of the course that intersects briefly with the main track at the top of the stretch.           

“He couldn’t have been doing better out there. He didn’t handle switching over to the dirt well, but there were probably a lot of horses that didn’t handle that. But that was where he started to drop back,” Brown said. “I’m not saying he would have won the race, but he probably would have run a little better. This first time running on that course, he didn’t handle it well.”          

Brown said Spring to the Sky will need to do his own thing to run his best race in the Turf Sprint.“He’s the kind of horse that doesn’t want to be messed with much. He kind of likes to do his own thing. With these kinds of races, you just kind of let him go. If there are faster horses in the race, like last time, he’ll let them go. If not, he’ll be in front. He’ll just place himself,” Brown said. “His attitude is like, ‘I know what I’m doing. Leave me alone.’”

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has been named to ride.           

Brown is also set to saddle Night Officer, a late-running stakes winner who closed to finish fourth in a recent five-furlong turf allowance at Gulfstream.

His best distances are probably 5 ½, 6 and 7 (furlongs). He’s one who really needs to things to set up for him. This race looks like they’ll be plenty of speed. He’s one of those horses that he has a good day, and a few of the other ones stub their toes, he’ll be coming,” Brown said. “He was closing pretty good last time, and that was his first race over the track.”           

Varsity, who has won four times and finished second twice in six starts over the Gulfstream turf course, has been entered by Christophe Clement to defend his 2013 Gulfstream Turf Sprint title. The 7 year-old gelded son of Indian Charlie made his 2014 debut by finishing second in the recent turf allowance in which Spring to the Sky finished fourth.           

Joe Bravo has the return mount aboard Varsity.           

Partyallnightlong and Wicked Tune, the first and third-place finishers in the allowance race in which Varsity and Sprint to the Sky competed will return in the Turf Sprint.           

Also entered in the Turf Sprint: Bold Thunder, Determinato, Berlino de Tiger, Travelin Man and Buongiorno Johnny.