Three horses that earned starting positions in International Breeders’ cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series for the $1 Million Breeders’ Cup Turf sprint (G1) were pre-entered. The race attracted 22 prospects.
Team Valor’s homebred Oleksandra (AUS) was trained by Neil Drysdale and won the Jaipur(G1) by a neck at Belmont Park on June 20.
Breeze Easy Imprimis Joe Orseno trained ‘Joe’, and he won the Runhappy Turf Sprint, G3, at Kentucky Downs, on September 12th by a neck, beating the dead-heated runners up Front Run the Fed, Bombard, and Bombard, both of whom were also pre-entered.
Bearstone Stud homebred Glass slippers (GB) was granted a free start into the Turf Sprint after a victory of half a length in the Derrinstown Stud Five Stakes(G1) at The Curragh on Sept. 13. Glass Slippers, a 4-year old filly trained and won by Kevin Ryan, was second in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp 2019 (G1), and the 8-5 favorite this year in that race on Oct. 3.
What is the Breeders Cup’s Turf Sprint?
TheBreeders’ Cup Turf SprintThis is a Weight for Age stakes racing race for thoroughbred racehorses aged three and older. It is part of the breeders Cup thoroughbred champions the de facto championship year-end for North American thoroughbred racing. The turf course requirements of the host track will determine the distance.
The Turf Sprint is an exciting race across Santa Anita Park’s downhill turf course. This race is for 3-year-old horses and older. It covers approximately 1400 yards (6.5ft) and combines speed and agility. This race was first to run in 2008 at Santa Anita Park, the second day of Breeders Cup racing.
Distance: 6.5 Furlongs
The race took place at six and a quarter furlongs. It was contested on Santa Anita’s El Camino Real “downhill” turf course. The race had only 14 participants in 2008. Woodbine and Belmont are the only tracks that can host longer than six- and half-furlong turf races in North America, apart from Santa Anita. Churchill Downs hosts the Breeders Cup eight times. However, it only runs turf sprints at 5 Furlongs. The preferred distance was announced by Breeders Cup officials, which is different from all Breeders Cup races.
It was not eligible to be classified as graded stakes racing because of technical requirements. It was originally a Grade II race that was started in 2010. In 2012, it was upgraded to Grade 1.
Automated Berths
The Breeders Cup created “The Breeders Cup Challenge” in 2007. This series of races was developed in 2007 and awarded automatic qualifying bids for winners of certain races. Each division has three to six of these “Win and you’re in” qualifiers. There are four automatic berths in the Breeders Cup Distaff Division.
Last Updated on November 18, 2021