By Ben Massam
Without question, the downhill 6 1/2-furlong trip of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint is one of the most unique aspects of the World Championships at Santa Anita. This year's field features an intriguing blend of horses from contrasting backgrounds: some trainers have proven commodities over the local turf, while others project that their horses will take to the distinctive layout in their first try. Conventional wisdom suggests that prior race experience over the sloping course is a significant advantage, but Chad Brown-trained Bobby's Kitten (Kitten's Joy) threw that suggestion out the door with a dramatic last-to-first score in his local debut in the 2014 Turf Sprint [video]. With much discussion on the backside revolving around who will appreciate the quirky configuration, it is fair to ask, what makes a good downhill turf sprinter?
Horses for the Course…
It was a quiet morning on trainer Marty Jones' Santa Anita shedrow Tuesday, with Turf Sprint contender Ambitious Brew (Tizbud) expected to arrive from his Los Alamitos string Wednesday. In a race where many competitors will be navigating the Santa Anita turf course for the first time, Jones has a definitive “horse for the course” in the California-bred gelding. While previous success down the hill surely matters, the conditioner said that, ultimately, the novelty trip fits horses with eager tendencies in longer races particularly well. Jones, who has won at a 25% clip (17-for-68) in Santa Anita turf sprints over the last three years–compared to his 13% overall win rate at the track–says that the key is getting horses like Ambitious Brew to settle.
“It's the kind of race that tends to favor horses that are a little agressive routing,” Jones explained. “Milers, as well. Sometimes we'll get them to come off the bridle a little bit because it's such a unique race and they're not really familiar with it. So they relax a little better.”
Ambitious Brew has won five of his nine races sprinting at Santa Anita and comes in off a win in the GIII Eddie D. S. Sept. 30 [video]. Jones– whose father Gary was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014–said that the horse deserves a chance to prove himself over his favorite trip from post 10 Saturday.
“We drew a decent post, so we'll see,” Jones added. “It's a very tough race, but he likes going down that hill.”
Post and Pace…
Trainer Jim Cassidy spent most of Tuesday morning watching workouts at Clocker's Corner, including a three-furlong blowout drill in :36.20 (5/21) for Holy Lute (Midnight Lute), who captured the second of two divisions of the Eddie D. last out [video]. Cassidy described the gray as a “happy horse” who fits the local turf course well, and added that the workout was designed to take the edge off the horse leading up to Saturday's race. When asked about factors contributing to success on the downhill course, Cassidy emphasized the importance of pace and trip.
“It always depends on what goes on in the front end,” the nine-time Grade I winning conditioner asserted. “I expect there should be plenty of speed in the race and that should help him…Holy Lute suits the course well. Jamie [Theriot II] did a good thing last time in the Eddie D. and he grabbed him early, which you have to do–rather than having him up on the front. I expect him to do the same thing [Saturday].”
While Holy Lute won from post three in the Eddie D., he is set to break from the 13 stall Saturday, a post that gives the 6-year-old more options, according to Cassidy.
“I think the advantage we have is being on the outside,” he continued. “The outside is always an advantage down the hill. You can get trapped inside easily. I expect he'll be leading the second flight. You'll see some inexperienced horses and riders fan out pretty good when they start crossing over the dirt…If you're on the inside, you'll be back a length and a half and you'll get beat a length and a half–you'll never get out.”
Stamina Edge…
While Jones and Cassidy compete horses down the hill on a regular basis as locals, Brown draws on his five years of experience as an assistant to the legendary Bobby Frankel–and, of course, his win in 2014 with the appropriately named Bobby's Kitten. In this year's renewal, Brown will saddle A Lot (Tapit), who like Bobby's Kitten, comes into the race cutting back in distance from a one-mile event. The New Yorker was back at Barn 58 checking in on his 12 Breeders' Cup entrants in the late morning hours Tuesday.
“I think it helps,” Brown said when asked about whether horses shortening up in distance have an advantage over the downhill turf course. “I'm far from an expert, but I spent a lot of time out here with Frankel, who had a lot of success down the hill. And we did pull it off [in 2014] with Bobby's Kitten–a horse that had never been down the hill before. We're trying the same thing with A Lot, and he fits the profile of a horse that would have success on this course.”
Brown added that he believes A Lot is more effective around one turn, despite the fact that he arguably delivered the best performance of his career when last seen finishing a fast-closing second behind Tourist (Tiznow) in the GI Fourstardave H. going two turns at Saratoga. Although the bay has won at sprint distances before in New York, Brown is hopeful that his significant body of work going longer gives him more endurance than his rivals.
“He's spent the majority of his career running in two-turn races,” the seven-time Breeders' Cup winning trainer noted. “I think he'll appreciate the cutback.”
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