Breeders' Cup Sprint

Dual 2020 Grade I winner Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), the heavy favorite for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, has been scratched from the race after spiking a fever, it was announced early Wednesday morning by trainer George Weaver. "Last night, the horse spiked a fever on us," Weaver told TVG, "and we needed to treat him with the doctor last night and he just wasn't fit to go train today. Being this close to a race, he's not fit to run either so we're not going to be able to...

The final chapters have yet to be penned in Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect)'s book, but it's safe to say the 7-year-old sprinter is in the autumn of his career. He's a closer who has excelled in a division where out-and-out front-end speed often dominates, he's run in three consecutive GI Breeders' Cup Sprints that have each drawn as "loaded" affairs won by the eventual Eclipse Award champ, and he'll seek his first Breeders' Cup win in start number four over a host track (Keeneland) whose main-track profile has been tilted toward...

WinStar Farm and China Horse Club's 'TDN Rising Star' Nashville (Speightstown), who took his record to two-for-two with a towering allowance success at Keeneland Oct. 10, could make his next start in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint over the same track and distance, WinStar General Manager David Hanley said Monday. "It's a bit too early for a final decision, but I would say the nothing has been ruled out at this point," Hanley said. "I haven't discussed it with [WinStar President/CEO and Racing Manager] Elliott [Walden] or [trainer]...

After missing an intended start in the GI Forego S. at Saratoga in late August with a foot abscess, the talented Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) is training up to next month's Breeders' Cup at Keeneland. The chestnut punched his ticket(s) to Lexington with eye-catching victories at Belmont Park in the 'Win and You're In' GI Runhappy Carter H. June 6 (GI Sprint) and GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. last time July 4 (GI Dirt Mile). He kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a sharp win in Gulfstream's Sir Shackleton S. Mar....

Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) shoots for his second win in Friday's GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. at Keeneland, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. After narrowly annexing this event in 2017, the hard-knocking and popular as ever 7-year-old gelding has since completed the bottom half of the exacta in the last two renewals. Whitmore captured his third GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. at Oaklawn in April, then was second to the ultra-talented Volatile (Violence) in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga July 25....

Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior), just a nose shy in a heart-stopping renewal of the GII Vosburgh S. last year, contested then as a Grade I, continued his love affair with Belmont Park in this 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland. Firenze Fire sat a stalking trip in second through an opening quarter in :22.33, made his move at the leader as they stacked up four across the track past the quarter pole, and kicked home nicely to punch his ticket to Lexington. Favored Funny...

Following the untimely retirement of the ultra-talented GISW Volatile (Violence) earlier this week, an evenly matched field of six will line up for Saturday's GII Vosburgh S. at Belmont Park, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. The 2-1 morning-line favorite Engage (Into Mischief), winner of last fall's GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. at Keeneland, makes his first start since finishing a non-threatening fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita. He's been training steadily at Steve Asmussen's Churchill base for this. Belmont...

Collusion Illusion (Twirling Candy) got the better of his elders and earned a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, holding off a late rally from Lexitonian (Speightstown) to take Del Mar's GI Bing Crosby S. Settling near the back of the pack, the 9-5 chalk ran off the fence with only Lexitonian, who trailed the field by several lengths, beat as the remaining five scrambled for control through a sharp first quarter in :21.58. Wildman Jack (Goldencents) gained a very narrow advantage as the half went...

Roy H (More Than Ready), champion sprinter of 2017 and 2018, has been retired at age eight, trainer Peter Miller said in a statement Thursday. "It is with some sadness but also great joy that we announce the retirement of Roy H from racing," Miller said. "What can you say about a horse like this who has given us so many thrilling moments? He is the embodiment of class and we will definitely miss seeing him compete. Fortunately, we will not have to miss him for long as he will...

Cajun Beat (Grand Slam--Beckys Shirt, by Cure the Blues), the 2003 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner, has died. The 20-year-old gelding had been pensioned at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement facility based in Georgetown, Kentucky, since 2016. Details of Cajun Beat's death are pending following a full necropsy. "He was a lovely horse, a real champion," said co-owner Satish Sanan of Padua Stables. "With all of the horses we've had, he was one of our favorites--he was my wife's favorite. He didn't show much talent until we gelded him, and...