2021 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Guide

Spearheading the markets for Wesley Ward is his 3 year old colt Golden Pal. Despite being beaten at short odds on his debut over 4.5 furlongs, Ward still brought over the son of Uncle Mo for a tilt at the Norfolk Stakes last year where he was unlucky to go down by a neck.

However, travelling back to America he rounded out her 2 year old campaign in style. Breaking his maiden with ease he then came to the Breeder’s Cup meeting last year and took the Juvenile Turf Sprint from Cowan.

Returning from a winter break, he picked up the winning thread again immediately when winning a group 3 at prohibitive odds at Saratoga.

Brought back over to England for the Nunthorpe, Golden Pal set too hot a pace to keep Winter Power at bay and wilted back into a poor 7th.

He has regained form though and was an explosive winner here at Keeneland over 5.5 furlongs last month when dealing a sound beating to Extravagant Kid.

His form sets a strong standard and he’s been in rude form in native America.

Kevin Ryan takes the plunge and sends over his sprinter Emaraaty Ana. The 5 year old hit new heights this season and is in the form of his career.

After winning a group 2 as a 2 year old, he then struggled to hold his own in deeper waters until being gelded at the end of his 2020 season.

The early parts of this season failed to yield any results but he ran well in defeat a couple of times. Dropping right down to a class 3 conditions race over 5 furlongs, he scored for the first time in 2 years.

This clearly boosted his confidence and he ran a screamer at 40/1 to be 2nd to Winter Power in the Nunthorpe. A healthy 3 lengths clear of Golden Pal.

He was last seen posting a career best when winning the Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock by just holding off a late surge from Starman.

He’s clearly bang in form and can be effective at 5 furlongs, likely to be involved in the finish.

George Arnold’s 4 year old colt has been highly tried over a variety of trips but seems to have finally found his niche this season.

As a 2 year old he was running over as far as a mile and half a furlong. He kept being tried over a mile but remained a maiden after 8 races across 2019 to 2021.

He finally got his head in front for the first time this season when winning a claimer at Saratoga over 5.5 furlongs.

The drop in trip clearly suited, he then went close in a group 3 race over the same course and distance a month later.

He finally took his big prize when landing a group 3 over 6 furlongs at Kentucky Downs. The trip looked perfect for him, he bolted up by over 2 lengths.

Dropping right back to 5 might not be ideal and he could just find himself outpaced by the faster types in the field. Likely to be ridden handily so he doesn’t get too outpaced.

Kevin Ryan’s mare comes back here to defend her crown 12 months after a brave performance where she threaded herself through a narrow gap to spring to victory.

She’s always been a very consistent sort over sprinting trips and romped to victory in a taking performance in the 2019 Abbaye at Longchamp.

Last season saw her uphold her impressive run of form. Despite not being able to get truly involved in the finish of the King’s Stand, she then came home best of the rest behind Battaash in the King George at Goodwood.

A lightning performance saw her win the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh before just narrowly failing to regain her Abbaye crown.

This season has seen her rack up a hat trick of 3rd place finishes but her form has always picked up to the tail end of the season and she could just have one big run in her to try to keep her Breeder’s Cup Sprint title.

A speedy filly for Wesley Ward, Kimari won her maiden back in April 2019 by an eye-watering 15 lengths.

Her absolute demolition job saw her immediately come over to England for the Queen Mary where she was a valiant 2nd to Raffle Prize.

Returning to America saw her land a listed prize before a gutsy 4th in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Winning at listed level again saw her then travel to Royal Ascot again to be 2nd in the Commonwealth Cup to Golden Horde.

She only had one more run that season and was beaten again in a fillies’ race despite being favourite.

She knocked up a brace of wins in the early parts of this campaign when winning a listed contest over 5.5 furlongs before taking a group 1 over 7 furlongs at Keeneland.

She hasn’t been seen since but hasn’t hinted that dropping back to the mining trip would be to her liking.

She’s been more effective over longer trips recently and might just lack the raw speed to get competitive.

Starting life with John McConnell, A Case of You scored twice as a juvenile. Including picking up a Group 3 over 6.5 furlongs before switching yards to Adrian McGuinness.

A bloodless victory over 6 furlongs on seasonal return and stable debut saw him then try to tackle 7 furlongs. However, despite being a warm favourite he finished dead last in a listed contest won by Poetic Flare.

Scoring in a Group 3 in May, he then came over for the Commonwealth Cup but wilted back into 11th.

Well held in 3rd in another 6 furlong race at the Curragh, connections tried their hand at 5 furlongs for the first time and were nearly rewarded as he narrowly came 2nd in the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh.

Keeping the faith at the minimum trip, A Case Of You won the Abbaye on deep ground at Longchamp last month in a brilliant display.

Rapidly improving and clearly lethal at 5 furlongs, this 3 year old could well make the trip over from Ireland worth it.

Steven Miyadi’s Lieutenant Dan arrives in Keeneland in red hot form having won all 3 of his races this season.

The 5 year old is very lightly raced having only taken to the track 7 times in his career but he’s been a consistent sort and won 5 of those 7 outings.

An easy winner on debut over 7 furlongs, he was then tested at a mile but didn’t see out the trip and came home a poor 3rd of 4.

He’s since kept striking at sprinting distances and only tasted defeat again when going over a mile.

An easy Group 3 handicap win over this course and distance saw him win a group 2 event over 6.5 furlongs at Santa Anita last month.

He’s got plenty of pace and has been lethal over sprinting trips. Low mileage on his clock and acts around here. A good each way angle.

Another for Wesley Ward in 3 year old Arrest Me Red. He doesn't have a wealth of racecourse experience but has won in 4 of his 6 outings.

Easily taking his maiden as a 2 year old last summer, he was then 5th in the Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland over an extended mile.

Clearly unable to stay the much further disgrace, connections dropped him back in trip to 6 furlongs where he managed to get his head back in front again.

He rounded out last season with another defeat before moving to Wesley Ward’s care from Arnaud Delacour’s yard.

Since joining ward the colt has had a perfect 2 from 2 record and scored a listed race over 5.5 furlongs before striking Group 3 honours at Belmont Park last month over 6 furlongs.

Ward’s gotten a nice tune out of him but he’s yet to try 5 furlongs and might struggle to find his feet in a hotly run contest.

Trained by Joe Sharp, Fast Boat boasts an impressive record of 6 wins from 16 outings.

He only really came to form when taking a group 2 at Churchill Downs back in April over 5.5 furlongs. Things just seemed to fall right for him.

He was following up a stakes victory at the end of January, also over the minimum trip.

Despite disappointing at Group 1 level when tackling the Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park, he wasn’t beaten far but failed to get involved at all in proceedings.

He left that behind with a gutsy Group 3 win at Saratoga in August but couldn’t live with Gear Jockey at Keeneland in September when the pair met over 6 furlongs in the Sprint Stakes.

His bare form leaves a bit to be desired and he is likely to find the top table too taxing of his quality again.

Ryan Moore takes over in the saddle for Brendan Walsh on Extravagant Kid as the 8 year old looks to score another Group 1 prize.

53 career starts have brought about a decent return of 15 career wins. He was narrowly beaten in a couple of Group 2 events last season before a close up 4th in this race 12 months ago.

He took his form to new heights in March of this year when handily taking a Group 1 sprint over in Meydan under Moore.

Brought over to England for two runs this season he was a very creditable 3rd in the Kings Stand behind Oxted before putting in a really poor showing in the July Cup to be 14th of the 19 runners.

Last seen putting in a bold showing to be 2nd to Golden Pal in a Group 2 race at Keeneland last month. He’d had a 3 month break from racing so likely needed the run and could be a good punt to hit the frame.

Right down the bottom of the betting is Charmaine’s Mia for Phillip D’Amato. A well seasoned 5 year old mare, she’s won 7 of her 31 race course appearances.

Since going to the D’Amato ranks she’s captured a few group prizes but found her victories coming over much further than 5 furlongs.

Scoring over 6 furlongs and twice in Group 2 company over a mile. All her group wins coming against her own sex however.

She’s struggled for form since and even tried as far as 9 furlongs. Last seen dropping right back in distance to 6 furlongs, she found herself grossly outpaced and well beaten by Lieutenant Dan.

She has looked most at home against her own sex over 8 furlongs. Mixing it against some top tier operators over 5 furlongs, she’s going to find this very testing.

A winner of 4 races, Caravel racked up a quick double when winning her maiden and a stakes race back to back last summer over 5 furlongs, all while under the care of Elizabeth Merryman.

The 4 year old then tried longer trips but didn’t taste success again until dropping back down to 5 furlongs.

She finally scooped her big pot when taking a Group 3 for fillies and mares over 5.5 furlongs at Saratoga on her last start for Merryman.

She then moved yards to be in the care of Graham Motion but in her two starts to date for her new trainer she’s failed to get competitive.

Five furlongs is certainly where she’s best but she has gone off the boil and would need a career best to get anywhere near some of these.