Bluegrass Sprint
In a weekend packed full of graded stakes races here in Kentucky, the opening graded race for Friday will be the Bluegrass Sprint (G2), which will bring out the older horses to vie over seven furlongs on the main dirt track for a purse of $375,000. The race, which has drawn a full field of fourteen horses, is open to four-year-olds and up, will be run over a good dirt track this year after having some rain earlier in the week. The race is set for a post time of 2:40 PM EST, so let’s take a look at this years’ contenders.
- Ryans Developed – ballgame – B. Scott – 18/1
One of the longer prices on the board, the four-year-old chestnut is seeking his first graded win this weekend. The colt by Daredevil is coming into this race after an eleventh-place finish in a listed stakes race in Illinois at seven furlongs where he posted a speed figure of one hundred four in mid-March. The most recent win for the colt was here in Kentucky during an allowance race over seven furlongs, which he won by two and three-quarters. As a three-year-old the colt placed second in the South Bronx Stakes (G3) in Brazil and third in both the Trial By Night Stakes (G2) in Norway and the Hutchingson Stakes (G2) in Florida.
2. Valiant Cat Thief – thundyfred – S. S. Ledwith – 6/1
Lightly raced at fifteen lifetime starts and five-years of age, this bay horse by Cat Thief is coming off of an eighth place finish in the Sand Castle Godolphin Mile (G2) in March. Held back well of the pace in the race, the horse rallied in the final furlongs and set a speed figure of one hundred eleven. He’s being cut back in distance for this race after having run at a mile almost exclusively the past couple of years. His most recent seven furlong start was during his three-year-old season here in Kentucky during The Select Bud (G3) where he finished second. The most recent win for the horse was in June of last year at a mile in New Jersey during The Salvatore Mile (G3) where he was held off the pace in a staking position before being let go in the stretch to win by a length with a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred twenty-four.
3. Big Mack Sacks – pates – R. Webter – 13/1
Trying for another attempt against graded company after a brief step down in class, this homebred colt most recently started in a listed stakes race over seven furlongs in West Virginia. Held back far off the pace in a good set up for the late closer, the colt made a late move in the stretch to rocket him to the front and win the race by a length and a quarter while setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred sixteen. The colt has two prior graded starts, the Count Fingers Sprint (G3) and the Pablo Verces Handicap (G2), in which he crossed the wire twelfth and eleventh, respectively.
4. Honeybadger Hansen – beerkeg1 – J. Hornibrook – 9/1
Another horse shipping in from Dubai, this five-year-old gelding most recently started in the six furlong Sand Castle Golden Sprint (G1), ultimately crossing the wire in fourteenth in this start after breaking last out of the gate. He set a speed figure of one hundred two for the race. His start prior to that was in Maryland during The Curious George (G2) at seven furlongs. Still held well off the pace in this race, the gelding started picking off other horses fairly early on the sprint and went on to win the race by three-quarters of a length while setting a speed figure of one hundred eighteen.
5. Evil Is Evil – liam16 – R. Bokie – 14/1
The second horse for this Friday’s field by Quality Road, this four-year-old colt is a listed stakes winner and will be making his first start against graded company this weekend in Kentucky. His sole listed stakes start came here in Kentucky at six and a half furlongs. A late closer, the colt was held back well off the pace, until urged to start making his move midway through the race. He went on the win by a length, setting a speed figure of one hundred seventeen, which is a lifetime best for the colt. This was his second consecutive win, preceded by an allowance win at six furlongs in Florida.
6. Dootsin’s Bouquet (SAF) – cut2018 – N. Frazetto – 17/1
A local champion in his native South Africa, this five-year-old horse, is still searching for his graded win. At twenty-two lifetime starts, the horse most recently went to the post during a listed stakes race in Italy over six and a half furlongs. Uncharacteristically shuffled to the back of the pack out of the gate, the horse would cross the wire twelfth, setting a speed figure of ninety-nine for the race. His most recent win was last October during the Local Championship listed stakes race at six furlongs in South Africa, which he won by three-quarters of a length. The chestnut has made two graded starts, most recently in the Wicker Sofa Stakes (G3) where he finished sixth, and the Fall Midweight Handicap (G2) which saw him hit the board with a second-place finish.
7. Crick’s Ring (AUS) – anothercrick4 – C. Gerhke – 27/1
Making his first start with graded company this weekend, the Australian-bred gelding will also be making his first start in the States. Most recently racing in Sweden, the gelding is coming off of an allowance start there over six and a half furlongs, where after stalking the pace in fifth, he made a charge down the stretch to finish second, posting a speed figure of one hundred eight. His prior start, also in Sweden, was a listed stakes race over six and a half furlongs, which he won by a length and a quarter. The bay gelding is set to go off as the early morning longshot of Friday’s field.
8. Practically Dreamy – arch – M. Hibby – 8/1
Midway through the field now, we come to a have-year-old horse who is approaching career earnings of half a million and is an accomplished graded competitor. By Always Dreaming, the chestnut horse most recently started in California during the Burrito Grade Breeders’ Bowl (G2) at six and a half furlongs. Held back in a staking position, the horse didn’t make up too much ground as he came home to cross the wire fourth, setting a speed figure of one hundred and ten for the race. Prior to this start, the horse went to the gate in The Minister’s Deputy (G3) at six and a half furlongs in Florida. Again, stalking the pace, the horse went on to win this race by a length.
9. Destintary – beefcake5 – B. Sipe – 5/1
In the nine slot, at six years of age, this gelding will be the oldest horse in the field this weekend and will also be making just the second graded start of his career. The most recent start for the bay gelding was over a mile in a listed stakes race in New Mexico. Stalking the pace early on, the gelding was urged forward in the stretch and managed to get up for third while posting an impressive speed figure of one hundred fifteen. The most recent win for the gelding was this past February during an allowance race in Canada, also over a mile, which he won by one and three-quarter lengths. The only graded start for the gelding came in his three-year-old season under previous owner/trainer tropwen56 during The Labatts Ontario Stakes (G1) at nine furlongs where the horse finished fifth.
10. URC Max Factor – stc2912 – W. Kewmwa – 10/1
Making his third graded start this weekend, this graded placed light grey colt is by The Factor and will be making his eighteenth career start on Friday. The most recent star for the four-year-old came here in Kentucky this past April during The Commonwealth (G2) at seven furlongs. Going straight to the lead out of the gate, the colt would be caught in the stretch and cross the wire third, off the pace by just three-quarters of a length while setting a speed figure of one hundred twelve. Prior to this the colt won a six and a half furlong allowance race in Florida over a good dirt track, which may be a good omen for this weekend, being one of the few horses in the field to have experienced an off track.
11. Moneybag Joe – hkrace – M. Hobley – 21/1
Another longshot will be going into gate eleven. This four-year-old brown colt will be making his graded stakes debut after coming off three consecutive wins at the allowance level. By Mitole, the dam is graded placed and out of A.P. Indy. The most recent start for the colt was in Florida during an allowance race over seven furlongs. This race was won convincingly by a length and a quarter, with the colt posting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred sixteen. The last three wins for the colt, all in allowance races, have all earned him triple digit speed figures.
12. Hanish Mein – akaran – D. Givens – 7/1
Making his second start with graded company, this five-year-old gelding by Empire Maker last started in California during the Burrito Grade Breeders’ Bowl (G2) at six and a half furlongs. The bay gelding stalked the pace early on out of sixth and started to pick off other runners midway through the race, ultimately crossing the wire in third, just a quarter length off the pace, and setting a speed figure of one hundred twelve, which is a lifetime best for the gelding. His prior start was a win, this in a listed stakes at six furlongs in Vermont. He is familiar with off tracks as well, having recently won an allowance race over six and a half furlongs on a sloppy track here in Kentucky.
13. Elegiac – plano2 – M. Wallace – 8/1
One impressive four-year-old lately has been this colt by Munnings. The chestnut colt most recently started here in Kentucky during The Commonwealth (G2) at seven furlongs. Stalking the early pace in fifth out of the gate, the colt made his move in the stretch but came up just short at the wire to finish second, off the pace by half a length but setting a speed figure of one hundred twelve. The colt won his previous start, which came overseas in Japan during The Negative Stakes (G3), also at seven furlongs. The colt won this race by a quarter of a length, setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred eighteen after finishing fourth in The Malibu Sprint (G1) last December.
14. As Fast As Can Be – yotees – L. Radzinski – 8/1
Last into the starting gate in our field for this Friday is the Triple Crown sired five-year-old colt by Justify who will be making his seventeenth lifetime start. This horse has also been fairly consistent against graded company, most recently starting in The Commonweath (G2) where he ran off the board in fourth after being held well back in the pack at the break. His start prior to that, coming on the other side of the country in California, was in the Pablo Cruz Handicap (G2), also at seven furlongs. Again, the colt ran in his typical late closing fashion to cross the wire in second, setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen. His most recent win came during an allowance race in Florida at seven and a half furlongs over a good dirt track. His only other start on an off track, another allowance race, though this time here in Kentucky, saw the colt hit the board again with a second place finish.
Flrancho’s Picks:
Win: Elegiac
Place: Practically Dreamy
Show: As Fast As Can BeT