Breeders’ Bowl Turf Sprint Should Be Blazing Fast

Welcome to sunny California for the 2021 edition of the Breeders’ Bowl Turf Sprint. We have a stellar field of horses for this year’s running, including 8 of the top 10 ranked older sprinters and the #2 ranked 3yo. They will be going 6.5f on the firm turf course for a share of the $750,000 purse. Let’s take a look at the field.

PP1 – 16/1 – Business Meeting (AUS) – Gowans (cityplace) 

A 4yo by Not A Single Doubt, Business Meeting is out of the Invincible Spirit mare Business Decision. He flashed his ability early, winning two G1s as a 2yo. His speeds haven’t quite improved with age as much as one would hope, although he has won a G2 and a G3 this year. Look for him to try to jump right out and set the pace.

PP2 – 18/1 – Pivotal Gold (NZ) – Fernando (fersara) Universal Racing Club

A 4yo by Darci Brahma out of the Pivotal mare Fernando High, Pivotal Gold really matured this year. He’s on a hot streak, having won 3 of his last 4 races, including his first graded win in the G3 Scandinavian 1100 Cup. He’s coming off a solid second place finish in the G1 Longchamp Sprint. 

PP3 – 9/1 – Chester Lampwick (IRE) – Stevesutto (rooster13) Hoosier 

This 5 yo scratched Ribchester x Danehill started the year off strong with 2 seconds and a win all in 6f G1 events, good enough to get him the #2 ranking. His win in the Golden Goose Sprint came against a stellar field which included two EOY champions. He tailed off in his last two starts, but has the ability to run here.  I would expect him to try to get the lead. 

PP4 – 7/1 – Ten Marks (AUS) – Summerset (razer8) Elite Racing Club

So far, the only thing missing from this 4yo Zoustar’s CV is a G1 win. The 4yo scratch bred started the year off with a Local Championship trophy, and has since added a G3 and a G2 to his shelf. His only off-the-board finish this year was going a mile, and he hasn’t gone less than 7f all year. It’s a tough spot to break into G1 competition but with 11 wins in 15 starts and solid speed figures, he looks ready.

PP5 – 6/1 – Shameless Quality (IRE) – Stevesutto (thehorsehotel) Only Stayers

Stevesutto’s second runner today is third-ranked Shameless Quality, a 5yo scratch bred by Shamardal. He stamped his ticket to the BB in January with a victory in the Pekays Remembrance by ¼ length over Chester Lampwick. He also won a G2 in May and finished 3rd in two G1s. He has 10 wins in 22 starts. 

PP6 – 23/1 – Jungle Pirate (TUR) – Jubalrutledge (wolfmoonranch) Northwest Racing Circuit

At first glance you may wonder what this 4yo scratch bred Lion Heart x Dehere is doing on turf, especially when you see he has 8 wins and nearly $1.5M in earnings on dirt. Then you look at his past performances and see the impressive victory in the G1 Sand Castle Turf Sprint back in March and you go ‘oh’. He hasn’t won since then, but if he can remember what he did that day and duplicate it, he’s right in there.

PP7 – 16/1 – Clifton Orbs (KY) – Tyedye (2019firsters) East-West Connection

This 5yo Orb gelding has twice gone on 4 race win streaks. The run this year culminated in a ½ length victory in The King’s Fall G1. Jockey Eberhard has been his regular rider since then and remains up for this race. The son of Canford Cliffs mare Clifton Cans will be gunning for the lead with several others.

PP8 – 10/1 – Lt General Snitzel (AUS) – 4amigos1 (4amigos2) Blazing Saddles

This 5yo by Snitzel carries on a strong family legacy. He is out of future HOF mare Carraig Aonair (Fastnet Rock), who ran in this race in 2016 and has birthed two G1 winning turf sprinters so far. Lt General is making a return appearance, having finished 8th in last year’s edition, beaten by only 3 lengths. He quickly rebounded in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint last December, and had a nice easy prep in a G2 at the end of August. If he finds himself forwardly placed he could have a big race.

PP9 – 7/1 – Written Jess (AUS) – Slipery1 (dunnstadafunsta) Global Sim Racing

A 4yo by Written Tycoon out of Fastest Jess (Fastnet Rock), he began his career strong with 3 listed victories in his first 4 starts. He flirted with going a mile several times despite having won a G3 sprint as a 3yo, but settled into what he does best this season. He’s won four stakes this year, with his biggest prize coming in the G1 MGD Special.

PP10 – 20/1 – Given Has Arisen (IRE) – – Given  (givenhasarisen4) GR Simsters

The #2 ranked 3yo is the only one brave enough to take on the older horses. He has won 7 of 11 starts and is on a 4 race win streak. I caught up with Dan in the chat room and asked him about his scratch bred entry. He said, “For obvious reasons, this is one of my favorite horses. Lope de Vega has been one of my favorite sires to use, and I just felt like putting “Given” in the name, something I very very very rarely do. His talent was obvious in his first three starts, and while I was somewhat disappointed that the 8f distance didn’t suit, since I turned him back to sprints over the spring and summer, he’s done nothing wrong. I’ve had the Breeders’ Bowl in mind for him for a long time, and planned a schedule to work backwards. When he won the G1 in June, I knew he had the points to make the race, so I decided to take it easy with the schedule going into this race. Taking on older horses for the first time is always a question mark, but I honestly can’t think of a horse I have ever prepped better for the Breeders’ Bowl than this one. I have very high hopes.”

PP11 – 5/1 – Junglano (JPN) – Adrian (astinator) All-Stars Racing

Post time favorite Junglano is Jungle Pocket’s only graded winner, but he’s ranked #1. The 4yo gelding has 6 starts this season with 3 wins (1 G1, 2 G2) and 3 seconds all with speed figures over 110. He’s a force to be reckoned with. His high speed of 118 came in a close loss in the Cup Of July to the #1 ranked older female turf sprinter, Voter. His dam World Of Trouble (Giant’s Causeway) was a G3 winning turf sprint specialist. 

PP12 – 9/1 – Prince Destiny (ENG) – Dixiedotco (futurestar) MIDAS

This 4yo son of Dubawi is doing his best to live up to his name. The only son of G1 winner and aptly named Frankel mare Equine Royalty, he has come within ¼ length of that elusive G1 badge. It’s hard to pinpoint his best distance, and I would have questioned going shorter if not for the fact that he enters today’s race off a win in a 6f G2. One thing possibly working in his favor here is his closing style. 

PP13 – 7/1 – Kymard Kewell (SAF) – Kymar (kymar38) Universal Racing club

This 4yo gelding by Mambo In Seattle has an impressive 10 wins in 15 starts and is ranked #5 in the division. He started his early career as a miler winning two allowances followed by a listed stakes in May of his 3yo season. Once he moved back to sprints, however, he found his true calling, and has won 7 of 8 there, including 3 G2s. His only loss this year came in the G1 Strand Broke, but he was closing well. The only question for him is the distance, as he hasn’t gone less than 7 panels since his debut.

PP14 – 12/1 – Death From Behind (KY) – Lenny271 (fairhaven11) GR Simsters

I don’t usually think of Uncle Mo as a turf sprint sire, and apparently Ryan didn’t either, as his 4yo colt started his career on the Bluegrass Derby trail. In fact, the son of Frankel he-mare Doom Of Empires never ran in a turf sprint until 3 races ago. The rest is history, as he won all three including the G1 Longchamp Sprint, earning entry into this race. He’s on a roll and has proven his ability to stalk the pace, which will serve him well here.

So, how will the race play out? We have probably four horses looking for the early lead, but I expect the Stevesutto entries to get the jump on the field. Junglano, Lt General Snitzel, and possibly Given Has Arisen will stalk behind them. Ten Marks and Kymard Kewell should make late runs. Junglano is favored for a reason, but I like closers. I look for either Ten Marks or Kymard Kewell to get their first G1 victory here. They have similar records and styles. If you force me to choose I will go with Ten Marks.

Should be a great race!