Defending Champ Mr Devious Headlines BB Turf Sprint

Eclipse Award-winning turf sprinter Mr Devious is back to defend his Breeders Bowl Turf Sprint title down the hill in California.  Coolk/londoner’s star is not only the most accomplished horse in the field, but also looks to have a huge tactical advantage over his rivals, with no other front-running types set to challenge his strong early foot.  Despite his recent subpar form, the champ has been installed as the morning line favorite and will clearly take some beating.

Last year’s BB Turf Sprint was contested over six furlongs and was won with a SR of 109.  This year’s race, carrying a $1 million purse, will be run over a distance of six and a half furlongs on California’s unique downhill turf course, which features a slight right hand turn and requires the horses to cross the main track briefly before straightening out for the stretch run.

Other storylines include the Breeders Bowl aspirations of two of the more prominent stables in the sim.  The DelPenn-based supers send three to the post in search of their elusive first Breeders Bowl victory, and the ubiquitous Lenny has two starters seeking to give him his just his second Breeders Bowl win.  He’s one for seventeen in BB events coming into 2008, with his lone win coming in the inaugural 2006 running of the Turf Sprint, won by I Make Stuff Up with a 105 SR.

Among those set to take on the defending champ are seven three year-olds who will be making their first starts against older horses in this event, as well as two females racing outside the comfort of their division.

Here’s the field in post position order:

1.  LIBERTINE  (super14)  8/1

One of three entrants from the supers syndicate, this five year-old son of El Prado has yet to win a graded stakes, but did finish second by a nose in the G1 Rising Sun in Japan in May, one of four lifetime in-the-money finishes in graded events.  “He’s the proverbial close-but-no-cigar type horse,” says super stable manager whirlwind.  “He almost always runs his race, and he is always close at the wire.”  Indeed, Libertine’s lifetime top SR of 111 would likely put him right in the thick of things.  He’s run that number three times before, and his tactical speed will be an advantage in this field that lacks an abundance of early foot.  While winless since early July, his barn remains confident.  “It’s just a matter of time before he explodes with a big one.”

2.  CREDIT ADDICTION  (deyoto4)  8/1

This four year-old grey son of High Chaparral went over the million dollar mark in his last start, an overnight stakes victory in Florida at today’s distance.  He has nine total stakes victories to his credit, but just one graded stakes win, earned in the G1 Because I Said So last November.  He also just missed in the G1 Salvation Army two starts back, earning an Equinics silver medal for the Queensland residency.  He should be extremely fresh for this one, having made just five starts in the last six months.  He also has the tactical speed to stay in touch with the early pace, and his lifetime top of 115 would be tough to beat.

3.  MR DEVIOUS (londoner)  6/1

Last year’s Eclipse Award-winning turf sprinter is back to defend his BB Turf Sprint crown.  The star of coolk’s londoner stable won a remarkable three G1 turf sprints last year, and added another this April over yielding ground in the Sidney Sprint.  He’ll go over the $3 million mark in career earnings should he cash a check of any kind in this one.  A five year-old son of the underrated sim sire Crafty Prospector, he sputtered in his most recent G1 tries, but comes into this race off a very fast overnight stakes win in which he earned a brisk 113 SR.  He’s had ample time to recover from that effort.  His lifetime top is 117, and he’s reached or surpassed the 110 mark a solid seven times in his career.  Coolk is guardedly optimistic about his big horse’s chances, saying, “he’s getting on now (in age), and I’m under no illusion as to the task ahead.  Hopefully he has one more big race in him, and he can show the youngsters what it takes to be a champion.”  With all his accomplishments, perhaps the angle most in his favor today is the pace scenario.  With no other legitimate front-running sprinters in the lineup, he could find himself alone on the lead without undue pressure, an ideal situation for the champ to repeat. 

4.  ASSAULTED(ENG) (simsters8)  7/1

One of two entries from the lenny group of 58 stables, also known as the Evil Empire, this four year-old daughter of Red Ransom tries the boys for the first time today.  Her resume includes two graded stakes wins in her own division, including the G1 Hoover Handicap in August.  “She’s thrived since cutting back to sprints,” says Lenny, who believes she represents his better chance in this race to provide his second Breeders Bowl victory.  She had a four-race win streak snapped in her last start, but did not disgrace herself by running third in the G1 Green Lady Handicap.  “She’s run fast enough to win,” says Lenny, referring to her lifetime top of 115.  Of his friendly rivalry with the supers, Lenny adds, “If my filly happens to win, they’ll never hear the end of it.” 

5.  ALBERTA FIRE  (oilspill)  11/1

A six year-old mare by Seeking the Gold hails from balata’s oilspill stable, she has tried the boys once before, but in her first career start in early 2004.  Not much can be gleaned from that effort, but her record speaks for itself.  She boasts nine total stakes victories, three of them graded, and two G1 wins.  Her lifetime top is a competitive 113, but she was well beaten by fellow distaffer Assaulted in her last start, and was second by a length to that one two starts back in the G1 Hoover.  She’ll likely need to avoid dropping too far back in the early going, and while undoubtedly a top turf sprinting female, she looks up against it in this field. 

6. CURIOUS CANDY (lopiccolo)  33/1

Another of Lenny’s shooters, this three year-old colt by Candy Ride is one of several trying older horses for the first time in here.  He’s won two G1 races in his career, but his lifetime top is a comparatively slow 105, and he’s only topped 100 twice in his young career.  “He’s never missed the board sprinting,” says Lenny, but the savvy owner/trainer also knows his colt has never before faced a field as accomplished as this one. 

7.  SATRUS  (bagur)  8/1

This four year-old son of War Chant hails from rafa’s bagur stable and comes into this one off an upset victory in the G2 Longchamp Sprint.  He’s a hot horse, having also taken the G2 Firey Hooves Sprint three starts back.  Ranked in the top ten among turf sprinters, this is certainly a legitimate horse, and his lifetime top of 114 rates well among his rivals.  His chances may, however, be compromised if the pace is as slow as it looks to be on paper.

8. SEEKIN DESTROY  (super4)   8/1

The super’s second chance is back to try the BB Turf Sprint again this year after running a solid third in last year’s renewal.  A five year-old son of Mineshaft, his 2008 campaign has been consistent but unspectacular, with one victory in an overnight stakes at seven and a half furlongs.  His barn was on the fence about entering him in this marquee event for turf sprinters, admitting that he has not been in top form of late, but decided to take a shot on the sim’s biggest day.  “He is more than capable of running with any horse in this field,” says stable rep whirlwind, and indeed, his back class has to be respected.  He has two G1 wins to his credit, and his lifetime top is 115.  His connections would love to see him go over $3 million in earnings in either this one or the DelPenn Dash, after which he’ll be retired.

9.  VAN HOEVENBERG  (gradetwo)  15/1

The third and final starter from the supers is one of the large contingent of three year-olds in this event who are trying olderhorses for the first time.  This son of Vindication has made just twelve lifetime starts and has just three victories to his credit, one of them the G1 Never Ready Sprint.  His connections were, for a time, unsure if he was a sprinter or a miler, but a poor showing around two turns in the Smackdown made the decision for them.  His lifetime top SR is 111, earned in his last start in which he was a fast-closing third in the G2 Snow Phantom Appreciation in Iowa.  Seemingly a live long-shot at 15/1, as he appears to be as good as he’s ever been and likely has even more room to develop.  “His last should have him tight, and he has been off for a month,” reports whirlwind.  “We’re expecting a big race from him.” 

10.  FAROTTO  (fetti50)  12/1

This three year-old son of Forestry comes from the fetti50 barn out of the Comedy Central residency.  Also trying his elders for the first time today, he also comes off a lifetime top in his most recent start, a 113 earned as runner up in the Snow Phantom (beating Van Hoevenberg by a half-length).  A graded stakes winner at a mile in the G3 Chantily Lace Cap in March, this is another young but consistent and steadily improving sort who represents good betting value at 12/1.

11.  ROAD NOT TAKEN  (focusforce)  13/1

Still another three year-old trying older horses for the first time, this son of Storm Cat has been a pleasant surprise for owner/trainer nextbonus.  “When I bred him,” he recalls, “I envisioned a middle distance dirt runner.  But I’m not complaining.  Nothing wrong with a high-octane turf sprinter.”  Yet to win a graded event, he earned a silver medal in the Equinics two starts back, clocking a lifetime top 111 SR in that effort.  “I gave him seven weeks off after that.  He probably needed that last start,” says nextbonus of his horse’s fifth place finish in the Snow Phantom, “and he should be all set for a big effort this week.  I fully expect him to hold his own.”

12.  DOTH’RAKI  (khalasar)  24/1

This three year-old son of Johannesburg gets a big class test in this one, and stable manager given understands the challenge his homebred is facing.  “He’ll be going up against some highly seasoned and talented opponents, but he has usually stepped up against top competition.”  Upset wins in the G1 Smackdown in July and another in the G1 Digging the Grave Handicap as a two year-old in December support his barn’s confidence.  His last was a very easy, if slow, allowance victory that should set him up for a strong effort on Saturday.  His lifetime top is just 106, and on paper, he doesn’t appear fast enough to take down the top prize, but his barn should never be underestimated.  “I take pride in having my horses well-prepped for big races,” says given, “and I expect a nice performance from him.” 

13. APPROPRIATELY  (pjlstables)  9/1

A son of Pulpit out of a Storm Cat mare, this is perhaps the most accomplished of the three year-olds in the field, with ten wins from sixteen lifetime starts and nearly $1 million in his career bankroll.  He earned a gold medal on Equinics Day with a victory in the G1 Adopt A Greyhound, beating Road Not Taken by a length.  He earned a career-best 114 SR that day, and has gone over 110 in three of his last five starts.  This is a talented colt with useful tactical speed, but this race will be his third start in less than a month, making it an even tougher assignment.

14. CREDIT CASTLE (brentuk)  9/1

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before:  this is a three year-old taking on older horses for the first time in his career.  A son of Castledale, he’s also another coming off a lifetime top in his last, having earned a 114 SR in winning the G2 Snow Phantom over four of today’s rivals.  He was also effective at a mile, running a close second to Farotto in the G3 Chantily Lace in March.  Despite the outside post, a repeat of his last would likely put him in the mix at the wire. 

Best of luck to all on the sim’s biggest day…