The defending champion stayed home. She would have been an outlier in this year\u2019s F and M Sprint, where all the runners are appearing in the Breeders\u2019 Bowl for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Solar System Cadet followed up her BB triumph last fall with an Equinics win in February, but her form tailed off in three subsequent starts. Though she remains the top-ranked older female sprinter in the game, she won\u2019t be on the track Friday in Kentucky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 14 horses that do enter the starting gate come with a variety of credentials. There are five Grade 1 winners in the field, and there are four runners trying Grade 1 company for the first time. There are two 6-year-old mares, and two 3-year-old fillies trying older company for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two of the top contenders are cutting back from eight furlongs in their most recent start \u2013 Ryan\u2019s Gate wired the field in the Good Times Handicap and beat Violent Tap by 1\u00be lengths with a 117 SP that\u2019s the highest number earned this year by any of the runners in Friday\u2019s field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are three confirmed front-runners among Friday\u2019s 14 runners. The speedy trio met earlier this year in Kentucky in the 7 furlong The Humane Distaff. Pi In The Skye got to the front that day with Bang To Rights at her neck on the outside, while Ryan\u2019s Gate couldn\u2019t keep up early. Pi In The Skye led into the stretch before giving way to Joan\u2019s Wish and settled for third, a length ahead of Bang To Rights. Ryan\u2019s Gate finished 11th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pi In The Skye also led in the stretch of the summer\u2019s other 7 furlong G1 for fillies and mares, The Nutcracker in New York. Speight\u2019s Flight prevailed that day, and La Zarrapastrosa closed from the 12th<\/sup> place to finish second. Joan\u2019s Wish finished 11th<\/sup> that day, but was only 3\u00bc lengths behind the winner in a bunched field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the older fillies and mares have been trading blows this year, Invincible Tumbler and Purple Honor have been dominating the 3-year-old sprint division. Invincible Tumbler has a pair of Grade 1 wins at 6 furlongs, but finished a disappointing seventh on a sloppy track in the G3 The Victorious Ride in her final BB prep. She has the credentials but has yet to make the leap to SPs that would compete with older horses. Purple Honor lost to Invincible Tumbler by a nose in The Priceless, then won the G1 The Exam with a 114 SP that would put her in the mix Friday if she can duplicate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The morning line has Violent Tap as 6\/1 co-favorite with Nefretiri. Violent Tap enters the race off three straight in-the-money finishes in G2 races. Nefretiri won G3 and G2 7 furlong races this summer, and prepared for the F and M Sprint with a win in a listed stake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A look at the field:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Joan\u2019s Wish <\/strong>(6m) Distorted Humor x Frosty Mae (Unbridled\u2019s Song)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 10\/1. Owner: gunners4 (masterm)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 5-2-0-1, 2 graded wins including G1 The Humane Distaff at 7 furlongs in Kentucky. Most recently 11th<\/sup> in the G1 Nutcracker. Best fig 113 in Humane Distaff. Seems to do her best running when she sits just off the frontrunners. First foal out of Hall of Fame sprinter Frosty Mae, who won seven G1s including the 2016 BB F and M Sprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Nefretiri <\/strong>(5m) Pioneerof the Nile x Pulpit (scratch bred)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 6\/1. Owner: champions15 (stoners)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 6-4-2-0, comes into the race with four consecutive wins including the G2 Dancer Cap. Friday will be her first start in a G1. Best fig 116 in The Blackhawk Cup. Is 5 for 8 lifetime at 7 furlongs. Closer should be running late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. One Slick Tarton <\/strong>(5m) Poseidon\u2019s Warrior x Xen Job (Zensational)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 9\/1. Owner: hoosier16 (hoosier)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 5-3-0-0, has 2 G2 wins including The Gleaming Invitatonal at 7 furlongs where she ran a 112 SP. Her 3-race win streak ended with a 10th<\/sup>-place finish in The Nutcracker, her first try against G1 company. Does best when closing from off the pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Jabuk Alert <\/strong>(4f) Frankel x Outback Alert (Awesome Again)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 17\/1. Owner: chatham05 (vyz)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 5-2-1-1, won the 7-furlong G2 Lil\u2019 Leprechaun Dash in her most recent start. Best fig 111 in a listed stake at 7.5 furlongs. Another horse making her G1 debut Friday. Will be making her first start in the US. Dam had more success on turf. Has had success sitting close to the pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Minister\u2019s Lady <\/strong>(6m) Speightstown x Deputy Minister (scratch bred)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 8\/1. Owner: ddkstables33 (stockswami)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 4-3-0-0, won the G2 The Boom Boom Handicap with a career-best 115 SP in her most recent start. Another making G1 debut. First graded stakes start came this year in the G3 The Oh Henry, a race she won. Has success closing into hot paces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Ryans Gate<\/strong> (4f) Arrogate x Storm Cat (scratch bred)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 8\/1. Owner: ballgame (rbokie24)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 7-3-1-1, won the G2 Good Times Handicap at a mile in her most recent start with a career-best 117 fig. Has a G2 win at 7 furlongs. Has been in front at the second call in 8 of last 10 starts. Lone G1 start was 11th<\/sup> in The Humane Distaff, when she was unable to make the lead. Didn\u2019t begin her career until August of 3-year-old season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Pi in the Sky <\/strong>(5m) Pioneerof The Nile x Wild Again (scratch bred)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 9\/1. Owner: milkbar (kingdamo)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 5-1-0-1, four G1 starts including a win in The Princess Looney at 6 furlongs. Best fig 111 in The Humane Distaff. Has been in front at the second call in 9 of her last 10 starts \u2013 all 10 were stakes races, and the most recent eight were graded races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. Invincible Tumbler <\/strong>(3f) Invincible Spirit x Tumblestone (Stormy Atlantic)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 49\/1. Owner: givencovid (given)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 5-3-1-0, two G1 wins (Equinics and The Priceless). Best fig 104 in The Priceless. Began her career with five turf races. Has won 5 of her 7 dirt starts. Only try at 7 furlongs was a second in G2 Manhattan District Stakes. Usually sits a couple lengths off the pace. Trying older horses for the first time Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. La Tia Marisella <\/strong>(4f) Uncle Mo x La Vieja Marisol (Scat Daddy)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 11\/1. Owner: derbyhaack (haack)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 6-2-1-1, lone graded win came in G3 Go For It Handicap at 6.5 furlongs. Best fig 111 in The Oh Henry. Another making first G1 start. At her best when she sits midpack early and runs on late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10. Bang to Rights <\/strong>(4f) No Nay Never x Smart Strike (scratch bred)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 9\/1. Owner: mogul (planoaxius)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 6-1-2-0, lone win this year in the listed La Swift Dirt Mare Sprint. Best fig 114 in The Boom Boom Handicap in her most recent start, where she had a clear lead in the stretch but got run down. Has been in front at the second call in 8 of last 10 starts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 11. Speight\u2019s Fight <\/strong>(4f) Speightstown x Battle of Brooklyn (Tiznow)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 11\/1. Owner: ianwhipkey12 (ianwhipkey)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 8-4-1-0, most recent finish sixth against males in the G1 The Old Name on a sloppy track. Won the G1 The Nutcracker in August. Best fig 112 winning The Unthinkable Stakes. Has been within three lengths of the lead at the top of the stretch in her wins this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 12. La Zarrapastrosa<\/strong> (5m) No Nay Never x Haack\u2019s Chic (Ghostzapper)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 8\/1. Owner: eldehaack (haack)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 5-1-1-1, ran second in The Nutcracker most recently. The more accomplished of Haack\u2019s two entries won the G2 The Davey Jones Handicap with a season-best 114 fig. Has been last or next to last at the second call in 7 of her last 9 races, never lost any of those races by more than 4 lengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 13. Purple Honor <\/strong>(3f) Honor Code x Awesome Princess (Awesome Again)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 21\/1. Owner: tatty4 (coolk)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2022: 7-3-2-1, coming back on short rest after running fourth in the G2 The Quote The Raven three weeks ago. Won the G1 Exam Stakes with a career-high 114 SP in her previous Start. Was 4 for 4 as a 2-year-old, and 10 of her 11 starts have been at 7 furlongs. Will be her first start vs. older horses. Usually runs midpack early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 14. Violent Tap <\/strong>(5m) Violence x Tapped Out Account (Tapit)<\/p>\n\n\n\n ML: 6\/1. Owner: gowansclaim2 (gowans) 2022: 6-3-2-1, ran second with a career-high 115 fig in the G2 Good Times Handicap in her most recent start. Lone graded win came three starts back in the G2 Delta Tau Chi Sprint. Lone G1 start came last year at 8.5 furlongs. Another runner who typically closes from well off the pace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The defending champion stayed home. She would have been an outlier in this year\u2019s F and M Sprint, where all<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1040,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1040"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=60139"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60139\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60144,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60139\/revisions\/60144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=60139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=60139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=60139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}