Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint
Grade I race
Location United States, United States
Inaugurated 2008
Race type Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website Official Breeders' Cup website
Race information
Distance 6 1⁄2 furlongs (0.81 mi) or
5 furlongs (0.63 mi)
Surface Turf
Track Left-handed
Qualification Three-years-old & up
Weight Weight for Age
Purse US$1,000,000

The Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint is a Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up. As its name implies, it is a part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the de facto year-end championship for North American thoroughbred racing. The distance of the race will vary depending on the host track's turf course requirements.[1]

The race was run for the first time in 2008 during the second day of Breeders' Cup racing at that year's host track, Santa Anita Park.

The 2008 race was held at a distance of six and a half furlongs and was contested on Santa Anita’s signature El Camino Real “downhill” turf course. In 2008 the race was limited to 14 starters. Besides Santa Anita, the only tracks in North America capable of contesting longer than six and 1/2 furlong turf races are Woodbine [2] and Belmont.[3] Churchill Downs, which has hosted the Breeders' Cup eight times, only conducts turf sprints at 5 furlongs.[4] Breeders' Cup Officials did announce a preferred distance for the race, unlike all other Breeders' Cup races.

Because of technical requirements, it was not eligible for classification as a graded stakes race in its first two runnings.[5] Starting in 2010, it was a Grade II race,[6] and was upgraded to Grade I for 2012.[7]

Automatic Berths

Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup developed "The Breeders' Cup Challenge," a series of races in each division that allotted automatic qualifying bids to winners of defined races.
Each of the fourteen divisions has between three and ten of these, "Win and You're In," qualifying races.
In the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Division runners are limited to 14 and there are four automatic berths.
The "Win and You're In" races are:
1. the TJ Smith Stakes, a Group 1 race at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia;[8]
2. the Bing Crosby Stakes, a Grade 1 race at Del Mar Racetrack in San Diego, California;[8]
3. the Nunthorpe Stakes, a Group 1 race at York Racecourse in York, England[8] and
4. the Nearctic Stakes, a Grade 1 race at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[8]

Records

Most wins:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
 Dist.
 Time
 Purse Grade
2014 Bobby's Kitten 3 Joel Rosario Chad Brown Kenneth L & Sarah K Ramsey abt. 6 1⁄2 f 1:12.73 $1,000,000 I
2013 Mizdirection (mare) 5 Mike Smith Mike Puype Jungle Racing/KMN Racing et al. abt. 6 1⁄2 f 1:12.25 $1,000,000 I
2012 Mizdirection (filly) 4 Mike Smith Mike Puype Jungle Racing/KMN Racing et al. abt. 6 1⁄2 f 1:11.39 $1,000,000 I
2011 Regally Ready 4 Corey Nakatani Steve Asmussen Vinery Stable 5 f 0:56.48 $1,000,000 II
2010 Chamberlain Bridge 6 Jamie Theriot Bret Calhoun Carl Moore Management 5 f 0:56.53 $1,000,000 II
2009 California Flag 5 Joe Talamo Brian Koriner Hi Card Ranch abt. 6 1⁄2 f 1:11.28 $1,000,000
2008 Desert Code 4 Richard Migliore David Hofmans Tarabilla Farms abt. 6 1⁄2 f 1:11.60 $1,000,000

See also

References

  1. ↑ Monthly Index to Online Story's | Blood-Horse.com
  2. ↑ Woodbine Track Records
  3. ↑ Belmont Track Records
  4. ↑ Churchill Downs
  5. ↑ Graded Stakes Committee releases 2008 changes - Thoroughbred Times
  6. ↑ LaMarra, Tom (2008-12-03). "Arkansas Derby Among Three New Grade I Stakes". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  7. ↑ Hegarty, Matt (December 2, 2011). "Two BC races, Cotillion among four new Grade 1 stakes for 2012". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Breeders Cup Challenge