Breeders’ Cup Sprint
The Breeders’ Cup Sprint is a Grade 1 sprint race run on a dirt track over 6 furlongs, for three-year-old and up thoroughbreds.
The 2008 Breeders’ Cup Sprint is sponsored by TVG Network and has a purse of $2 million.
Breeders’ Cup Sprint Winners
In 2000, Kona Gold set the fastest time for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, at 1:07:60, and subsequently won the Eclipse Award title of Champion Sprinter.
The Breeders’ Cup Sprint has yet to see a repeat win by a horse. What it has seen, though, is repeat wins by jockeys. Rider Corey Nakatani won the race in three consecutive years between 1996 and 1998, and again in 2006. Both Eddie Delahoussaye and Jerry Bailey can claim two consecutive wins.
Year |
Winner |
Time |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 2007 | Midnight Blue | 1:09.18 | G. Gomez | B. Baffert |
| 2006 | Thor’s Echo | 1:08.80 | C. Nakatani | Doug O’Neill |
| 2005 | Siver Train | 1:08.86 | E. Prado | R. Dutrow Jr |
| 2004 | Speightstown | 1:08.11 | J. Velasquez | T. Plecther |
| 2003 | Cajun Beat | 1:07:95 | Cornelio Velasquez | Stephen Margolis |
| 2002 | Orientate | 1:08:89 | Jerry Bailey | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 2001 | Squirtle Squirt | 1:08:41 | Jerry Bailey | Bobby Frankel |
| 2000 | Kona Gold | 1:07:60 | Alex Solis | Bruce Headley |
| 1999 | Artax | 1:07:80 | Jorge Chavez | Louis Albertrani |
| 1998 | Reraise | 1:09:00 | Corey Nakatani | Craig Dollase |
| 1997 | Elmhurst | 1:08:20 | Corey Nakatani | Jenine Sahadi |
| 1996 | Lit de Justice | 1:08:60 | Corey Nakatani | Jenine Sahadi |
| 1995 | Desert Stormer | 1:09:00 | Kent Desormeaux | Frank Lyons |
| 1994 | Cherokee Run | 1:09:40 | Mike Smith | Frank Alexander |
| 1993 | Cardmania | 1:08:60 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Derek Meredith |
| 1992 | Thirty Slews | 1:08:20 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Bob Baffert |
| 1991 | Sheikh Albadou | 1:09:20 | Pat Eddery | Alexander Scott |
| 1990 | Safely Kept | 1:09:60 | Craig Perret | Alan Goldberg |
| 1989 | Dancing Spree | 1:09:00 | Angel Cordero Jr. | Shug McGaughey |
| 1988 | Gulch | 1:10:40 | Angel Cordero Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 1987 | Very Subtle | 1:08:80 | Pat Valenzuela | Melvin Stute |
| 1986 | Smile | 1:08:40 | Jacinto Vasquez | Scotty Schulhofer |
| 1985 | Precisionist | 1:08:40 | Chris McCarron | L.R. Fenstermaker |
| 1984 | Eillo | 1:10:20 | Craig Perret | Budd Lepman |
2007 Breeders’ Cup Sprint
In 2007, Midnight Lute became the first favourite to win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint since Orientate in 2002. Trained by Bob Baffert, Midnight Lute won the sprint by a convincing 4¾ lengths, after having also won Saratoga’s Grade 1 Forego Handicap going seven furlongs at the start of September.
About Midnight Lute, Baffert said “He’s the best one I’ve ever led over to the Breeders’ Cup and now I put him in the top five of all the horses I’ve trained.”
For jockey Garrett Gomez, Midnight Lute’s win topped three other Breeder Cup successes, including a win aboard Baffert-trained Indian Blessing in the Juvenile Fillies.
Second position in the race was taken by Idiot Proof, who lugged in slightly to the rail while overtaking Talent Search. A claim of a foul by Talent Search’s jockey was disallowed, and Talent Search had to settle for third place.
Fourth position was taken by Benny the Bull, who came in 1¾ lengths back.
Who do you think will win the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Sprint?
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