Breeders’ Cup Sprint
The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint is the most important sprint event held at the Breeders’ Cup meeting. The race is run on a dirt track over 6 furlongs, and is contested by 3-year-old and above thoroughbred racehorses.
As a dirt track event the Breeders’ Cup Sprint rarely attracts international entries more accustomed to racing on turf, and has therefore been dominated by American thoroughbreds and their trainers during its history. In 2009 the Breeders’ Cup Sprint will award 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.
Year |
Winner |
Time |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 2008 | Midnight Lute | 1:07.08 | G. Gomez | B. Baffert |
| 2007 | Midnight Lute | 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 |
2008 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.
In winning the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Midnight Lute also became the first thoroughbred to achieve two consecutive wins in the race. Midnight Lute’s win also handed jockey Garrett Gomez his third Breeders’ Cup race win.