Lone Star: Canigotoo eyes Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint after debut romp

The new $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint to be run Nov. 4 has an early favorite in Canigotoo. He popped a Beyer Speed Figure of 96 last Thursday at Lone Star Park, when he won his career debut by 12 1/4 lengths. The number is the highest earned by a 2-year-old so far in 2011.

Bret Calhoun, who trains Canigotoo, said the horse’s owners, Jerry Durant and Bill Jordan, are expected to make Canigotoo eligible for the Breeders’ Cup. The deadline for a one-time open-enrollment program on offer this year is June 30. Durant and Jordan would need to pay a fee of $6,000.

“I think that’s their intention,” Calhoun said Tuesday.

Canigotoo showed exceptional speed in his debut, when he was up by 1 1/2 lengths after an opening quarter and proceeded to cover five furlongs in 58 seconds. He is a Texas-bred gelding by the Danzig stallion Menhal, while his dam, Bella Selene, is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Captain Bodgit. Calhoun was starting to look at the next-race options for Canigotoo on Tuesday.

“I’m not sure what’s on his agenda yet,” he said. “Off a big number like that, I’m going to give him a little time between races and possibly run in a stakes at Prairie Meadows in the middle of July. It’s the first race that comes along at that timeframe.”

The $75,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile is July 16. Calhoun said another option is the $50,000 Sunny’s Halo at Louisiana Downs on Aug. 6.

Canigotoo was one of seven consecutive winners Calhoun had last week at Lone Star. He started eight horses in the seven races, with two of his runners going in a maiden special weight Sunday. Prior to that, Calhoun had training doubles last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

“Those kinds of weeks don’t come around that often,” he said.

Back in 1999, trainer Chris Candies won six consecutive races at Lone Star. Calhoun, who is the sixth leading trainer in wins in North America, tops the current standings at Lone Star.

Shocktime probable for Debutante

Shocktime, who owns the year’s best Beyer for a 2-year-old filly, shipped out of Lone Star on Monday night for Churchill Downs and a possible start in the Grade 3, $100,000 Debutante.

“There’s a pretty good chance she’ll run in the Debutante on Saturday,” Calhoun said.

Shocktime won the $92,000 fillies division of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity on June 11, with a Beyer of 83.

Worthington, another 2-year-old who earned a Beyer of 83 for a recent win at Lone Star, is being pointed to the $50,000 Minstrel at Louisiana Downs on Saturday, Calhoun said.

◗ If Ever, a 3-year-old half-brother to multiple Grade 2 winner Wasted Tears, will make his career debut in Thursday night’s first race at Lone Star. Another half-sibling, Que Deseo, returns from a layoff in the second. All three horses are trained by Bart Evans.