2021 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint: Extravagant Kid, The Lir Jet give Walsh a strong pair
One is an 8-year-old veteran who has been in the barn for years. One is a 3-year-old who has been in the barn since summer. But in Extravagant Kid and The Lir Jet, both well-traveled runners who have scored major wins at renowned international meetings, trainer Brendan Walsh has a strong duo of prospects for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
Extravagant Kid, who has 52 starts under his belt, had long been knocking on the door of graded stakes success. The gelding, a stakes winner at Gulfstream, Tampa, Saratoga, Colonial, and Churchill, had placed in five graded stakes, beaten less than a length in four of those. He was beaten just more than a length by Glass Slippers when fourth in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.
After stakes placings at Gulfstream and Fair Grounds to start this season, Extravagant Kid broke through in grand fashion, winning the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan. That prompted a summer in Europe, where he was a creditable third in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at the renowned Royal Ascot meeting. Most recently, he faded to 14th in the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket.
Following that effort, Extravagant Kid returned home and was freshened. He returned to the work tab on Sept. 1 in Kentucky and has been on a steady schedule since.
“He’s doing great,” Walsh said recently while attending the Keeneland September yearling sale. “We gave him a bit of downtime”
In contrast to Extravagant Kid, The Lir Jet bloomed early, winning the Group 2 Norfolk at Royal Ascot last year over Golden Pal. Golden Pal went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and is an early favorite for this year’s BC Turf Sprint.
Meanwhile, The Lir Jet opted for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last fall at Keeneland and finished seventh. He went winless in four 2021 outings in Europe, catching heavy turf several times. Trainer Michael Bell suggested to owner Sheikh Fahad Al Thani of Qatar Racing that The Lir Jet might be suited to American racing. He was gelded and sent across the pond to Walsh, and promptly won the Grade 2 Franklin-Simpson on firm turf at Kentucky Downs.
“I hadn’t had him a very long time, but he came to me in very good shape, made my job very easy,” Walsh said.
The Lir Jet could prep for the Breeders’ Cup in the Grade 2 Woodford on Oct. 9 at Keeneland, a race to which Extravagant Kid also is nominated.
Meanwhile, a field of nine turf sprinters lines up in Friday’s Grade 2 Eddie D at Santa Anita. Lieutenant Dan comes in having won both his starts this year, including the Grade 3 Green Flash in August at Breeders’ Cup host track Del Mar. Another strong performance could convince owner Nick Alexander to supplement his homebred to the Breeders’ Cup.
Lieutenant Dan faces Gregorian Chant, who was third in the Green Flash; and Charmaine’s Mia and Snapper Sinclair, both intriguing as they cut back in distance.