Arrest Me Red favored in Turf Sprint for Ward
Wesley Ward already has the apparent horse to beat in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint with Golden Pal, but the highly decorated trainer sure wouldn’t mind having another top contender for that Nov. 5 race at Keeneland.
“I don’t guess you can ever have too many chances,” Ward said.
Arrest Me Red, an up-and-coming 4-year-old with big Beyer Speed Figures, will be looking to enhance his Breeders’ Cup stature Saturday at Kentucky Downs when going postward as the solid favorite in the $1 million Turf Sprint, a Win and You’re In toward the BC Turf Sprint.
Irad Ortiz Jr., fresh off another riding title at Saratoga and a combined nine wins over the final two days of the Colonial Downs meet, will be aboard Arrest Me Red when the speedy colt breaks from post 12 in an oversubscribed field of older horses in the six-furlong Turf Sprint. That would be the far outside post, assuming none of the three also-eligibles crack the lineup.
“The post is a good one,” Ward said. “Irad should have more options to do what he needs from out there.”
Arrest Me Red, bred and owned by the Lael Stables of Barbaro fame, has become a major player on the national turf-sprint scene since winning three straight stakes in the division in New York last summer and fall. His three starts this year, all as the betting favorite, have resulted in a third in the Silks Run at Gulfstream Park, a win in the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs (with a 100 Beyer), and a second in the Grade 1 Jaipur at Belmont Park (102 Beyer).
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“I’ve got him cranked up pretty good right now, so hopefully he’ll run another big number Saturday,” Ward said.
All set to give Arrest Me Red a run for his money are Arzak (post 5, Kazushi Kimura), a handy Maryland-based colt who was beaten less than a length by Golden Pal when most recently fourth in the Grade 3 Troy at Saratoga; Chewing Gum (post 2, Joel Rosario), a late-running earner of nearly $600,000; Totally Boss (post 10, Florent Geroux), who won this race three years ago and still has a potent stretch kick; and next-gate neighbors Gregorian Chant (post 7, Jose Ortiz) and Bran (post 8, Vince Cheminaud), who have emerged as perhaps the top turf sprinters on the West Coast.
Besides Arrest Me Red, who figures on or close to the lead throughout, there’s plenty of speed in this race, starting with the rail horse, Johnny Unleashed, whose trainer, Eric Foster, notched the richest victory of his career Monday when Kitodan upset the $750,000 Dueling Grounds Derby at 20-1. Bran, trained by John Sadler, is another likely pace factor, along with longshot Charcoal.
This is the 24th running of the Turf Sprint. It will be part of the CNBC broadcast when going as the ninth of 12 Saturday races, with post time set for 4:10 p.m. Central.