Bear River ($36.84) edges Coppola in Turf Sprint Preview

On paper, five serious speed horses populated the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Preview on Sunday at Ellis Park. Go Captain was scratched. Joe Sheisty stumbled and got knocked around at the start, never coming close to the lead. Nobals stumbled slightly and stalked the leaders. And so it was that Bear River, pressing the pace, wore down pacesetting Coppola to win the $250,000 contest by a neck.

Nobals made up some late ground for third before galloping out in front, a decent showing though not up to his Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint-winning form from two falls ago. Arzak, once a top turf sprinter, showed further evidence of his decline, checking in fifth.

Trainer Keith Desormeaux also had Bear River entered in an Ellis turf-sprint allowance race next week, but kept his 17-1 shot in the Turf Sprint Preview and was handsomely rewarded. James Graham rode Bear River for owner Charles Marquis.

:: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now.

Coppola, breaking a touch flat-footed from the rail, rushed up to grab the lead, setting splits of 21.38 and 43.66 over a firm, fast-playing grass course. Bear River, who had the far outside post, tracked him from the start, inching closer at the furlong grounds and eventually pushing past.

Bear River ($36.84) completed the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:00.68.

Bear River won a 3-year-old stakes race last summer at Ellis that was carded for turf but rained onto dirt. In December, he captured the Richie Scherer Memorial, a sprint over the Fair Grounds grass course. Sunday’s marked his sixth victory from 21 starts.

Bear River is by Flameaway out of Sixtyfivenorth, by Midshipman. He was just sixth in the Franklin-Simpson last season at Kentucky Downs, but it’ll be hard for connections not to take a swing at $2 million in the Turf Sprint there on Aug. 30.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.