Belvoir Bay wires field to give Miller third straight win in BC Turf Sprint

ARCADIA, Calif. – Belvoir Bay, a mare who was lost in Southern California after the terrible fire that descended upon the San Luis Rey Downs training center two years ago, found her way to the winner’s circle Saturday at Santa Anita after going wire to wire in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Belvoir Bay broke like a rocket from post 12 under Javier Castellano, crossed over to make the lead while setting fractions of 21.47 seconds and a blistering 43.43, and stopped the timer in 54.83 for five furlongs on a firm grass course. The clocking bested the course record of 55.07 Eddie Haskell put up this past February.

Peter Miller not only trains Belvoir Bay, he also saddled Om, who raced forwardly and battled hard to run second, 1 1/4 lengths behind Belvoir Bay and a nose in front of Shekky Shebaz. Stubbins finished fastest near the inside and between horses to nip tepid 7-2 favorite Pure Sensation for fourth. Pure Sensation broke a step slow from an inside draw and was in trouble from the start. Then came Imprimis, Leinster, Stormy Liberal, Final Frontier, Totally Boss, Edie Haskell, and Legends of War.

Miller, who excels with grass-sprinters, also ran one-two in the 2017 Turf Sprint with Stormy Liberal and Richard’s Kid. He sent Reneesgotzip to second- and third-place Turf Sprint finishes in 2012 and 2013, and for good measure has won the BC Sprint twice with Roy H.

“To run one-two again in this race after doing it two years ago is phenomenal,” said Miller.

Owned by Gary Barber, Belvoir Bay is a 6-year-old English-bred mare by Equiano out of Path of Peace, by Rock of Gibraltar. She was one of several horses initially unaccounted for following the terrible Lilac Fire that consumed a portion of San Luis Rey Downs.

“It was harrowing; we couldn’t find her,” Miller said. “She was injured and had some burns and needed to be at the clinic for three weeks.”

Miller, in fact, did all Belvoir Bay’s prep work for the Turf Sprint at San Luis Rey. He said he followed the same training chart he’d used bringing Stormy Liberal into the BC Sprint off a long break, and Miller had Belvoir Bay trained to the minute for her first start since finishing a good fourth June 8 in the Grade 1 Jaipur at Belmont Park. Belvoir Bay’s best race this year was her second-place finish in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Racecourse behind Blue Point, who ranked as one of the world’s best turf sprinters before his retirement over the summer.

“She’s just a tough filly – she is so tough. I said to everyone all week 'If you run second to Blue Point, he’d be even-money in this race, and she’s getting zero respect,'” Miller said. “Mr. Barber had confidence and bet with both hands.”

Belvoir Bay dropped from 17-1 to 13-1 a few minutes before post and wound up paying $31.20. The $1 exacta with 15-1 Om second was a light $133.70.

There was other pace in the Turf Sprint, of course, but Belvoir Bay got over to the lead with surprising ease from her outside draw.

“I think that’s the key to win the race with that post and the short distance – you have to have a good break, and I got fortunate she broke so well,” Castellano said. “I don’t take away anything that comes easy for my horse. She was rolling the first part, and I just enjoyed it. You can see turning for home her ears are going back and forth. I knew we went fast, but I did it so easy and just to travel so good. I just enjoyed the ride, basically.”

Belvoir Bay had come through fire to win this Breeder’s Cup Turf Sprint. Miller went dashing onto the track to pat his mare and slap Castellano’s hand as his horse returned to be draped with Breeders’ Cup flowers.

“Part of the emotion is because it’s her. She’s just special,” Miller said.