Breeders' Cup: For Iron Man Cal, decision on Dirt Mile or Sprint may be last-minute

ARCADIA, Calif. - A decision on a Breeders’ Cup race for Iron Man Cal at Keeneland on Oct. 31 may not be made until the last moment, when entries are taken on Oct. 26.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Sunday that Iron Man Cal will be pre-entered in the $1 million BC Dirt Mile and $2 million BC Sprint at six furlongs.

“We’re really on the fence,” D’Amato said. “We’re trying to figure it out. We’ll pre-enter him in each.

“We’re 51-49 in favor of the Dirt Mile.”

Owned by the Little Red Feather Racing partnership and Madaket Stable, Iron Man Cal has won 4 of 11 starts and earned $543,125. He earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Dirt Mile with a half-length win from the front in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 29, his most recent start.

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Essentially, a race decision may be made for D’Amato and the ownership group. Iron Man Cal is guaranteed a berth in the Dirt Mile. The Sprint, however, could draw more than 14 pre-entries, leaving the possibility that Iron Man Cal may not be assured a berth in that field.

While a start for Iron Man Cal in the Dirt Mile is free, a start in the Sprint would cost $30,000. Iron Man Cal earned $30,000 in credit for a pre-entry and entry fee with his win in the Pat O’Brien. If the Sprint is chosen, those dollars would be applied to the pre-entry and entry fees of $60,000 required to run in the Sprint.

“Money is not the issue,” D’Amato said. “We want the right spot.”

Iron Man Cal has had four workouts since the Pat O’Brien, the most recent of which was five furlongs in 1:00.80 at Santa Anita on Thursday.

Iron Man Cal has had only two starts on dirt. Aside from the Pat O’Brien, he was third by three lengths in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on dirt at Del Mar in July.

Earlier this year, Iron Man Cal won an allowance race at a mile on turf at Del Mar.

Iron Man Cal is one of five runners trained by D’Amato bound for the Breeders’ Cup. The group includes Sorrento Sky (BC Tuf Sprint), Gold Phoenix (Turf), Thought Process (Filly and Mare Turf) and Majestic Oops (Distaff).

D’Amato was unsure on Sunday morning when the group would have their last workouts in advance of a scheduled flight to Kentucky on Saturday. There is a chance of rain in California on Wednesday and Thursday.

“It’s a wait-and-see scenario given the weather,” D’Amato said.

Other trainers are taking a different approach.

Cabo Spirit, who is bound for the BC Mile on turf on Oct. 31 after a win in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita on Sept. 26, worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds on Sunday, his last scheduled work.

“We’re ready,” trainer George Papaprodromou said. “We’re flying on Saturday. He’s good enough and he’s flying and all that stuff. We’ll keep him fresh.”

Mike Smith worked Cabo Spirit and has the mount in the BC Mile.

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