Breeders' Cup makes Koriner, Its Gonna Hurt an offer they can't refuse

ARCADIA, Calif. – Last Sunday, a day after Its Gonna Hurt won the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-old turf sprinters at Santa Anita, trainer Brian Koriner received a friendly email from Breeders’ Cup officials.

The message reminded Koriner that Its Gonna Hurt had earned a fees-paid berth to the $1 million BC Juvenile Turf Sprint on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.

“We’ll go,” Koriner said. “It’s stupid not to go. You’re being treated like a VIP. How do you not show up for a minute?”

Actually, the 5 1/2-furlong Juvenile Turf Sprint may take closer to a minute and five seconds to run.

Its Gonna Hurt led throughout the Speakeasy Stakes, his stakes debut. The colt is quick and will probably be part of the pace in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Owned by Janet Lyons and Andrew, Evan, and Matthew Trommer, Its Gonna Hurt has won 2 of 3 starts and earned $81,945. By Violence, Its Gonna Hurt was purchased for $80,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s 2-year-olds in training sale in April.

In his first two starts, Its Gonna Hurt was seventh in a $150,000 claimer for maidens on July 21 at Del Mar and won an $80,000 claimer for maidens at five furlongs on Aug. 4. The Speakeasy was his turf debut.

Its Gonna Hurt will be Koriner’s first starter in a Breeders’ Cup race since California Flag made his fifth appearance in the Turf Sprint in 2012, finishing 13th. California Flag won the 2009 Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.