Breeders' Cup Sprint: Fast Bullet's workout gets Lukas's attention

As if there wasn’t enough speed already signed on for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint, look out, because more may be on the way.

Owner Ahmed Zayat said earlier this week that Fast Bullet, who finished sixth after prompting the pace in last year’s Sprint, is a good bet to try again after working five furlongs in 1:01.50 Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs. He would join a field that will include front-runners Sum of the Parts and Private Zone, Gentlemen’s Bet, and possibly both Distinctiv Passion and defending champion Trinniberg.

“Coach called me right after the work very excited,” said Zayat, referring to trainer D. Wayne Lukas. “He told me he had great news, that Fast Bullet had worked absolutely awesome, that he was very happy, and felt he had him going in the right direction at the moment.”

Zayat also will be represented by Justin Phillip in the Sprint.

[BREEDERS’ CUP 2013: See DRF’s top contenders]

Fast Bullet was transferred suddenly from trainer Bob Baffert to Lukas 10 days before the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga. The Forego was Fast Bullet’s first start since his impressive victory over Justin Phillip in Belmont Park’s Grade 2 True North Handicap nearly three months earlier. Fast Bullet, who earned a career-best 110 Beyer Speed Figure in the True North, contested the pace for a half-mile in the seven-furlong Forego before fading badly to finish a well-beaten seventh behind longshot winner Strapping Groom.

The rider for Fast Bullet, if he runs in the Breeders’ Cup, remains uncertain. Luis Saez was aboard him for the Forego but will ride Bahamian Squall in the Sprint. Joel Rosario guided Fast Bullet to his victory in the True North, but at the moment has made no commitments for the Sprint, according to his agent, Ron Anderson.

“Look, if Fast Bullet is right, he’s the fastest horse in America, nobody’s touching him,” Zayat said. “We’ll just have to see how things go.”

Zayat said Fast Bullet is scheduled to ship to Santa Anita from Churchill Downs, with Lukas’s other Breeders’ Cup hopefuls Strong Mandate and Will Take Charge, on Oct. 22 and would have one work over the track prior to the Sprint.

One horse who will not compete in the Sprint is Goldencents. Trainer Doug O’Neill confirmed that Goldencents, who has finished second behind Points Offthebench in both the Grade 1 Bing Crosby and Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship last Saturday, would run in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

“After discussing it with Goldencents’s connections, we decided to run him in the Dirt Mile,” O’Neill said. “It just seems a mile suits him a little better than six furlongs.”

O’Neill will be represented in the Sprint by Private Zone, gate-to-wire winner of the Grade 1 Vosburgh in his most recent start.

“I know there is going to be a lot of early speed in the Sprint, but Private Zone couldn’t be doing better and is capable of relaxing and sitting off the lead if he has to,” O’Neill said.