Breeders' Cup Sprint: Key contenders
MASOCHISTIC, by Sought After
Last 3 Beyers: 110-107-50
• The defection of Lord Nelson makes him the favorite and the horse to beat, although he may have to deal early with severe pace pressure from both Drefong and Delta Bluesman.
• He’s a different horse than the one who finished last in the 2015 Sprint at Keeneland, having learned to rate and relax while also maturing physically after being given an extended vacation by trainer Ron Ellis.
• He got props from jockey Mike Smith, who is also the regular rider of Drefong. After much soul-searching, Smith decided this week to keep his seat aboard Masochistic.
A. P. INDIAN, by Indian Charlie
Last 3 Beyers: 104-107-107
• He’s clearly the top sprinter on the East Coast coming into the Breeders’ Cup with six wins from as many starts this year, including Grade 1 victories in Saratoga’s two most prestigious sprint races, the Vanderbilt and Forego.
• He proved he could win even in the face of adversity, overcoming trouble to grind out a well-deserved, narrow decision over Limousine Liberal in the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland.
• He’s been a handful for his exercise rider since arriving at Santa Anita, but trainer Arnaud Delacour takes that as a positive sign while having every confidence he can rate off the speed under regular rider Joe Bravo on Saturday.
DREFONG, by Gio Ponti
Last 3 Beyers: 103-103-97
• Has not started since his easy, wire-to-wire win in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop while making his stakes debut more than three months earlier at Saratoga.
• Up to this point he seems to be a one-dimensional horse, a fact confirmed by Baffert, who said the speedster “knows only one way,” which indicates he’ll be sent early from his inside post by Martin Garcia, who guided Drefong to his maiden win at 2.
• Baffert said there’s no telling how good this horse might be. “He worked and stayed right with Arrogate before they both went to Saratoga and won, and like Arrogate, it’s hard to tell how good he really is until you really set him down against really good horses.”
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