Breeders' Cup Sprint: Limousine Liberal at his best venue

Trainer Ben Colebrook will be the first to admit Imperial Hint is the horse to beat, and by “a pretty wide margin,” in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. But there are five reasons why Colebrook will have plenty of confidence when he sends Limousine Liberal out against the favorite Nov. 3 – the five straight stakes, three of them graded, his horse has won at Churchill Downs, the site of the 2018 Breeders’ Cup.

Limousine Liberal is one of two horses Colebrook likely will enter and run in the Sprint, along with Mr. Crow, who was easily second-best behind a cruising Imperial Hint in the Grade 1 Vosburgh on Sept. 29 at Belmont Park. Colebrook said he will cross-enter Limousine Liberal in the Dirt Mile as well but at this point is definitely leaning toward starting him in the Sprint.

Limousine Liberal, a 6-year-old son of Successful Appeal owned by his breeder, Katherine Ball, is coming off a frustrating third-place finish when beaten less than a length by Promises Fulfilled, despite a bit of an eventful trip in the Grade 2 Phoenix earlier this month at Keeneland.

“I don’t know what it is about this place, he just never seems to have any luck here,” said Colebrook, who is stabled year-round at Keeneland. “I think he runs just as well there as he does at Churchill, but nothing seems to go his way.”

Indeed, while Limousine Liberal has won five straight stakes at Churchill Downs, he has hit the board in five consecutive graded stakes without a win to show for those efforts over his home track. He also bobbled leaving the starting gate, losing all chance, in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland.

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“I think the long stretch at Churchill Downs really helps him. He just keeps coming and coming on that track,” Colebrook said. “He even seems to show more speed, lays a lot closer to the pace, in his races when he’s running over there. Maybe it’s the big environment; it seems to have him a little more on his toes. I definitely believe he fits in this race, and my confidence level going into the Breeders’ Cup is high since nobody else in the field can say they’ve won five straight stakes over this racetrack.”

Colebrook said he also will run Mr. Crow as long as he can get into the Sprint.

“He probably hasn’t run what you’d call a bad race all year,” Colebrook said. “He’s pretty consistent and always shows up, although he did have some bad luck in a couple of his races, like the Tale of the Cat, when he certainly didn’t get the best of trips. He ran some fast numbers back when he was with Todd [Pletcher], and if he can come back to a race like that, I think he can get a part of it.”

Colebrook said Limousine Liberal would have his final work for the Sprint on Saturday, while Mr. Crow would have just one more breeze before the race as well, likely sometime during the middle of next week. Colebrook added that he’ll have regular rider Jose Ortiz available for Limousine Liberal if he goes in the Sprint, while he’s undecided as to who’ll be aboard Mr. Crow, with Luis Saez, who rode him in the Vosburgh, committed to Promises Fulfilled should he opt for the Sprint over the Dirt Mile.

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