Breeders' Cup Turf: If he shakes loose, Cabo Spirit could play spoiler

When Auguste Rodin won the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita last November as the 5-2 favorite, many trifecta bettors were foiled by the Japanese shipper Shahryar who was third at 25-1.

Back in 2019, the even-money favorite Bricks and Mortar was fully extended to win the BC Turf by a head over 51-1 United.

In this year’s $5 million BC Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 2, the outsider Cabo Spirit may play the role of spoiler in some way. That is the hope of owner Rustin Kretz and California-based trainer George Papaprodromou, who watched Cabo Spirit win the most prestigious race of his career in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Sept. 28.

:: BREEDERS’ CUP TURF: See DRF’s special section with top contenders, odds, comments, news, and more

The $450,000 winner’s share of the $750,000 John Henry will finance the $125,000 pre-entry and entry fees required to start in the nation’s richest grass race.

The John Henry was Cabo Spirit’s fourth stakes win, and first in 23 months.

A 5-year-old gelding, Cabo Spirit needed a win in the John Henry to even be considered for the BC Turf against a tough national and international field.

“This is what we are here for, the big races,” Papaprodromou said on Wednesday.

More than likely, Cabo Spirit will set the pace in the BC Turf, the gelding’s first start at 1 1/2 miles in his 28th race. In the John Henry, Cabo Spirit set a slow pace, including six furlongs in 1:15.13, and won by a length over There Goes Harvard, another hopeful for the BC Turf.

“He won nicely the other day going wire to wire,” he said. “He likes to be out in front and hopefully we can get an easy lead. That’s what he wants.

“If there’s somebody faster than us, we can sit off and go from there.”

Among the prospective runners, the British import Jayarebe tends to run near the front, a style that led to narrow win in the Group 2 Prix Dollar at 1 1/4 miles at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris on Oct. 5.

Other contenders such as Rebel’s Romance, who won the 2022 BC Turf at Keeneland, and Far Bridge, winner of Grade 1 turf marathons at Saratoga and Aqueduct in his last two starts, run from off the pace.

Cabo Spirit was highly regarded as a 2-year-old in 2021 by Kretz, when bought for $575,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ sale of 2-year-olds in-training that April through agent Gayle Van Leer.

“Me and Rustin really liked the horse,” Papaprodromou said. “We went for it. We got him.”

Last year, Papaprodromou’s Balladeer won the John Henry and finished ninth of 11 in the BC Turf after setting the pace.

Papaprodromou is ready to try again with Cabo Spirit, at a time when his stable is in outstanding form. Since Sept. 20, Papaprodromou has won 12 races from 31 runners. Through Monday, he led all trainers at the current Santa Anita autumn meeting with 11 winners, one more than Phil D’Amato.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.