Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint: Arzak makes his case with Woodford win
?q=100)
Key developments are taking place at Keeneland as the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint picture comes into focus. Two major candidates emerged from a prep race on opening weekend of the front-loaded fall meet, while the reigning Turf Sprint winner and another Breeders’ Cup heroine are preparing for a matchup this coming weekend.
Arzak debuts on Daily Racing Form’s list of Turf Sprint contenders this week after rolling to a two-length victory in the Grade 2 Woodford Stakes last Saturday, earning a 101 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He had a couple really good races early last year in Canada, but this was a career best probably,” trainer Mike Trombetta said.
Arzak won the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier in May 2022 on Woodbine’s synthetic track, then was second on the turf there to Bound for Nowhere in the Grade 2 Highlander. But he was off the board in his next five starts at the graded stakes level.
“He did a lot of traveling, and I don’t know if he was getting a little tired at the end of the season or not,” Trombetta said. “His last race of the season, that was his race to lose and he didn’t show up. When we brought him back, it took him a few races to really find his rhythm. He’s found himself again and then some.”
Meanwhile, Live In The Dream, winner of the Group 1 Nunthorpe over European stars Highfield Princess and Bradsell, introduced himself to American racing in the Woodford. He set a blistering pace of 20.97 seconds and 43.67 and brought a clear lead into the stretch. Running into a headwind, he finished fourth, beaten a total of 3 1/4 lengths by Arzak.
“When we get to Santa Anita, that’s gonna be hard to catch,” trainer Adam West said.
Off his performance, Live In The Dream had his odds lowered to the 4-1 third choice on the line of DRF’s Brad Free for the Turf Sprint, from 15-1 last week.
“He got a good blow, and we are very pleased with his race,” West said. “He got a little pressure early, and that horse [Foxtrotanna] finished last. He had to go from the inside [post 2], and I’d feel better if he gets the 10, 11, or 12 at Santa Anita.”
Another key prep toward the Breeders’ Cup will take place this Sunday at Keeneland, with Caravel heading the field for the Grade 3 Franklin County. The mare won last year’s edition, kicking off a five-race win streak that included Grade 1 wins over males in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and Jaipur. The streak came to an end when Caravel was a one-paced fourth in the Grade 3 Troy at Saratoga, a result trainer Brad Cox immediately wrote off due to the soft turf.
Among those facing Caravel is 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Twilight Gleaming. If she moves forward in this race, she could be dangerous at Santa Anita, as she has won 2 of 3 outings shipping to California. Her only loss there came last out, when she was boxed in on the turn and badly impeded at the eighth pole while finishing sixth in the Daisycutter in July at Del Mar.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.