Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint: Jason Servis trio mix of youth, experience

Trainer Jason Servis is preparing the trio of Rainbow Heir, Vision Perfect, and World of Trouble for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs. Now all they have to do is get into the race, which could be oversubscribed.

Rainbow Heir, 8, has started only twice this year. He won the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint in January, and in his September return to the races finished a fast-closing third in the Turf Monster at Parx Racing.

World of Trouble, 3, is 2 for 2 on turf, but both of those races came against 3-year-olds in ungraded stakes.

Vision Perfect, 6, is the most accomplished of the group this season but oddly could be the least regarded in the Turf Sprint. The gritty pace-presser won the Grade 3 Parx Dash by a nose in July and then finished second by a neck in the Turf Monster.

Rainbow Heir and World of Trouble have taken unusual paths to the 5 1/2-furlong Turf Sprint.

World of Trouble was purchased by owner Michael Dubb after he won his 2-year-old debut by 14 lengths at Gulfstream Park in August 2017. Turned over to Servis, he won the Pasco Stakes by 13 lengths and finished third in the Tampa Bay Derby.

Following a fourth-place finish in the Woody Stephens in June, he was entered in the six-furlong Amsterdam at Saratoga but was scratched when he “came down with a fever,” according to Servis.

“Mr. Dubb pointed out to me there was a turf race for him 11 days later that we could use as a backup, and I thought it was a great idea,” Servis said.

World of Trouble went wire to wire to win the 5 1/2-furlong Quick Call by 1 3/4 lengths.

“I was surprised that he ran that well,” Servis said. “It was very soft turf, and he ran fast.”

World of Trouble came back to win the $100,000 Allied Forces at Belmont Park in September by 5 3/4 lengths over good turf, covering six furlongs in 1:09.71.

“He ran a 103 Beyer in the race at Belmont, and that’s a big number,” Servis said.

Rainbow Heir is well known in the Mid-Atlantic and Florida for his powerful stretch runs. A son of the Florida stallion Wildcat Heir, who was euthanized in 2015, Rainbow Heir is 14 for 32. Like his sire, Rainbow Heir was bred and is owned by the New Farm of Ebby Novak.

“I wanted to take him to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup last year, but in the end we decided against it,” Servis said. “Mr. Novak told me I had to have him in Ocala in February to go to stud, but I wanted to keep running him. Ebby made me a deal and said he would send him back to me after breeding season, and we could see how he did.”

Rainbow Heir bred approximately 40 mares last season. In his return to the races, he came flying from far back in the five-furlong Turf Monster and was beaten three-quarters of a length.

“He’s been great, not studdish or anything,” Servis said. “That late kick of his is something. He could win the Breeders’ Cup if it set up right.”

◗ The $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational on Saturday is expected to include the Christophe Clement-trained duo of Disco Partner and Pure Sensation, who both may run in the BC Turf Sprint. The Grade 2, $200,000 Woodford at Keeneland also is expected to produce Turf Sprint starters.

◗ The 2017 Turf Sprint winner Stormy Liberal ran down his Peter Miller-trained stablemate Conquest Tsunami by a head to win the about 6 1/2-furlong Eddie D Stakes down the hill at Santa Anita last Friday. Both horses earned 105 Beyers and are being pointed to the Turf Sprint.