Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint: Sorrento Sky looking to pay back supplement

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When the 5-year-old gelding Sorrento Sky earned an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint by winning the Grade 2 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar, the work of getting him to Keeneland was just beginning. It took several lucky breaks and tough decisions for trainer Philip D’Amato and the connections to get him to Kentucky.

Though he earned the trip to Keeneland by winning the Green Flash, because he was not nominated for the Breeders’ Cup early in his career, the ownership group had to pay a $200,000 supplemental fee to get him into the field. At the time, Sorrento Sky was owned by Sandra Benowitz of the Benowitz Family Trust, John Rochfort of CYBT, Ian McLean of McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz, Marc Lantzman, and Michael Nentwig.

The decision to pay the fee was made easier in the coming weeks, as Mark Martinez of Agave Racing joined the ownership group after Sorrento Sky earned his second straight stakes victory in the Grade 2 Eddie D. An additional partner, along with $120,000 in purse money, smoothed the path to the Breeders’ Cup, perhaps for several years to come.

“We asked, ‘Do we see ourselves in future Breeders’ Cups to make the money worthwhile?’” D’Amato said. “And we do. He won going five-When the 5-year-old gelding Sorrento Sky earned an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint by winning the Grade 2 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar, the work of getting him to Keeneland was just beginning. It took several lucky breaks and tough decisions for trainer Philip D’Amato and the connections to get him to Kentucky.eighths two back, he’s won going 6 1/2 furlongs. It gives us options down the road, whether we’re back at Belmont next year, hopefully, or Del Mar or Santa Anita in the years after that.”

Sorrento Sky is the only horse in the Turf Sprint field shipping from California. Firmly the leader in his local division, he is 12-1 on the morning line ahead of a test against the likes of Group 1 winners Bacio and Comanche Brave.

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