Cogburn sprints away in the stretch to take Twin Spires Turf Sprint

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Cogburn served notice he would be a force in the turf sprint division last summer at Saratoga when, on yielding ground, he defeated some divisional heavyweights. Again getting ground he relished on Saturday, Cogburn delivered another standout performance, cruising by 2 1/4 lengths in the Grade 2, $600,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs.

After rain throughout the day on Friday and into Saturday night, the Churchill turf course was officially rated "good" for the early part of Saturday's card.

Cogburn ($18.78), who Steve Asmussen trains for Clark Brewster and Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, was a solid performer on dirt earlier in his career, including a second in the Grade 3 Chick Lang Stakes in 2022. Last year, the now-5-year-old began to re-invent himself as a later-running turf sprinter. He won a pair of stakes at Lone Star Park before stepping into the big leagues in style, running down Nobals - the eventual Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner - by three-quarters of a length to win the Grade 3 Troy Stakes at Saratoga. Caravel, the 2022 Turf Sprint winner, was fourth on the yielding ground.

“Obviously, his turf races are beyond excellent and we’re very fortunate to have him,” Asmussen said.

Cogburn finished fifth in the Grade 2 Turf Sprint in September at Kentucky Downs to end his season, but was beaten only about a quarter of a length in a seven-horse blanket finish. His connections did not press on to the Breeders' Cup, and Cogburn showed his readiness to return to action this weekend - facing another Breeders' Cup winner, 2022 Juvenile Turf Sprint victor Mischief Magic, who was the Twin Spires favorite.

Cogburn, under Irad Ortiz, Jr., showed a different dimension by breaking sharply toward the outside of the full 14-horse field, and sparring with Coppola and Mo Stash through an opening quarter-mile of 22.61 seconds. He had shaken those foes off for a clear lead coming into the stretch, and powered clear through the lane to his final margin.

“He was sharp, the trainer had him ready today,” Ortiz said. The way he broke, Steve told me he was ready. Today he was running so good, there was no stopping him.”

Filo Di Arianna rallied to be second by three-quarters of a length over fellow late runner Mischief Magic.

The final time for the 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:03.16.

After the top three, it was Coppola, followed, in order, by Mo Stash, Eamonn, Motorious, Front Run the Fed, Mister Mmmmm, Big Invasion, Bad Beat Brian, Axthelm, Arrest Me Red, and Candy Man Rocket.

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