First Peace possible for Hong Kong Sprint over BC Turf Sprint
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First Peace, winner of the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes for turf sprinters at Santa Anita on Sept. 28, will not start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 2, and is under consideration for the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Dec. 8.
Trainer Mark Glatt said on Friday that First Peace has been nominated for the $3.34 million Hong Kong Sprint at six furlongs and is awaiting news whether the 4-year-old has been invited.
“That will be a consideration if he happens to be invited,” Glatt said.
Glatt said the Breeders’ Cup is not in the plans for First Peace, who has not been nominated to the program and does not suit the distance of the BC Turf Sprint, which is run at five furlongs.
The $753,000 Eddie D Stakes was run at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.
“He’s not nominated and five furlongs wouldn’t be up his alley,” Glatt said.
“He’d have to get very lucky going five furlongs. It’s not a consideration.
“Even if he were Breeders’ Cup-nominated, I think it would be a tough chore to ask the horse to go five-eighths of a mile. It’s something we wouldn’t likely do.
“If the Breeders’ Cup was done on the hillside we might be having a different conversation.”
Glatt said that if First Peace is not sent to Hong Kong that the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on the hillside turf course in late December or early January would be a consideration. Santa Anita typically announces the details of its winter-spring stakes schedule in late November.
First Peace has won 5 of 15 starts and earned $778,520 for the partnership of Rancho Temescal, Red Baron’s Barn and Rodney Orr. The Eddie D Stakes was First Peace’s second stakes win. The colt won the restricted Wickerr Stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar in July.
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