Flash: Frankel breaks hex with 'Squirtle'

ELMONT, N.Y. - It took 39 tries, but trainer Bobby Frankel finally won a Breeders' Cup race.

After losing with two favorites earlier on the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships card, Frankel walked into the Breeders' Cup winner's circle for the first time when 9-1 shot Squirtle Squirt took Saturday's $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint by a half-length.

In race where speed held up, jockey Jerry Bailey guided the 3-year-old Squirtle Squirt ($21.20) through a hole between the pacesetting filly Xtra Heat and Caller One leaving the sixteenth pole to give Frankel a milestone victory.

Xtra Heat set the pace through moderate fractions of 22.45 and 44.75 seconds while being chased by Caller One, Squirtle Squirt and Five Star Day. She motored to a clear lead at the top of the stretch, but could not withstand Squirtle Squirt's final charge.

Xtra Heat, a 3-year-old filly, held on for second, a head in front of Caller One.

Swept Overboard rallied along the rail to grab fourth.

Favored Kona Gold, winner of last year's Sprint and the reigning Eclipse Award winner as champion sprinter, was seventh.

Squirtle Squirt, owned by David Lanzman, was timed in 1:08.41.

Kona Gold won last year's Sprint in 1:07.77. The opening quarter of that race was contested in 20.82 seconds.

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