High Appeal's speed faces test in sprint

What do you do when you're drawn outside in a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint? The only thing you can do: Gun it and hope for the best.

Luckily for High Appeal, who breaks from the outside in a field of seven 2-year-olds, he should have little trouble clearing off in the $60,000 Chenery Stakes at Colonial Downs on Sunday.

High Appeal led all the way in his lone start, winning by 7 3/4 lengths with speed to spare. Although he faces several talented rivals in the Chenery, including a Belmont invader from the Todd Pletcher barn, he looks like the fastest horse in the race - a fine quality to have in a short sprint. Julian Pimentel has a return call on High Appeal, who is trained by Michael Trombetta.

Pletcher brings in the A.P. Indy colt Big Wig, who showed little on the main track in his debut but won a maiden turf sprint in his only other start. Big Wig ran six furlongs in 1:09.87 in his win, covering the final furlong in a quick 11.49 seconds. Whether anyone can challenge High Appeal early will determine if Big Wig will have a chance to use that closing kick again Sunday.

Run Jickster Run may have the speed to challenge High Appeal. He steadily improved in three starts, culminating with a 2 1/2-length score in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special at Delaware. Run Jickster Run is by Wild Event, a Grade 1 winner on turf, so the surface switch to turf should not be a problem.