Imperial Hint in great shape after Smile Sprint win

Imperial Hint emerged in great shape from his very convincing victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Smile Sprint, trainer Luis Carvajal Jr. said as he awaited his star’s return to Parx Racing on Monday.

The win was the fourth in a row, all by open lengths, for Imperial Hint and guaranteed him a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“He is on a flight right now to New York, then vans here later this afternoon,” Carvajal said from his Parx headquarters.

“The good news is he came out of the race in perfect shape. I was concerned he might be a little knocked out, having been away since February. But he cooled out quickly at the test barn after the race, and the next morning he was bright, as cold as ice, and didn’t leave an oat in the feed tub.”

Carvajal said he also was encouraged after talking to jockey Javier Castellano following the race.

“Javier said he really liked him, that he seems more mature than when he rode him the first time earlier in his career, and that gives me even more confidence,” Carvajal said.

Carvajal said he’ll sit down with owner Raymond Mamone this week and map out their strategy for the second half of the season, with the focus obviously on getting the son of Imperialism to the Breeders’ Cup in peak form.

“We could go to Saratoga,” Carvajal said. “I’ve always dreamed of going there with a good horse to be competitive in a big race. But I’d also like to keep him away from the big boys a little longer if we can. Being guaranteed a spot in the Breeders’ Cup allows us to skip the bigger races and do just that if we want.”