Imperial Hint hitting peak for third try at Breeders' Cup Sprint

Tucked away in relative anonymity at Monmouth Park, trainer Luis Carvajal Jr. has tried to pay little attention to all the recent talk and speculation about who may or may not be running in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint. What Carvajal does know for certain is that he’s sending Imperial Hint back to the Sprint for the third consecutive year while he’s doing as well as ever – maybe better than ever.

“I try not to think about who else will be in there, but it’s hard not to pay attention once you hit the button and go on Twitter and read about Omaha Beach and Catalina Cruiser and maybe even Mitole still up in the air regarding the Sprint or Dirt Mile,”

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Carvajal said Wednesday. “But to be a true champion, you have to beat the best, and if Omaha Beach and Mitole do run it sure will be a great race. Besides, there’s not much I can do about who else enters anyway. All I can worry about is my horse.”

Imperial Hint finished second and third behind Roy H in the previous two renewals of the Sprint. He’ll enter the race this year the same way he did a year ago at Churchill Downs, off back-to-back victories in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt and Grade 1 Vosburgh. Carvajal believes Imperial Hint got a lot more out of his final Sprint prep in the Vosburgh than he did last year.

“When we won the Vosburgh last year he was geared down at the wire, which probably didn’t help him that much going into the Sprint,” Carvajal said. “This year, I think the way he won, having to fight hard and come back on the rail to beat Firenze Fire, was a key race for him. Both the way he did it and as well as how he’s come back since the race.”

Imperial Hint worked for the first time since the Vosburgh on Monday, going four furlongs in 47 seconds at Monmouth. He is scheduled to have one more work at his home base before shipping to Santa Anita on Oct. 27.

Both Omaha Beach and Mitole worked at Santa Anita on Wednesday. Omaha Beach breezed an easy half-mile in 48.20 before galloping out five-eighths in 1:01 with Mike Smith aboard. Mitole went five furlongs from the half-mile pole in 1:00.40.