Imperial Hint seeks ticket to BC Sprint in Smile Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – What began as one of the Cinderella stories of this year’s Dubai World Cup program ended a little before midnight when trainer Luis Carvajal Jr., who operates a modest eight-horse stable at Parx Racing, was forced to scratch his star, Imperial Hint, from the Dubai Golden Shaheen just days before the race due to a minor infection.

Carvajal will be looking for a storybook ending of a different kind when he finally gets Imperial Hint back to action next Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint, where a victory would give the two an expenses-paid slot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint this fall at Del Mar.

Imperial Hint has not started since easily defeating the even-money Stallwalkin’ Dude in the Grade 3 General George at Laurel on Feb. 18. The win, the third straight for the 4-year-old son of Imperialism, earned him an invitation to the Golden Shaheen, a dream come true for Carvajal and his longtime friend and owner Raymond Mamone.

“Just going to Dubai was an amazing experience, especially for a small-time trainer like myself,” said Carvajal, who began his training career at Gulfstream a decade ago following the death of veteran horseman Bob Durso, for whom he had served as an assistant for many years. “Unfortunately, my horse got sick when he got to Dubai; it was just a one-day fever, but we had to scratch.”

Carvajal spent the next month in Dubai with Imperial Hint, making sure his horse was 100 percent before shipping him back to the States.

“It seems like taking the whole month off and keeping him over there, giving him that kind of rest, really was a big help,” Carvajal said. “He shipped back to Parx in perfect condition and just wanted to get back into training right away. He’s done super ever since, I love the way he’s been working, and I’m really looking forward to having an opportunity to get back to south Florida again.”

Imperial Hint has been handled by three different riders during his current winning streak and will have a fourth, Javier Castellano, aboard in the six-furlong Smile Sprint.

“When you have a small stable like I do, it’s hard to keep the same rider, even with a very good horse like this, because the big stables all seem to have horses in the races I’m going in,” Carvajal said. “Fortunately, I was able to get Javier for the Smile, which makes me extremely happy since he’s not only a great rider but also a longtime friend. He’s one of the five riders who have won on this horse, and having him Saturday gives me even more confidence.”

Carvajal said Imperial Hint would have his final work for the Smile Sprint over the weekend at Parx before shipping here Tuesday.

A small field seems likely for the Smile Sprint and is expected to include defending champion Delta Bluesman and the now-Maryland-based Awesome Banner, who began his career so auspiciously here at ages 2 and 3. Stallwalkin’ Dude, who finished sixth in the Golden Shaheen following his second-place finish behind Imperial Hint in the General George, is one of three horses whom trainer David Jacobson has nominated to the Smile Sprint and is considered a “possible” starter by the racing office.

Distinta to run in Princess Rooney

Trainer Victor Barboza Jr. confirmed that he’ll run Distinta in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney, which will share top billing on next Saturday’s Summit of Speed program with the Smile Sprint. The Princess Rooney is a Win and You’re In qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Distinta, who breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 here Thursday, has not started since capturing the Grade 2 Inside Information on March 18.

“I gave her a rest after she won the last stakes because she’d already run four times during the winter,” said Barboza, who trains Distinta for the Veb Racing Stable Corp.

Barboza also said he plans to wheel back his promising 3-year-old filly Rich Mommy on just nine days’ rest in the $75,000 Azalea following her impressive three-length victory over Rashette in Thursday’s eighth race. Emisael Jaramillo was aboard Rich Mommy, who has now won twice in six career starts.

Five-time stakes winner R Angel Katelyn is expected to go postward as the heavy favorite in the seven-furlong Azalea.

◗ A $43,000 allowance/optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on turf headlines Sunday’s 11-race program. The feature lured a field of 10 older fillies and mares led by leading trainer Todd Pletcher’s Psalmody, who missed by a nose under similar conditions in her last start, and Valedictorian, the only four-time winner in the field, who set the pace before tiring to finish fifth in the Honey Ryder Stakes on May 6.