Key contenders in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

Bucchero, by Kantharos
Last 3 Beyers: 96-91-NA

◗ Handled, though did not excel, over soft course conditions when second in the Shakertown at Keeneland in the spring, a race in which he finished in front of third-place Disco Partner, the morning-line favorite for the Turf Sprint.

◗ Fourth in this race last year when it was at Del Mar, he now stays home at Churchill Downs, his regular training base.

◗ Provided he breaks well, he seems likely to fall into a stalking trip behind the primary speed horses.

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Vision Perfect, by Pollard’s Vision
Last 3 Beyers: 97-95-87

◗ Won the Parx Dash and ran second in the Turf Monster in a pair of Grade 3 grass sprints this summer in Pennsylvania. Both efforts came over wet turf called good.

◗ Has positive experience over even damper grass early in his career when he won the 2014 Awad on yielding turf and ran second on soft turf in the 2015 Hill Prince.

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Disco Partner, by Disco Rico
Last 3 Beyers: 106-92-97

◗ Although many of his best performances have come at Belmont Park, he is not strictly a one-track performer. He won the Troy at Saratoga in 2016 and finished third in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

◗ A two-time winner on good courses, he has not fared as well under more testing conditions, running third in the Troy and Shakertown this year on soft turf and fourth in the 2017 Fourstardave on yielding ground at Saratoga.

Stormy Liberal, by Stormy Atlantic
Last 3 Beyers: 105-101-100

◗ In better form this year than in 2017 when he scored a 30-1 upset in winning the Turf Sprint at Del Mar. A layoff returnee last year, he has remained in steady action this year, winning three straight leading up to Saturday.

◗ Typical for a California-based horse, most of his experience has come on firm turf. He has three runner-up finishes on good ground.

World of Trouble, by Kantharos
Last 3 Beyers: 103-95-86

◗ Is perfect in two starts on turf after being transferred from dirt to grass this summer in New York. First, he won the Quick Call on yielding turf at Saratoga, and then returned to take the Allied Forces at Belmont.

◗ Yet to win a graded stakes, he gets a class test in the Turf Sprint, his first Grade 1 start. Prior graded stakes efforts resulted in a third going 1 1/16 miles in the Tampa Bay Derby in March and a fourth in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens in June – a race in which he and third-place Promises Fulfilled dueled though scintillating fractions.