Maximum Bourbon get final shot at Breeders' Cup berth in Sprint Championship

The nose loss by Maximum Bourbon in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes on July 25 at Del Mar cost more than the $160,000 difference between a win and finishing second.

Maximum Bourbon lost a chance at a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Oct. 31 at Keeneland. The outlay for the pre-entry and entry fees is $60,000.

Maximum Bourbon has another chance for a fees-paid berth when he starts as one of five runners in Sunday’s Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at six furlongs at Santa Anita.

A win is not certain. The field includes Listenupshance who won the Bing Crosby, as well as Imagination, who won the 2025 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, finished second in the 2025 BC Sprint, and won the Group 2, $2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia in February.

Maximum Bourbon drew the outside post in the $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, a post position that can work in favor of the 4-year-old gelding who tends to run from slightly off the pace.

“The post position, in theory, should help him,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.

In the Bing Crosby, Maximum Bourbon started from the inside post in a field of eight. He was fourth on the backstretch, third on the turn and in early stretch, and displayed a sharp rally to just miss.

A different post may have resulted in a different outcome, D’Amato said.

“The rail and a full field at Del Mar in a Grade 1 – the degree of difficulty of winning out of there is a 10 out of 10,” he said.

Maximum Bourbon, who is owned by Agave Racing Stable, Rockin Robin Racing Stable, and Evan Trommer, was purchased for $400,000 at a Fasig-Tipton digital sale in March, the most expensive hip of the auction. Maximum Bourbon won the $197,500 St. Matthews Stakes by 5 3/4 lengths at six furlongs on April 30 at Churchill Downs in his first start for D’Amato.

Through that win and the big effort in the Bing Crosby, Maximum Bourbon became a contender for the BC Sprint.

“We think he’s that caliber of horse,” D’Amato said. “Granted, it will be tough this year. When you get to the Breeders’ Cup, anything can happen.”

Listenupshance, who has made a miraculous rise from a win in a $20,000 claimer for maidens at Del Mar in July 2025, won his first stakes in the $400,000 Bing Crosby Stakes.

On Sunday, Listenupshance starts from the inside post and will be ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, who was aboard in the Bing Crosby. Doug O’Neill, who trains Listenupshance, expects Jaramillo to have Listenupshance on the lead quickly.

“He’s got good gate speed,” O’Neill said. “Jaramillo knows him well. He’ll be in the mix and he’s going to punch it.”

The outsider Ahrens, winner of a $32,000 claimer for maidens at Santa Anita in February, is quick enough to be part of the pace. He won an allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 1 at Del Mar and will have his stakes debut in the Santa Anita Sprint.

“It looks like it’s a probably an aggressive spot,” trainer John Sadler said. “We don’t have a lot else for him at this moment. If we run him, it means he’s doing well.”

March of Time, who finished fifth in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs on Aug. 29 at Del Mar, is part of the small field.

Listenupshance has had four workouts in the last two months, including three furlongs in a slow 38 seconds last Sunday at Santa Anita.

O’Neill said fast workouts have not been a goal.

“He’s strong and fit and ready,” O’Neill said. “We’re doing a lot of heavy gallops.

“I’ve tried not to lean on him with a lot of speed work. I can get just as much out of him without doing that.”

The Santa Anita Sprint will be the first start for Imagination since he finished ninth of 10 as the 3-1 favorite for trainer Bob Baffert in the Grade 3 Hanshin Stakes at a mile on June 28 at Churchill Downs, his third consecutive loss since the lucrative win in Saudi Arabia.

Imagination won the 2025 Santa Anita Sprint following a layoff of eight months. Imagination has had two quick workouts at five furlongs at Santa Anita this month. He is expected to race as a closer along with Maximum Bourbon.