Pee Wee Reese likely to be supplemented to Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

Pee Wee Reese, who returned from a layoff to win the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes last month at Santa Anita, faces his final hurdle this weekend as owner-breeder Nick Alexander prepares to write a big check in order to start him in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Pee Wee Reese worked a half-mile in 50 seconds last Saturday at San Luis Rey Downs training center in his return to the work tab after the Sept. 27 Eddie D, which was his first start in six months and just his second start since August 2018. Trainer Phil D’Amato has planned a stronger five-furlong work for the 6-year-old California-bred this coming Saturday. If all systems are go, Alexander will put up the $100,000 supplemental fee in order to make Pee Wee Reese Breeders’ Cup eligible. Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup races are due Oct. 21, with final entries taken and posts drawn on Oct. 28.

Pee Wee Reese edged another California-based Breeders’ Cup hopeful, Eddie Haskell, by a half-length in the Eddie D, with two-time defending Turf Sprint winner Stormy Liberal in third. That race was at the same five furlongs the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint will be contested at. In previous renewals at Santa Anita, the race had been run at 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course, which is not in use at this meeting.

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