Ransom the Moon to skip De Francis for Santa Anita Sprint

CYPRESS, Calif. – Hurricane Florence is keeping top sprinter Ransom the Moon in California.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said Thursday that Ransom the Moon, the winner of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar in July and a leading candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3, will have his next start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 6.

Previously, Ransom the Moon was expected to start in the Frank De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel, which has been postponed from Saturday to Sept. 22 because of expected poor conditions on the East Coast this weekend due to the hurricane.

D’Amato said he is worried about the conditions in Maryland not only this weekend, but next week as well.

“The weather is so bad there, we’re going to be safe,” D’Amato said. “Our ultimate goal is the Breeders’ Cup. It’s better to play it safe.”

The $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship is run at six furlongs. Ransom the Moon was fourth in the race last year.

Owned by Agave Racing Stable and Jeffry Wilke, Ransom the Moon earned an automatic berth to the BC Sprint with his win in the Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs on July 28. Ransom the Moon was entered in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 25, but was withdrawn in favor of an intended start in the $250,000 De Francis Dash.

Ransom the Moon has won 6 of 24 starts and earned $848,829. Last November, Ransom the Moon was fifth in the BC Sprint at Del Mar.

D’Amato has two other hopefuls on course for the Breeders’ Cup in the turf runners Fashion Business and Hunt.

Fashion Business won the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf on Aug. 18, earning an automatic berth for the BC Turf. Fashion Business is likely to start in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Sept. 30.