Santa Anita: Breeders' Cup decision looms for Chips All In

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ARCADIA, Calif. – There is a $120,000 question facing the owners of Chips All In, the winner of Friday’s $101,750 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita.

That’s how much it will cost to nominate, enter, and start Chips All In in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

Saturday, trainer Jeff Mullins said there was no need for owners Jean Everest, John O’Brien, Danny Valdez, and Michelle Turpin to rush into a decision.

“It will be up to them,” Mullins said. “After the race, some were gung-ho and some weren’t sure. I’m sure it will take a couple of days to think it over and see what they want to do.

“We want to go into it as close as possible to 100 percent. We’ve got some more homework to do.”

The BC Turf Sprint is run over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course, a course and distance that Chips All In has proven to adore. Friday, Chips All In won his second stakes of 2013 on the hillside in the Eddie D, holding off a late threat from Boat Trip to win by a nose.

Earlier this year, Chips All In won the Grade 3 San Simeon Handicap on the hillside turf course in April. In February, he was second by a nose on the course in the Joe Hernandez Stakes.

In Friday’s Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes, Chips All In was ridden by Julien Leparoux, who gave the 4-year-old colt an ideal trip. Chips All In was third on the hillside, chasing pacesetters Rosengold and Snowday. After crossing onto the main turf course, Chips All In went past Snowday in the final furlong and held off a late threat from Boat Trip.

Unbridled’s Note, the winner of the 2012 Eddie D Stakes, finished third, closing from seventh in the final furlong. Chips All In ($7.80) ran the about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:12 .

“Julien kind of pushed him away from there,” Mullins said after the race. “I said, ‘Don’t give him too much to do.’ He sat quiet and he went.”

Chips All In, a five-time stakes winner, has won 7 of 16 starts and $410,613.