Off third in Korea, Anarchist pointing for Breeders' Cup Sprint

Anarchist, the multiple graded stakes winner and recent world traveler, is a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 2, trainer Doug O’Neill said on Wednesday.

Anarchist finished third by eight lengths in the $941,400 Korea Cup Sprint in Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 8, the 5-year-old horse’s first trip away from North America. Anarchist recently returned to O’Neill base at Santa Anita.

“He’s on the track and he looks well,” O’Neill said. “We’ll probably try the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.”

Anarchist raced near the front early in the Korea Cup Sprint at six furlongs before fading through the stretch to finish behind two Japan-based runners in Remake and Jasper Krone. Remake earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Sprint with the win.

“I thought he ran a creditable race,” O’Neill said. “The two Japanese horses were too tough.”

The Korea Cup was run on a sand-based track that O’Neill said may not have suited Anarchist.

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“It’s different than what we’re used to,” he said. “He’s probably a little bit of a heavy horse for that surface. That being said, he ran hard.”

Anarchist, who races for Ilium Stables, is winless in three starts this year. His last win was the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar in August 2023.

O’Neill has a contender for the BC Sprint in the 3-year-old Raging Torrent, the winner of the $251,500 Pat O’Brien Stakes on Aug. 24. Raging Torrent is not expected to race again until the BC Sprint.

O’Neill has Breeders’ Cup plans for Mixto and Katonah, who were first and seventh in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 31. Mixto earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Classic on Nov. 2 with that win. He will not start in the interim, O’Neill said.

Katonah is under consideration for the Grade 1 California Crown at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 28, which could lead to a start in the BC Dirt Mile or BC Classic.

The California Crown has a purse of $1 million, a massive increase from 2023, when the race was known as the Awesome Again Stakes and was worth $300,000. The higher purse is financed by the track’s parent company, 1/ST Racing, in an effort to give the Sept. 28 program a higher profile both locally through ontrack attendance and nationally through simulcasting.

On the same day, O’Neill may start Two Rivers Over in the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course, which is now worth $750,000 compared to $200,000 last year. Two Rivers Over has not raced since a win in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile on dirt in the United Arab Emirates in March.

“I’m going to breeze him this weekend,” O’Neill said. “We could use the Eddie D. Stakes as a comeback. I don’t think he’s ready for the California Crown.”

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