Turf Sprint: Holy Lute placed on pre-entries for correct race

Holy Lute, who was listed in pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint but was meant for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, has been moved to the list of pre-entries for the Turf Sprint, according to both the horse’s connections and an official with Breeders’ Cup. The Grade 1, $1 million Turf Sprint will be run Oct. 31 at Keeneland. Final entries for the race will be drawn Monday.

Holy Lute was on the Sprint list when pre-entries were revealed Wednesday, and as soon as the announcement was made the horse’s trainer, Jim Cassidy, made contact with the Breeders’ Cup. Cassidy had verbally pre-entered Holy Lute in the Turf Sprint. The trainer is based in Southern California, while the Breeders’ Cup offices are in Kentucky.

“Because of a communication error, they’re going to put him in the right race,” said Cassidy.

Joe Masino of Class Racing Stable, which owns Holy Lute, had a conference call with Breeders’ Cup officials on Thursday. Masino said the call was professional, and got right to the point about getting Holy Lute moved over to the proper race for the Breeders’ Cup.

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“There was never any intent on our part, at any time, to run in the Sprint,” said Masino.

Holy Lute has been removed from the list of pre-entries for the Sprint. He was ranked 20th among 21 pre-entries for that race, and was placed 20th on the list of 20 pre-entries for the Turf Sprint. The selection committee rankings for the oversubscribed Turf Sprint were announced Wednesday and will not be altered, according to Josh Christian, director of racing for Breeders’ Cup.

“I need six not to run to get in,” Cassidy said Friday morning of the field, which will be capped at 14.

Obviously and Ageless, who are both in the body of the field for the Turf Sprint, will not start in the race, according to their respective trainers, Phil D’Amato and Arnaud Delacour. The Turf Sprint will carry two also-eligibles, said Christian.

Holy Lute has long been pointed for the Turf Sprint. He won the Green Flash Handicap this summer at Del Mar, and prepped for the Breeders’ Cup by running second by a neck in the $180,000 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint and seventh in the off-the-turf Woodford at Keeneland. He is stabled at Keeneland.