Wild Dude, Kobe's Back likely to meet again in BC Sprint

ARCADIA, Calif. – As many as three runners from Saturday’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship may start in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Wild Dude and Kobe’s Back, the first two finishers, and Masochistic, fourth as the beaten favorite, are under consideration for the BC Sprint.

Wild Dude earned an automatic berth for the BC Sprint through the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program. Wild Dude was not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup as a weanling and must be supplemented to the program for $100,000 to be eligible for the BC Sprint.

Co-owner and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said after Saturday’s race the payment will be made later this month. Hollendorfer co-owns Wild Dude with Green Smith of Bryan, Texas.

Wild Dude closed from fourth in a field of five to finish a neck in front of Kobe’s Back, who was last early. Both benefited from a torrid speed duel of 21.44 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.93 for a half-mile set by Masochistic and Distinctiv Pasion, who faded in the stretch.

Kobe’s Back trailed leader Masochistic by 14 1/2 lengths with a quarter-mile to go. Even though Kobe’s Back has not won in three starts since taking the Commonwealth at Keeneland in April, owners Lee and Susan Searing and trainer Peter Eurton are pressing forward with plans for the BC Sprint.

“We definitely want to do it based on that race and the fact he likes Keeneland,” Eurton said. “He’s as good as anyone in California.”

Kobe’s Back has a history of breaking slowly, which is not a point of major concern for Eurton. Kobe’s Back runs from off the pace.

“The bottom line is he wants to fall back,” Eurton said. “If he gets left two, three, or four lengths, that can make a difference. He doesn’t want to be rushed.”

Masochistic was the 7-10 favorite in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship, his first start since a second to Wild Dude in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar in late July. On Sunday, trainer Ron Ellis stopped short of committing Masochistic for the BC Sprint.

“We’ll have to consider whether to go to a different track,” he said. “He’s fine. I haven’t lost any confidence in him. He’s not supposed to be out there going in 43 and four."