Work All Week, Espinoza spice up Summit of Speed

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Reigning sprint champion Work All Week and winning Triple Crown rider Victor Espinoza will be the marquee names on Sunday’s Summit of Speed program at Gulfstream Park.

Work All Week will top a field of nine older horses in the Grade 2 Smile Sprint, which shares top billing on Sunday’s card with the Grade 2 Princess Rooney for fillies and mares. The stakes, both at six furlongs, are designated as Win and You’re In races for the Breeders’ Cup.

Espinoza, who guided American Pharoah to all three of his victories in the Triple Crown, will be here Sunday. He’ll sign commemorative posters for fans before riding several horses on the card, including City of Weston in the Smile Sprint and Kiss to Remember in the Princess Rooney.

Work All Week has started just once since clinching his Eclipse Award with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, finishing second behind Alsvid in the Grade 3 Aristides on May 30 at Churchill Downs. Alsvid also was entered in the Smile Sprint, setting up a rematch on Sunday.

Work All Week will break from post 8 under regular rider Florent Geroux. Alsvid drew post 4, with Chris Landeros aboard. Alsvid will carry the high weight of 121 pounds under the allowance conditions of the Smile Sprint, four more than the champ.

Trainer Roger Brueggemann said the fact that the Smile Sprint is a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint was a big reason he chose the race for Work All Week.

“We’d like to get a Win and You’re In race under our belt early, then we can kind of work out our schedule back to the Breeders’ Cup from there,” said Brueggemann, who trains Work All Week for Midwest Thoroughbreds.

The remainder of the Smile Sprint field is Falling Sky, Favorite Tale, Grande Shores, Ledokol, Singanothersong, and Wildcat Red.

The Princess Rooney is topped by Merry Meadow, who won the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl and Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie here this season. Her nine rivals are Flutterby, Kiss to Remember, Little Michelle, Naval Command, Nesso, Phaniebdancing, R Free Roll, Sweet Basil, and Tea Time.

Merry Meadow will break from post 6 under Javier Castellano, who is named to ride 11 of the 12 races on Sunday’s card.

The Smile Sprint and Princess Rooney will be supported on the program by the Grade 3 Carry Back for 3-year-olds and its filly counterpart, the Grade 3 Azalea.

A field of 10 passed the box for the Carry Back, led by Barbados, who makes his first start since winning the Grade 3 Hutcheson on Jan. 24. Other top contenders include Rod McLeod, Juan and Bina, Royal Squeeze, Grand Bili, Sonofaderbywinner, and Bluegrass Singer with Espinoza aboard.

The Azalea attracted nine, with recent stakes winner Warriorscmouttoplay, Kentucky invader Sweet Swingin, and the locally based trio of Dogwood Trail, Huasca and Fond of Sarah among the major players. Espinoza will ride I’m a Looker for trainer Patrick Dupuy.

Other stakes at the Summit of Speed are the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint, Birdonthewire, Cassidy, Miesque’s Approval, and Spook Express, each with a $75,000 purse.