York: Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint berth up for grabs in Nunthorpe Stakes

Topping the Friday card at York is the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes, a five-furlong sprint that, through the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offers a fees-paid berth in the BC Turf Sprint plus travel expenses to the race.

The straight-course Nunthorpe drew 20 entrants, headed by Sole Power and Shea Shea, the 1-2 finishers in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. Neither horse produced his best form in the July Cup last month at Newmarket, a race in which Shea Shea was fourth and Sole Power fifth, but that six-furlong race probably was longer than either horse’s ideal trip.

Shea Shea, trained by Mike de Kock, was the best turf-sprinter in Dubai this past winter, winning the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint there.