SPRINT DIARY
MAY 26, 2006
by Jordan Strickler
We’ve had a lot of sprinting action over the past couple of
weeks. Contenders and pretenders separated themselves somewhat and new
challengers have made their names present. So let’s get started.
Pimlico was the site of two important stakes contests this past
week — the Maryland Breeders’ Cup Sprint H. (G3) and Hirsch Jacobs S. (G3).
The former featured Mr. Prospector H. (G3) winner and Dubai
Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) fifth-placer GAFF (Maria’s Mon), who came home a
better-than-appeared third. Despite running for the show, the Steve Asmussen-conditioned
bay, in my opinion, indicated that he is for real. Forced to steady multiple
times by jockey Alex Solis, the four-year-old colt still managed to close
willingly between horses down the stretch on a day which had been favoring speed
all day to get up and hit the board. Given a cleaner trip, Gaff could have
easily added another stakes win to his resume.
The winner of the Maryland Breeders’ Cup Sprint, FRIENDLY ISLAND
(Crafty Friend), capitalized on the speed advantage under jockey Garrett
Gomez, rating a close second in the early going before taking over the lead at
the three-sixteenths pole and rolling home to a three-parts of a length victory
for his first graded stakes score. The five-year-old chestnut has had a
flourishing career thus far, annexing two runnings of the Hudson H. and coming
home second in the Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3) and third in the Mr. Prospector prior to Saturday.
SONGSTER (Songandaprayer) lived up to his billing as the 3-5
favorite when the Tom Albertrani trainee dominated a field of six in the Hirsch
Jacobs. Zipping to the early lead, the three-year-old colt was never to be
headed en route to a 10-length pounding of his rivals at six furlongs,
completing the event in 1:09 3/5, a fifth of a second faster than his older
counterparts in the Maryland Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Second in the Bay Shore S.
(G3) to Too Much Bling (Rubiano) in his prior race, the black colt truly outclassed
the field and will be one to watch in the future.
TIGER (Storm Boot) emerged victorious on May 13 in the Bold
Ruler H. (G3) at Belmont Park. After trailing in second in the early going to
Carter H. (G1) hero Bishop Court Hill (Holy Bull) through the first half in :21
2/5 and :44, he overtook the leader in the stretch and
completed the six-furlong event in a blistering 1:08 2/5, just four-fifths of a
second off the stakes record. When posting that same time in his first start
this year at Gulfstream Park against allowance company, he set a new track
record for six furlongs. The speedy five-year-old gelding could prove a threat in
the future for conditioner James Jerkens.
He’s Got Grit (Songandaprayer) lost his unbeaten record in his
sophomore debut Saturday
when fading to third in the Matt Winn S., allowing CHANGING WEATHER (Storm Boot),
second in last year’s Futurity S. (G2), to rally up five-wide leaving the turn
to take the lead at the wire.
Well, forget Bay Meadows — LOST IN THE FOG (Lost Soldier) is
coming to Kentucky. The four-year-old sprint champion will be making his next
start in the Aristides Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) at Churchill Downs on June 3. This
will give the dark bay a race over the same track and distance that we hope to
see him tackle in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) on November 4.
So here’s our horse to watch — granted it’s not an off the wall,
under the radar horse — but one to watch nonetheless. SIREN LURE (Joyeux Danseur)
displayed a brilliant late kick in the final furlong of the Los Angeles H. (G3),
making a hole and splitting horses to get up by a length at the wire under Alex
Solis. The five-year-old was just another in Art Sherman’s barn to prove
successful at one-turn. Simon Lure has captured three of four outings this year,
all stakes, and is one to keep an eye on in the future as we work our way to the Breeders’ Cup
Sprint.