The Turf Sprint, for horses 3-years of age and older, combines both speed and agility for international competitors over six and a half furlongs on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita Park.

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

Glass Slippers Is Back To Defend Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Title

In the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at 5 furlongs, Bearstone Stud Limited's 5-year-old mare Glass Slippers (GB) won last year's Turf Sprint at Keeneland. Trained by Kevin Ryan, Glass Slippers has a trio of third-place finishes this year, including one last time out in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longines (G1), which was won by Gary Devlin's A Case of You (IRE), who gained a free berth into the Turf Sprint.

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg's 3-year-old Golden Pal was victorious in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2). Trained by Wesley Ward, Golden Pal comes into the race off a 2 ¼-length win in the Woodford Stakes presented by TVG (G2) at Keeneland.

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Glass Slippers (GB)

A fan favorite with a big heart, 5-year-old mare Glass Slippers (GB) seeks to defend her title in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) after overpowering a field of males last year at Keeneland with a ground-saving trip and no lack of determination. The 2021 season has not been as rosy for the gritty mare, but she has - albeit winless - accounted quite well for herself.

Kicking off her season a month later than last year, she was third in July's King George Qatar Stakes (G2) against a strong field at Goodwood. Next out, she attempted to defend her crown in the Flying Five Stakes (G1) at The Curragh - the same "Win and You're In'"she annexed last year - and finished a solid third, once again.

Last out, in France's Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp (G1), a race she won two years ago and was a close second in last year, she once again finished strongly through the line to be third over ground likely a bit too soft for her liking

Overall, the English-bred earner of $1,254,138 has a record of 20-7-3-4.

Emaraaty Ana (GB)

A revelation (or "re-revelation") this season, Emaraaty Ana (GB) has proven that he was not just a proverbial morning glory as a juvenile - when he won the Group 2 Gimcrack at the Yorkshire Ebor meeting - and has stepped back up to the premier level with aplomb.

Now at age 5, the Kevin Ryan trainee enters the fray for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) and its $1 million purse on the heels of his best-ever performance, a victory over Europe's arguably top sprinter, Starman, in the Haydock Sprint Cup (G1) Sept. 4. Just two weeks prior to that effort, the chestnut Sheikh Mohammed bin Obaid Al Maktoum color-bearer was a superb second in the Nunthorpe Stakes (G1), a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup World Championships Day.

By late, great stallion Shamardal, the five-time winner from 19 starts has seen his official rating rise from 107 to 117 swiftly, thanks to his recent races, and has returned to the early trajectory in which he was viewed as a serious potential sprinter three years ago.

A gelding operation and corrective wind surgery surely have had their positive effects on the earner of $586,617 and he surely must be respected from a trainer's perspective, as conditioner Kevin Ryan won this race last year with Glass Slippers (GB). Ryan's only other runner was East (GB), who finished a distant second in the 2018 Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

Prominent in the UK, Dubai-based Sheikh Mohammed bin Obaid Al Maktoum will have his first runner in the Breeders' Cup. Often seen in big races in Europe and Dubai, he was most recently represented by top dirt sprinter in Dubai, Canvassed (IRE), who was third in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1). A member of the ruling family of the Emirate of Dubai, he has had Andrea Atzeni contracted as his rider for the past few years, resulting in multiple Group 1 wins, including the aforementioned at Haydock.

One of the most trip-versatile sires to date, Shamardal's progeny include Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) winner Tarnawa (IRE) and 2019 European sprint champion Blue Point (IRE).

Golden Pal

Ranlo Investments homebred Golden Pal's immense talent helped him overcome his greenness to win Friday's $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) at Keeneland.

Golden Pal, sent from post 14 as the 4/5 favorite under Irad Ortiz Jr., broke like a shot and was immediately a multiple-length leader after just a few steps into stride.

Ortiz Jr. had to tap the brakes and settle Golden Pal, who veered a bit as he neared the far turn, and momentarily allowed his rivals to close rank.

Once he was allowed to run again, however, Golden Pal quickly took off and reestablished a lengthy advantage by the time the field straightened for home.

Though he appeared to grow a bit leg-weary late, Golden Pal held on to win by 3/4 of a length, completing the 5 1/2-furlong good turf sprint in 1:02.82 and giving both Ortiz Jr. and trainer Wesley Ward back-to-back race titles.

"He's a really nice horse," said Ortiz Jr. "He did the hard job. I just sat on him, waiting for the time to go. He ran great. He really has a lot of potential."

Cowan outkicked Ubettabelieveit for second by 1 length, while Lipizzaner held off After Five and County Final by a nose and a neck for fourth and fifth, respectively.

Momos, Bodenheimer, Dirty Dangle, Windy City Red, Mighty Gurkha, Second of July, Into the Sunrise, and Blame the Booze completed the order of finish.

Amanzi Yimpilo, Gypsy King (Also Eligible), and Trade Deal (Also Eligible) were scratched.

Golden Pal's win was his second straight following the Skidmore Stakes and improved his overall record to 4-2-2-0 including a narrow defeat in the Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot. The Florida-bred Uncle Mo colt, the first foal out of the 2015 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) runner-up Lady Shipman, has now earned $593,056.

"He's just amazing," Ward said. "I got a little worried on the backside. Irad kind of lost a little momentum there and took a pretty good hold of him, but then he just accelerated down the lane. When he accelerated past the 1/4 pole, I knew we were OK. I got a little worried on the last part and was hugging onto my son, but we got there. He's a champion colt."

Golden Pal returned $3.60 to win, $2.80 to place, and $2.60 to show. Cowan brought back $8 to place and $5.80 to show, while Ubettabelieveit paid $8.60 to show.

A Case of You (IRE)

A Case of You (IRE) burst onto the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) scene by winning the "Win and You're In" Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp (G1) on Arc Day in dramatic style. A still-developing 3-year-old with a mere 10 starts, the humbly bred son of multiple Group-winning sprinter Hot Streak (IRE) seemed much too far behind with 100 meters remaining, but somehow found another gear to win in the final jump in the 5-furlong, straight sprint at Paris' Longchamp.

Trained in Ireland by Adrian McGuinness and owned by Gary Devlin, who will both have their first Breeders' Cup starters, he is considered by connections to have as much prowess on quick ground, which he figures to traverse at Del Mar, as the soft and tiring surface he proved victorious upon in France.

McGuiness specifically mentioned that he believed the colt to be better around a bend (turn) than on a straight, which surely catalyzed the conditioner quick to confirm for a run in America moments after his Paris victory.

A winner of half his 10 starts, A Case of You has placed in three others, landed the Lacken Stakes (G3) in addition to his Arc Day win and looks to be one who brings an exceptional trajectory into a wide-open, fascinating renewal of the world's quickest clash.

Fast Boat

The adage "just like a fine wine, some things get better with age" probably best describes this overachiever with a perfect name.

Fast Boat began 2021 on fire with a narrow win in the Pulse Power Turf Sprint Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park followed by a victory in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (G2) presented by Sysco on the Longines Kentucky Oaks undercard. The gelded son of City Zip's maturation process and march to the Breeders' Cup culminated Aug. 6, 2021 with a powerful five-wide rally to win the Troy Stakes (G3) at Saratoga. He most recently finished a narrow fourth in the FanDuel Turf Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs Sept. 11.

Turf sprinter Fast Boat showed promise very early in his career with a second-out maiden win and competitive finish in The Kitten's Joy Stakes, both at Gulfstream Park, but things really took off after being claimed for $40,000 at Belmont Park in October 2018 by trainer Joe Sharp for owner Brad Grady.

Over his next 10 starts for Sharp and Grady, Fast Boat would win five claiming and allowance races, but most importantly develop into a major player among stakes competition. A second in the Frontier Utilities Turf Sprint Stakes at Sam Houston, a third in the Colonel Power Stakes at Fair Grounds and an allowance-optional claiming win at Churchill Downs rounded out a busy 2020 for Fast Boat.

Recent Breeders Cup' Turf Sprint Winners

What is the Breeders Cup' Turf Sprint?

The Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint is a Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up. As its name implies, it is a part of the Breeders' Cup thoroughbred championships, the de facto year-end championship for North American thoroughbred racing. The distance of the race will vary depending on the host track's turf course requirements.

The Turf Sprint is a fast and furious charge across the downhill turf course and into the homestretch at Santa Anita Park this year. Run at approximately 1400 yards (6.5 furlongs) for horses 3-years of age and older, this race combines both speed and agility for the international competitors. The race was run for the first time in 2008 during the second day of Breeders' Cup racing at that year's host track, Santa Anita Park.

Distance : 6.5 Furlongs

The 2008 race was held at a distance of six and a half furlongs and was contested on Santa Anita's signature El Camino Real "downhill" turf course. In 2008 the race was limited to 14 starters. Besides Santa Anita, the only tracks in North America capable of contesting longer than six and 1/2 furlong turf races are Woodbine and Belmont. Churchill Downs, which has hosted the Breeders' Cup eight times, only conducts turf sprints at 5 furlongs. Breeders' Cup Officials did announce a preferred distance for the race, unlike all other Breeders' Cup races.

Because of technical requirements, it was not eligible for classification as a graded stakes race in its first two runnings. Starting in 2010, it was a Grade II race, and was upgraded to Grade I for 2012.

Automatic Berths
Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup developed "The Breeders' Cup Challenge," a series of races in each division that alloted automatic qualifying bids to winners of defined races. Each of the fourteen divisions has between three and six of these, "Win and You're In," qualifiers. In the Breeders' Cup Distaff Division there are four automatic births.

2021 BREEDERS' CUP RACE SCHEDULE