Although trainer Joe Sharp initially had concerns about heavy Thursday rains making the Churchill Downs turf course heavy, his sprinter Fast Boat apparently didn't. The 6-year-old gelding powered to victory over Sombeyay in the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes Friday with an impressive closing kick under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
Fast Boat sat second or third last for the early part of the five-and-a-half furlong contest, saving ground on the rail through the turn. Just Might and Fiya dueled on the lead early, wearing each other down while favored Diamond Oops encountered traffic trouble early. Fast Boat hustled out to a wide position in the later part of the turn, driving down the center of the track and hooking up with Sombeyay to overtake the early leaders and outrun a last-minute rail effort from Diamond Oops at the wire.
The final time was 1:03.29 with fractional times of :22.15, :45.01, and :57.11. Sombeyay was second, and Classy John was third. Diamond Oops finished fourth.
Sharp trains Fast Boat for owner Brad Grady and brought the gelding to this contest off a narrow win in the Pulse Power Turf Sprint at Sam Houston Park in January. This is the first graded stakes victory for Fast Boat, who was bred in Kentucky by R.S. Evans. He is the son of City Zip out of Lemon Drop Kid mare Yellow Boat.
Fast Boat paid $10.40 to win. The course was officially rated as firm.
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