Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Horse Racing Free Tips

Turf Sprint: Drysdale Has Oleksandra Fit Off The Layoff

Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale, currently overseeing a stable of six horses at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., said last-out Grade 1 Jaipur winner Oleksandra looked sharp in her six-furlong breeze Sunday in 1:14.04 on Big Sandy in preparation for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

“She's doing very well,” said Drysdale. “She doesn't need speed because she's very fast. She worked in company behind another horse and started a half dozen lengths back and finished well.”

The ultra-consistent Animal Kingdom mare, Team Valor homebred, sports a record of 15-7-3-3 with purse earnings of $537,353. She rallied from last to beat the boys in the six-furlong Jaipur on June 20.

Oleksandra has worked six times on the Belmont main since October 2, including a trio of half-furlong breezes in close succession, ahead of a strong five-furlong effort in 1:01.58 last week.

“That was because of the layoff to get her fit,” said Drysdale regarding the busy work pattern. “We gave her some small easy works and then we've only done two serious works – this one and the last one.”

Oleksandra won the Grade 3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County in October 2019 in her only start at Keeneland.

“She's won down there and if it comes up a bit soft she doesn't mind,” said Drysdale.

A six-time Breeders' Cup winner, Drysdale won the 1992 Belmont Stakes with A.P. Indy and added a Kentucky Derby win to his ledger in 2000 with Fusaichi Pegasus.

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Turf Sprint: Leinster Works Over ‘Deep’ Keeneland Turf Course

Amy Dunne, Brenda Miley, Westrock Stables and Jean Wilkinson's Leinster, winner of Keeneland's Shakertown (G2) and Woodford (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select in his past two starts, worked a half-mile in :49.40 over a turf course labeled good at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., for trainer Rusty Arnold. Crystal Conning was aboard Leinster.

“It's deep out there and he doesn't like it,” Arnold said after the work, which is in preparation for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1). “It's not going to be deep next Saturday.”

Also working on the grass were four runners for trainer Wesley Ward.

Working 5 furlongs in company toward possible Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) starts were Breeze Easy's After Five (1:05) and Ranlo Investments' Golden Pal (1:05.20). Juvenile Turf (G1) pre-entrant Outadore (1:07.60), owned by Breeze Easy, and Stonestreet Stables' Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) pre-entrant Campanelle (IRE) (1:08) worked together.

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Michelle Lovell ‘Just Might’ Take A Shot In Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Locally based trainer Michelle Lovell and her longtime owner Dr. Robert Griffon will attempt Breeders' Cup glory for the first time when 4-year-old gelding Just Might tests the waters of the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (Grade 1) on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

“We thought about this choice for a long time whether to pre-enter or not,” Lovell said. “He ran two solid third-place finishes in his last two starts and I think deserves a chance at a race of this caliber.”

Just Might, who was bred by Lovell and Griffon, had a breakthrough 20-1 victory in the $100,000 Colonel Power Stakes at Fair Grounds. After the win, the COVID-19 pandemic struck and racing halted until the spring. Like many trainers, Lovell and her small string of horses were affected by the temporary racing shutdown. She moved her horses in early March to Ashwood Farm outside of Lexington and made the daily 70-mile drive from her house in Louisville.

When racing resumed, the speedy Just Might returned to stakes company in the $150,000 Shakertown (GII) but experienced trouble throughout his journey and finished ninth. Two months later, Just Might nearly pulled another shocking upset in the $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (GII) after he took the lead at the top of the stretch. He finished third, beaten 1 ¼ lengths to Diamond Oops and Extravagant Kid.

“Colby (Hernandez) rode him great in his last two starts,” Lovell said. “He is such a good rider and deserves this opportunity in the Breeders' Cup.”

Lovell has trained for Griffon's Griffon Farms since the 1990s in Texas. The duo raced Just Might's dam, Dynamite Babe, to nine victories through 21 starts. Just Might's 3-year-old full sister Dynamite Gift recently returned from the sidelines and is preparing for her fifth-career start.

“Dr. Griffon is such a lovely human,” Lovell said. “He's like family to me and I've been training for him for most of my career. The dam of this horse was his horse and we ended up breaking her and racing her. When it time to make her a broodmare he let me become a partner. It's super special to have a horse like this – and such a great storyline being a homebred.”

The pre entry announcement for all 14 Breeders' Cup races took place Wednesday from Keeneland.

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Leinster ‘Doing Much Better’ Ahead Of Return Trip To Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Amy Dunne, Brenda Miley, Westrock Stables and Jean Wilkinson's Leinster began serious preparations for a second run in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) by working a half-mile in :49.40 over a turf course labeled good Thursday morning at Keeneland.

Working on his own with Crystal Conning aboard, Leinster recorded fractions of :11.60, :24.80 and :37.40, according to Keeneland clockers.

“Looked good to me,” trainer Rusty Arnold said of Leinster's first work since winning the Woodford (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select on Oct. 3.

Leinster finished seventh last year in the Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

“Compared to last year at this time, he's doing much better,” said Arnold, who has had 13 Breeders' Cup starters with his first coming in 1996.

“In retrospect, I ran him too much last year. He won the race in New York (the Troy-G3) and that would have been enough to get him in (the Breeders' Cup). Then I ran him at Kentucky Downs and then BACK here in the Woodford, which I shouldn't have done. He didn't run bad (finishing second), but I just think he had lost his edge a little bit.”

In other Thursday works by Breeders' Cup hopefuls:

Ranlo Investments' Golden Pal, who figures to be one of the main players in the $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) on Nov. 6, worked 5 furlongs on the turf in 1:02.80 in company with Hat Creek Racing's Illegal Smile (IRE). Golden Pal started 3 lengths in back of Illegal Smile, who is two-time stakes-placed on the turf at Woodbine, and finished a length in front. Both are trained by Wesley Ward.

Working on the fast main track was DARRS Inc.'s Extravagant Kid, who covered a half-mile in :47.80 for trainer Brendan Walsh. Runner-up to Leinster in the Woodford Presented by Keeneland Select, Extravagant Kid also is under consideration for the Turf Sprint.

Also working for Walsh was The Cool Silk Partnership's Midnight Sands, who covered 5 furlongs in 1:00.80. Midnight Sands is under consideration for the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

David Bernsen and Jeffrey Lambert's Lasting Legacy, under consideration for the $2 million Sprint (G1), worked a half-mile in :47.60 for trainer Bob Hess.

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