DEL MAR, Calif. – The last time a full field of 14 horses went postward in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint was in 2020, when the ageless Whitmore rallied from near the rear of the field to spring an 18-1 upset at Keeneland. From all indications, the starting gate could be at capacity once again for the 2025 edition of the six-furlong Sprint.
Seventeen horses were pre-entered this week. Fourteen have given the race first preference, including Straight No Chaser and Bentornato, the one-two finishers in last year’s renewal of the event.
Of the 17 pre-entries, only the Richard Mandella-trained pair of Kopion and Tamara and the Japanese invader Puro Magic gave the Sprint second preference. Kopion and Tamara are expected to stay with their own kind and compete in the Filly and Mare Sprint, while Puro Magic’s first preference is the Turf Sprint. Mandella also pre-entered Big City Lights for the Sprint, although he has the option of running the 6-year-old in the restricted The Chosen Vron Stakes for statebreds here on Nov. 8.
Both Dr. Venkman and Patriot Spirit were cross-entered in the Dirt Mile, though their connections appear to be pointing toward the Sprint at this time.
“We won’t make a final decision until after they release all the pre-entries and have a chance to take a closer look at the prospective fields for both races,” said Mark Glatt, who trains the multiple Grade 2 winner Dr. Venkman. “Although based upon what I know, it appears the Sprint may not be as deep as the Dirt Mile quality-wise. So at the moment, it’s probably fair to say that’s the direction we’re leaning in.”
Glatt said there are a multitude of factors that will go into the final decision, among them the distance and purses of both races, along with the prospective field sizes.
“Realistically, I think our horse’s best gig against high-quality competition is seven furlongs or a one-turn mile. So, unfortunately, he kind of falls right in the middle,” Glatt noted. “Obviously, the factor the Sprint is worth two million and the Dirt Mile just a million gets your attention. Although, ultimately, we will run him in the race we think he has the best chance to win.”
Patriot Spirit earned an automatic fees-paid berth into the Sprint by virtue of his 1 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 Vosburgh going seven furlongs at Aqueduct on September 27. There has, however, been one notable change since that performance, with Patriot Spirit’s winning Beyer Speed Figure having been reduced from 96 to a much more modest 88 since the original number was released after the race.
Bentornato is currently the Daily Racing Form’s 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Sprint. His trainer, Jose D’Angelo, was all smiles after his horse posted a bullet five-furlong work in a minute flat at Keeneland on Saturday.
“The work was amazing. It was everything I was looking for,” D’Angelo enthused. “He’ll have one more easy breeze next week, but at the moment, I am very confident he is every bit as good, if not better, going into this Breeders’ Cup as he was when finishing second in this race a year ago.”
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