Since its addition to the Breeders’ Cup program in 2008, the Turf Sprint has been a race where fillies and mares regularly take on males, with good results.
Mizdirection (2012, 2013), Belvoir Bay (2019), Glass Slippers (2020), and Caravel (2022) are all females who have landed in the winner’s circle. Additionally, Gotta Have Her (second in 2009), Unzip Me (third in 2010), Reneesgotzip (third in 2012, second in 2013), Lady Shipman (third in 2015), Charmaine’s Mia (third in 2021), and Ag Bullet (third in 2024) have finished on the board.
Off a narrow loss in the 2024 Turf Sprint at Del Mar, Ag Bullet returns to the seaside oval this year off a graded stakes victory at Kentucky Downs. Another North American-based millionaire, Shisospicy, ships in off a graded win at the same course, and a cast of potential international filly and mare entrants is led by multiple Group 1 winner Asfoora.
Shisospicy will seek to become the fourth 3-year-old and first female sophomore to win the Turf Sprint. After starting her career on dirt, she won her first three starts on turf, including the Limestone at Keeneland and the Grade 3 Mamzelle at Churchill Downs by 4 1/4 lengths over subsequent Grade 1 winner Kilwin. She ran the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:01.46, just off the course record of 1:01.29 established by the older Queen Maxima in the Grade 3 Unbridled Sidney earlier that spring. Nobals, the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner, broke the record two weeks later with an allowance win in 1:01.96.
Shisospicy faced a tall order in the Group 1 Commonwealth Stakes at Royal Ascot. She ducked left at the start and led her group as the field split down the straightaway, but she weakened in the final furlong to finish 15th.
Trainer Jose D’Angelo gave his filly plenty of time off after her busy spring and worked on her relaxation. Shisospicy responded with a three-length win in the Grade 2 Music City on Sept. 6 at Kentucky Downs. Her time of 1:14.54 for 6 1/2 furlongs was just off Ag Bullet’s course record of 1:14.19 established a year prior.
At this year’s Kentucky Downs meet, Ag Bullet repeated in that race, the Grade 2 Ladies Sprint. While last year she prepped for the Breeders’ Cup with a fourth in the Grade 1 First Lady going longer, she is training up to this year’s race.
Ag Bullet led briefly late in last year’s Turf Sprint and was beaten just a neck at the wire by Starlust and Motorious. A prime local contender, Motorious is expected back for this year’s race.
Ag Bullet returned to action some six months later and was seventh in the Unbridled Sidney with a troubled trip on a course on the yielding side of good. In her second start off the layoff, Ag Bullet scored a two-length win over males in the Grade 1 Jaipur. She won again in Kentucky about three months later and is set up for her second start off the break in the Breeders’ Cup.
While Shisospicy is still early in her career, Ag Bullet will likely be making her final start at the Breeders’ Cup. She is expected to be offered at Fasig-Tipton a few days later.
“I bought her as a yearling,” trainer Richard Baltas told track publicity. “She’s been very, very good to us, and I’m very proud of her. But, you know, this is a business. She’s been a blessing. I’m sure she’ll be a good mother and produce good babies, and her racing work will be done.”
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