Bridle a Butterfly seems to have found his niche as a late-running turf sprinter. Coming off a 9-1 upset stakes win at Churchill Downs, the gelding figures to be much shorter odds against a stakes-quality field Friday in a $141,000 turf-sprint allowance for 3-year-olds.
Bridle a Butterfly, a Glen Hill Farm homebred by Country House, made four starts last year for trainer Bethany Baumgardner, with his lone win coming in his debut at five furlongs on the turf. In stakes efforts as a juvenile, he ran relatively evenly.
He was moved to trainer Al Stall Jr., who kept him on turf but cut him back to start this season. In an allowance on March 14 at Fair Grounds, he was off slow but rallied from ninth to be a well-beaten second.
Off the encouraging effort, Bridle a Butterfly stepped back up to stakes company for the William Walker on April 30, going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Churchill turf. He was last of eight early behind a sharp opening quarter of 22.16 seconds set by favored Governor Sam. With clear sailing down the center of the course late, Bridle a Butterfly surged by Out On Bail, who had overtaken Governor Sam, to win by a half-length.
“A regular sprinter – one that goes 22, 45 – that kind is easy,” Stall said after that race. “But a closing sprinter, you’ve got to figure it out. We experimented some with this horse and now I think we have got it.”
Bridle a Butterfly should have plenty of pace to help his late rally. Governor Sam, who won three stakes last year, returns from the William Walker. He is drawn in the outside post, and immediately to his inside is the filly Dreamaway, also a stakes winner last year. As of late, she has been chasing the Royal Ascot-bound turf sprint filly Shisospicy, who flirted with a course record in her most recent outing.
There is speed toward the inside of the gate as well, with Jet Sweep Joe – who had been forward in some of his better races last year – drawn on the rail, and longshots Star’s Image and Homie, who have won on the lead, next to him.
Wesley Ward, who trains Dreamaway, has also entered Guy Smiley, a potential late runner. Guy Smiley made an even run to be third in a one-mile maiden race on Turfway Park’s Tapeta that was won by Final Gambit, who went on to win the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby. In his last start, Guy Smiley shortened up to five furlongs on the Churchill turf for a 1 1/2-length maiden score.
Given the quicker pace in a shorter race – 21.62 seconds for the opening quarter, compared to 24.33 at Turfway – Guy Smiley’s run had more punch.
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