Breaking like a shot from post 5, WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and SF Racing's Bulletin made every call a winning one Nov. 2 in the inaugural $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs. The son of City Zip traveled the 5 1/2 furlongs over a yielding turf course in 1:05.54.
Hat Creek Racing's Chelsea Cloisters, who hounded the winner for the lead, finished second, with So Perfect third. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Bulletin pulled away in the lane to win by 2 3/4 lengths in his second start.
A bit stubborn to load, Bulletin was quick from the gate under Javier Castellano and established an open-length lead from the bell. The first quarter went in :23.19 as the leader was chased by the filly Chelsea Cloisters and Strike Silver. The runner-up advanced on the leader after a half-mile in :46.89, but Bulletin was able to spurt clear after five furlongs in :59.01.
"I love this Juvenile Turf (Sprint)! I love it," WinStar president Elliott Walden said after the race.
"He broke really well and was sharp," Pletcher said. "He took it to them the whole way. It was a big race. We wanted to leave there running. He finished up nicely; nothing like winning one."
"He broke like a shot and put me in a real great position," Castellano said. "We were in good shape the whole way. I'm very impressed. He was very professional."
Bred in Kentucky by CresRan, Bulletin is out of the grade 3-winning Woodman mare Sue's Good News. The winner is a half brother to grade 1 winner Tiz Miz Sue. Maverick Racing (WinStar) and China Horse Club paid $250,000 for Bulletin at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from Paramount Sales, agent.
The colt made his debut Sept. 29 at Gulfstream Park, where he rolled through the five-furlong Hollywood Beach Stakes, scoring by seven lengths in :56.95.
"Todd felt like the horse needed to go Florida," Walden said. "The horse put on a show down there. Since then, he's trained exceptional. To win by daylight twice is special."
It was WinStar's fourth Breeders' Cup win.
The winner paid $10.60, $6.20, and $4.40. Chelsea Cloisters returned $19.80 and $10.60, and So Perfect paid $5.80.
"The trip worked out perfectly," said Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard the runner-up. "She broke sharply and put herself where she needed to be. I thought we had the horse in front of us, but when Javier (Castellano) got into (Bulletin), he had something left. My filly ran huge."
"What are you going to do? We got beat by the king," said Wesley Ward, trainer of Chelsea Cloisters. "We ran second for my great friend Gatewood Bell, so that is fantastic. We knew going in that the turf would be really, really soft, and it was, but there is nothing you can do about that."
Twenty-eight juveniles were pre-entered for the Juvenile Turf Sprint, with 12 making the cut at the time of entry (along with four also-eligibles). Shang Shang Shang, the morning-line third choice, was scratched, allowing Big Drink of Water, who ran fifth, into the field. |
