Industry Reviewed New BC Turf Sprint
Track Officials and Trainers Discussed Race's Options; Nineteen In
Oct 21, 2008 BarbaraAnne Helberg
Change at the Breeders' Cup World Championships came slowly, as is the way of change. Nineteen horses were pre-enteries thrown into the hat for one of two new races on the program, the Turf Sprint, that will highlight the 2008 BC edition. The Turf Sprint will be televised as Race No. 4 on the Santa Anita card October 25 at 3:15 pm. The other new race is the 1-1/2 miles Marathon.
Breeders' Cup senior vice president of racing and nominations Pam Blatz-Murff told The Blood-Horse magazine (October 18, 2008, "Short Work", pages 5050-52) turf sprints are a facilitator "...to keep older horses around". She pointed out that the Breeders' Cup undercard always has turf sprints, Europe and Australia's tracks feature them regularly, and adding them to the world championships will be an all good result.
Trainers Differ On Worthiness of Turf Sprints
As change is inevitable, reactions to change are variable. Not all trainers agree that turf sprints are an enhancement to Thoroughbred racing. Some, like William Mott, believe the turf sprint is a singular thing that belongs in a singular place, and should not to be squeezed into the perfection of the Thoroughbred's schedule of distance and stamina.
Robert J. "Bobby" Frankel agrees with Mott. "There are too many options in racing, in general," Frankel stated. He recalled that no one had a problem with the absences of sprints in Santa Anita when he first stabled horses there in 1972.
John W. Sadler, based in California with his stables, and Linda Rice, a New York-based conditioner, believe the new turf sprint in the BC schedule is long overdue. Both regularly handle sprinters. "It's a great category," said Rice, one in which she enjoys specializing.
"Some milers will run it well, especially at 6-1/2 furlongs," Sadler claimed.
Shorter Races Mean More Track Business
New York Racing Association vice president and director of racing J.P. Campo said, "We started running them (turf sprints) to keep them (trainers) home, and it just took off." Previously, Campo said, trainers and owners were taking their horses to other facilities to fill the crowd-pleasing turf sprints.
Trainer Barry Abrams also spoke on the positive side of the added sprint. Horses can fill sprint schedules easier than calls for longer races, he suggested. "At sales, you want to see a horse that can run a :21, not a :23," he commented, referring to the public's adoration for speed.
"I hate to see them (turf sprints at the bc) carded at the expense of longer races," said D. Wayne Lukas. "There's a place for those (turf sprint) horses," he agreed, however. They fill cards. Where longer races might have five, or six horses, sprints will feature eight, or more.
Generally, horses can turn around quicker after sprints, and people gather more readily to cheer on the speed horses. The public has already shown growing enthusiasm to fill short sprint cards.
The Thoroughbred industry is stretching itself, answering the public's cry for improvements in particular areas, as in safety (since the last highly publicized on-track accident involving Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby); as in welfare for its animals; as in attracting people to its gates.
For those reasons, turf sprinting has change written all over it.
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