Prospective field holds steady

There were no surprises when pre-entries for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint closed on Monday, with the prospective lineup for the six-furlong event virtually the same as it has been since Daily Racing Form began tracking the contenders six weeks earlier.

A dozen horses were preentered for the 2021 Sprint but as few as nine are likely to start. The pre-entry list includes the Japan-based stablemates Pingxiang and Jasper Prince, both of whom have first preference in the Dirt Mile, and Following Sea, whose connections have yet to firmly commit to the race even though the 3-year-old earned a berth by winning the Vosburgh earlier this month.

The pre-entry list also features some familiar faces, none more so than Firenze Fire, who is set to make his third straight appearance in the Sprint and fifth consecutive Breeders’ Cup start overall. C Z Rocket, second behind Whitmore in this race a year ago, and the Japanese invader Matera, who ran eighth and last in 2019 at Santa Anita, also return.

Trainer Steve Asmussen won the 2019 Sprint with Mitole and will be favored to do it again this season with Jackie’s Warrior, who enters the race having won four of his last five starts. The lone loss during that span was a neck setback to Drain the Clock following a poor start in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens. Jackie’s Warrior avenged that loss with an easy win over Drain the Clock in the Grade 2 Amsterdam at Saratoga, followed by a game neck decision over Life Is Good in the Grade 1 Allen Jerkens there before completing his Breeders’ Cup prep work by cruising to a one-sided triumph in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob at Parx. The Sprint will be the first time Jackie’s Warrior has competed against older horses.

Asmussen shipped his Breeders’ Cup contenders to Santa Anita earlier this month, with Jackie’s Warrior having had four works since arriving in Southern California, including a sharp-looking five furlongs in 1:01 on Saturday. He is expected to have one final tune-up before the Sprint this weekend at Del Mar.

Trainer Peter Miller won the only previous renewal of the Sprint at Del Mar with Roy H in 2017, and he’ll look to do it again with C Z Rocket, who along with Flagstaff is the 7-year-old elder statesman of the prospective field. C Z Rocket has maintained his consistently good form in 2021, winning twice while never worse than third in six starts, with both victories coming early in the year at Oaklawn Park. He was beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Whitmore while holding off Firenze Fire by a neck to finish second in the 2020 Sprint at Keeneland.

Other key contenders include Breeders’ Cup Challenge race winners Dr. Schivel, who captured both the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar and Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint, and Special Reserve, winner of the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland. Rounding out the list of pre-entrants are the up-and-coming Aloha West, who finished a fast-closing second in the Phoenix, and Lexitonian, upset winner of the Grade 1 Vanderbilt.