Sprinter Showdown

Big Drama, Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) 2010 winner and Eclipse Champion for 2010 Male Sprinter, will be making just his third start of the year in his final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. However, he will have to face two of the top sprinters in the nation: Euroears and Trappe Shot.

Euroears
Photo: Terri Cage

Since Euroears has been one of my favorites for nearly two years now, I may be a little biased, but Bob Baffert is very high on the seven-year-old son of Langfuhr. The chestnut horse kicked off the year with an impressive win in the Palos Verdes Stakes (GII), winning in an impressive time of 1:07.23 for six furlongs. Euroears followed up that win with a commendable second in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (GI). Euroears returned to the races with a track record-breaking victory in the Bing Crosby Stakes (GI) on July 31. His final work before the Vosburgh came in half-mile breeze at Santa Anita in 47.20.

Big Drama should not be counted out, though. He has won three straight, but those wins have been very spaced out. Yet the five-year-old seems to be in great form again. His first win of the year came in the Mr. Prospector Stakes (GIII), in which he broke the six furlong track record at Gulfstream Park. After nearly eight months off, Big Drama returned with an easy win in the Whippleton Stakes at Calder Race Course. The Vosburgh will definitely be his biggest test yet this year, but Big Drama is coming into the race strong, as his final work was a bullet five furlong work at Calder.

Big Drama and Euroears aren’t the only big threats in the Vosburgh.  The 9/5 morning line favorite, Trappe Shot, is definitely a force to be reckoned with. The colt who I have followed since early in his career will try to return to his winning ways after closing in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (GI) to miss by a nose. Prior to that race, the son of Tapit dominantly won the True North Handicap (GI) on Belmont day in the slop. Considering there is a chance of rain at Belmont on Saturday, the track may end up muddy or sloppy, which would likely give Trappe Shot the edge.

Trappe Shot, Big Drama, and Euroears make up what looks to be the top three, but the other horses in the field should not be counted out. The Repole entry, Calibrachoa and Caixa Eletronica, is a competitive one. Calibrachoa kicked off the year with two grade three wins and has since finished third in both the True North and the Vanderbilt. Caixa Eletronica, winner of the Westchester Stakes (GIII) in April, is coming off two starter handicap wins. However, the six-year-old ran poorly in the James Marvin Stakes prior to those wins.

Force Freeze, who has raced mostly in the United Arab Emirates, is coming off a win in the Teddy Drone Stakes at Monmouth, in which he defeated 2010 Hill 'N' Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (GI) winner Jersey Town soundly. Also in the field are graded stakes winners Giant Ryan and Justin Phillip, as well as graded stakes-placed Apriority.

With three of the top sprinters in the country, the Vosburgh looks to be a preview for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. We will know much more about this year’s sprinters after the talented horses cross the finish line. It ought to be a Vosburgh for the ages.


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