Chamberlain Bridge, winner of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs, returns to familiar territory when he takes on 11 rivals in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Presented by GE Appliances (gr. IIIT) at five furlongs on the Matt Winn Turf Course at Churchill.
The $125,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint for 4-year-olds and up is the sixth race on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) undercard with a 1:19 p.m. post time.
Trained by Bret Calhoun for Carl R. Moore Management, Chamberlain Bridge will be making his fourth appearance in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint, with a victory coming in the 2009 running and a third-place effort last year. Regular rider Jamie Theriot has the assignment on Chamberlain Bridge, who will break from post position 11 and carry 118 pounds.
An 8-year-old War Chant gelding, Chamberlain Bridge has been out twice this year. He ran second in the Colonel Power on grass at Fair Grounds and seventh last time out in the Shakertown (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland. His 12 career stakes wins are about as many as the rest of the field combined.
One of Chamberlain Bridge’s chief rivals figures to be five-time stakes winner Bridgetown, who will be making his 2012 debut. Second in this race last year, the son of Speightstown will be ridden by John Velazquez and break from post position four.
A graded stakes winner at Woodbine in 2009, Bridgetown won the Troy Stakes on grass at Saratoga Race Course last time out.
Amanecer de Oro, one of two other multiple stakes winners in the field, finished third in the Bayou St. Johns Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots on grass in April last time out. By Afternoon Deelites, he won a pair of Louisiana restricted events last year.
Great Mills, the other multiple stakes winner, got nipped at the wire in the Shakertown while recording a hefty 123 Equibase Speed Figure. In his other start this year, the son of War Front captured the Champion Energy Services Stakes on turf at Sam Houston Race Park.
Two others in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint field, City Sage (by City Place) and Great Attack (by Greatness), also are 2012 stakes winners. City Sage, who made his last 11 starts on the main track, has won both of his starts this year including the Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
Great Attack, who was sixth in the Shakertown and fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IIT), won the Turf Dash Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs after starting this year with a solid effort in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.
Cactus Son is the remaining member of the cast with either a stakes win or stakes placings. Twice stakes-placed last year, the son of Cactus Ridge was third in the Colonel Power following an optional claiming score on grass at Fair Grounds.
The remaining members of the field consist of 2012 winners Santo Gato (by Kitten's Joy ), Shabaab (Stormy Atlantic ), Speight the Halo (Speightstown ), and Spinning Move (Belong to Me), plus earlier winner Stormy Going (Stormy Atlantic).
$125,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Presented by GE Appliances (gr. IIIT, Race 6, 1:19 p.m. EDT), 4 & Up, 5 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Santo Gato, R Bejarano, 118, M Scherer
2. Great Attack, J Rosario, 120, W Ward
3. Cactus Son, R Albarado, 118, K Smith
4. Bridgetown, J Velazquez, 118, T Pletcher
5. City Sage, C Borel, 118, J Arnett
6. Stormy Going, G Saez, 118, J Dodgen
7. Speight the Halo, J Graham, 118, K Zavash
8. Spinning Move, C Lanerie, 118, N. Howard
9. Amanecer de Oro, R Eramia, 118, S Duke
10. Great Mills, J Leparoux, 120, S Asmussen
11. Chamberlain Bridge, J Theriot, 118, W Calhoun
12. Shabaab, L Contreras, 118, K Vassilieva