Silver Timber 4-1 for BC Turf Sprint

Silver Timber, winner of the April 30 Turf Sprint (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs, will break from post 5 against a full field in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IIT). California Flag, winner of last year's running at Santa Anita, drew post 12. This year's renewal, worth $1 million, will be at five furlongs.

Silver Timber, trained by Chad Brown, was made the 4-1 morning line favorite. Rose Catherine and Chamberlain Bridge were installed the co-second choices at 6-1.

Carl R. Moore Management’s Chamberlain Bridge drew the rail for the Turf Sprint. The 6-year-old gelding certainly knows his way around the Churchill Downs turf course with a  3-1-0 mark from four starts. He missed by a neck to Silver Timber in the Turf Sprint on Oaks Day in April after winning the race in 2009.

“I wasn’t real happy with the one-hole for Chamberlain Bridge but we’ll have to live with it,” said trainer Bret Calhoun. “He’s won from all over the place but ideally I would have preferred him to be in the middle somewhere, a little farther out. There’s obviously a lot of speed in there and you’re going to get a big rush. Maybe we’ll get lucky and find us a seam.”

“For ‘Flag,’ it might have been better for him to draw outside, but it’s OK,” said trainer  Brian Koriner of California Flag’s draw. “He’s going to show speed, so if he’s inside or outside isn’t really going to matter a whole lot with his style.”

At 10-1 on the morning line is turf sprint specialist Stradivinsky. A winner of the six-furlong Jaipur Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont in July, Stradivinsky has made only one start since but has been working lights out with three consecutive bullet moves at Aqueduct in October. His last move was a :47 4/5 move Oct. 20 on the main track.

“ I wish everyone could have seen this horse’s breeze (Monday at Aqueduct),” said trainer Dick Dutrow Jr. “He’s sitting on a big race. You’re going to catch some very, very fast horses in this race, but he belongs.  He’s already won big on that Churchill turf course.”
 

 One of Stradivinsky’s 13 wins came May 27 in a $50,000 claiming effort in which he won by 21/4 lengths at the Turf Sprint distance and was claimed from Richard Ravin.