Lone U. S. Horse Preps for Hong Kong Sprint

Battle Won, the lone American runner in the Dec. 12 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International races, went to the track Wednesday morning for a brief gallop in preparation for the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (HK-I) at Sha Tin.

The son of Honour and Glory clocked the final 400-meters in :26.4. under Irish jockey Kieren Fallon going over the all-weather track. Battle Won arrived in Hong Kong Dec. 3.

"He felt great," Fallon said after dismounting the gelding for the first time. "And what I really liked was the way he pulled up. Even though he had worked he still had a little buck as we eased down."

The Hong Kong Sprint will mark the first time Battle Won has raced at the 1,000-meter distance (five furlongs). "He'll have no problem down the straight and I guess he will probably race in mid-pack and then finish off strong," said trainer Charles Simon.

Simon conditions Battle Won for California resident Jay Manoogian, who owns grade I winning dirt sprinter Kela and grade II winner Quinton's Gold Rush, in partnership with Satish Sanan's Padua Stables.

Battle Won was privately purchased by Simon from trainer Frankie Brother and Lazy Lane Farm for $150,000.

Since joining the Simon barn, Battle Won scored a three-length win over a sloppy Churchill Downs surface May 19. He finished third in the Aristides Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIIT) and scored wins in the Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes and Woodford County Stakes.

American sprinters have been successful in the Hong Kong Sprint. Morluc finished second in the 2000 and 2001 Hong Kong Sprint and Big Jag ran third in 1999.