Breeders’ Cup: It’s Miller Time Again as Belvoir Bay Wins Turf Sprint
US Racing Team
Belvoir Bay
The $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) should be subtitled the Peter Miller Show.
Not only did the Santa Anita-based trainer win the race for the third consecutive year, but he saddled the first two finishers, long shots Belvoir Bay, the 6-year-old mare who led throughout, and 7-year-old Om, who finished 1 1/4 lengths behind his stablemate and a nose ahead of Shekky Shebaz.
Miller won the Turf Sprint the previous two years with Stormy Liberal, who never got involved this time and finished eighth.
Pure Sensation, the 7-2 favorite, broke slowly and finished fifth.
Belvoir Bay, who paid $31.60, broke well from post 12 on very firm turf that overwhelmingly favored early speed the past two days. She set a course record of 54.83 seconds in her first start since running fourth June 8 on the Belmont Stakes undercard. She had lost three in a row since winning a 5-furlong race Feb. 16 at Santa Anita. On March 30, she ran second in Dubai to Blue Point, one of Europe’s top sprinters.
Stubbins was fourth, followed by Pure Sensation, Imprimis, Leinster, Stormy Liberal, Final Frontier, Totally Boss, Eddie Haskell and Legends of War.
2019 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Results
| Results | PP | Horse | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Belvoir Bay | Peter Miller | Javier Castellano |
| 2 | 11 | Om | Peter Miller | Manuel Franco |
| 3 | 4 | Shekky Shebaz | Jason Servis | Irad Ortiz Jr. |
| 4 | 5 | Stubbins | Doug O’Neill | Flavien Prat |
| 5 | 2 | Pure Sensation | Christophe Clement | Paco Lopez |