Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

Turf race infobox
class = Ungraded
horse race = Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint


caption =
location = United States flagicon|USA
inaugurated = 2008
race type = Thoroughbred - Flat racing
website = [http://www.breederscup.com Official Breeders' Cup website]
distance = (6.5 furlongs)
track = Turf, left-handed
qualification = Three-years-old & up
weight = Weight for Age
purse = US$1,000,000
bonuses = The Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint is a Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up. As its name implies, it will be a part of the Breeders' Cup, the "de facto" year-end championship for North American thoroughbred racing. The distance of the race will vary depending on the host track's turf course requirements [ [http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=42402 Monthly Index to Online Story's | Blood-Horse.com ] ] .

The race will be run for the first time in 2008 during the second day of Breeders' Cup racing at that year's host track, Santa Anita Park.

The 2008 race will be held at a distance of six and a half furlongs and will be contested on Santa Anita’s signature El Camino Real “downhill” turf course. In 2008 the race will also be limited to 14 starters. Besides Santa Anita, the only tracks in North America capable of contesting longer than six and 1/2 furlong turf races are Woodbine [ [http://www.horse-races.net/library/tracks/rec-wox.htm Woodbine Track Records ] ] and Belmont [ [http://www.horse-races.net/library/tracks/rec-bel.htm Belmont Track Records ] ] . Churchill Downs, which has hosted the Breeders' Cup 6 times, only conducts turf sprints at 5 furlongs [ [http://www.churchilldowns.com/racing_information/todays_race_card/track_records.html Churchill Downs ] ] . Breeders' Cup Officials have not announced a preferred distance for the race, unlike all other Breeders' Cup races.

Because of technical requirements, it is not eligible for classification as a graded stakes race in its first two runnings [ [http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing-news/2007/November/28/Graded-Stakes-Committee-releases-2008-changes.aspx Graded Stakes Committee releases 2008 changes - Thoroughbred Times ] ] .

References