Imperial Hint Seeks Encore Victory in Vosburgh

Trainer Luis Carvajal Jr. finds himself living in the past these days, but that's easily excused.

It was a year ago at this time that Carvajal had one of the sport's top sprinters in Raymond Mamone's Imperial Hint, who was coming off an impressive 3 3/4-length victory in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and loomed a heavy favorite in his final Breeders' Cup prep, the Vosburgh Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.

Twelve months later, all that has changed is Imperial Hint's age and the exact odds on the toteboard. He's now a more mature 6-year-old horse who notched an eye-catching four-length, track-record score in the Vanderbilt in his previous start and enters the $300,000 Vosburgh Sept. 28 as the favorite to once again prep for the $2 million TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) in a winning manner.

"It's just like last year," Carvajal said. "He's coming up to the Vosburgh in great shape. He's more manageable than he had been, and he's working well for the race. We're following the same plan as last year, and we hope things will work out better this time in the Breeders' Cup."

After winning the 2018 Vosburgh by 1 1/4 lengths as a 1-5 favorite in a blazing 1:08.27 for the six furlongs, Imperial Hint headed to the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs as the 8-5 favorite but had little impact on the race and finished third, five lengths behind the victorious Roy H. 

"The Breeders' Cup wasn't his day," Carvajal said. "He had a 12-hour van ride to Churchill Downs, and for some reason he didn't get a hold of the track."

Given three months off, the Florida-bred son of Imperialism was once again a 1-5 favorite when he returned in the Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs but was a well-beaten third.

He was subsequently shipped to Dubai for the $2.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored By Gulf News (G1) and wound up third for the third straight race. 

Nearly four months later, he returned in the July 27 Vanderbilt and found himself in an unusual position after racing as the betting favorite in his past seven starts in the United States. With Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) winner Mitole the star of the show, Imperial Hint was dismissed as the 5-1 third choice in the wagering behind Mitole and Firenze Fire while bidding for back-to-back wins in the six-furlong stakes.

That price turned out to be a bargain when Mitole floundered as the 1-2 favorite while racing along seemingly the deeper inner part of the racetrack, settling for third, and Imperial Hint returned to top form. The son of the Lahint mare Royal Hint bred by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds launched a strong wide move on the turn and rolled to a decisive victory in 1:07.92. It was a clocking that shattered the old track record for six furlongs that was shared by Speightstown  with a time of 1:08.04 in 2004 and Spanish Riddle with a 1:08 in 1972 before races were timed in hundredths of seconds. It served notice that he will be a handful for his five rivals in the Vosburgh, a Breeders' Cup Challenge stakes that offers a free spot in the Sprint.

"I loved the way he came back after the Vanderbilt," Carvajal said. "He looks like a happy horse, and that's the main thing. When you have a happy horse, you look forward to the next race."

Should the $2 million earner serve up an encore in the Vosburgh, it would put him in the thick of the chase for an Eclipse Award heading into the all-important Nov. 2 showdown at Santa Anita Park on the West Coast—the part of the country Imperial Hint visited while finishing second in the 2017 Sprint at Del Mar.

"He has a big chance to be a champion," Carvajal said. "But he has to get past the Vosburgh first. Even when you're 1-9, it's still a horse race, and there's no sure things. That's what makes this sport so special."

Two grade 1-winning millionaires, Firenze Fire and Promises Fulfilled, figure to be the main rivals.

Mr. Amore Stable's 4-year-old Firenze Fire was second in the Forego Stakes Presented by Encore Boston Harbor (G1), three lengths behind the victorious Mitole, after finishing fourth in the Vanderbilt.

In four starts at Belmont Park for trainer Jason Servis, the homebred son of Poseidon's Warrior  has three wins, with the lone loss coming when he was fifth in the Met Mile behind Mitole.

Robert Baron and WinStar Farm's Promises Fulfilled already has a spot in the Sprint wrapped up by virtue of his 4 1/2-length score in the John A. Nerud Stakes (G2). The July 6 seven-furlong test at Belmont Park was also part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, awarding Promises Fulfilled a free "Win and You're In" berth at the World Championships.

In his next start, the 4-year-old son of Shackleford  set the pace in the Forego but faded badly to finish last in the field of six, 14 1/4 lengths behind Mitole.

The Nerud was Promises Fulfilled's lone win in five starts this year. He was also fourth in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, 1 1/4 lengths behind Imperial Hint. Bred in Kentucky by David Jacobs, he won the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) a year ago but was fourth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint for trainer Dale Romans.

The field also includes Call Paul, American Power, and the Ohio-bred Brown Buckeye.

Entries: Vosburgh S. (G1)

Belmont Park, Saturday, September 28, 2019, Race 4

• Grade I
• 6f
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 2:35 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Call Paul (PA)	Manuel Franco	122	Jason Servis	15/1
2	2American Power (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	124	Linda Rice	15/1
3	3Brown Buckeye (OH)	Jose A. Bracho	124	Anthony T. Quartarolo	30/1
4	4Imperial Hint (FL)	Javier Castellano	124	Luis Carvajal, Jr.	3/5
5	5Promises Fulfilled (KY)	Luis Saez	124	Dale L. Romans	7/2
6	6Firenze Fire (FL)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	124	Jason Servis	5/2