Imprimis Looks to Cross Wire First Again in Turf Sprint

When trainer Joe Orseno appraises Imprimis' chances in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Keeneland, he believes the 6-year-old Broken Vow  gelding has done everything perfectly in his abbreviated two-race 2020 campaign.

He cannot say the same about the stewards at Saratoga Race Course.

While Breeze Easy's Imprimis crossed the finish line first in both of those starts, it was what happened after the Aug. 8 Troy Stakes (G3T) at the Spa that still irks Orseno.

Running for the first time since finishing sixth in last year's Turf Sprint, Imprimis rallied from third and finished first by a decisive 2 1/4 lengths. But during that stretch run, according to the Equibase chart, he came in while rushing past his rivals and forced Shekky Shebaz to steady. 

While American Sailor, who was unaffected, finished second in the 5 1/2-furlong stakes, Shekky Shebaz was a head behind in third and the stewards ruled that Imprimis cost him a placing. They dropped him from first to third.

"He's done everything we've asked him to do. I know he was taken down that day, but you can't take the race away from him or what he got out of the race. We accomplished what we needed," said Orseno, who became Imprimis' trainer when Breeze Easy bought him in 2018 from owner-breeder Craig Wheeler and trainer Tim Hills after his second start. "We were disappointed but we were ecstatic, too. We didn't let that ruin our day. It was a good ending, except for the three stewards. Some people who saw it thought it was the worst takedown they ever saw."

After the Troy, Imprimis won the six-furlong Runhappy Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Downs by a neck to secure a free "Win and You're In" spot in the upcoming $1 million Breeders' Cup stakes. As a result, after his gelding endured a nine-month layoff caused by two surgeries to remedy breathing issues, Orseno, a two-time Breeders' Cup winner, is brimming with confidence that Imprimis is set for a peak effort.

"Both feet are on the ground but we're excited. I wouldn't trade places with anyone. I'm getting him there in top form, in perfect shape, just the way I want him," Orseno said about the winner of eight of 15 starts. "He's at his best and will bring his 'A' game. It's just a matter of will it be good enough."

A full field of 14 will clash in the 5 1/2-furlong Turf Sprint, with some of the top threats including a trio of distaff entrants: the multiple grade 1 winner Got Stormy, Oleksandra, who will be making her first start since winning the June 20 Jaipur Stakes (G1T) and suffering a fractured splint, and Glass Slippers, a multiple group 1 winner shipping in from Europe.

Also entered are Leinster, a winner of two grade 2 turf sprint stakes at Keeneland this year, and Front Run the Fed and Bombard, who finished in a dead-heat for second behind Imprimis in Kentucky Downs' Turf Sprint.

Entries: Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T)

Keeneland, Saturday, November 07, 2020, Race 5

• Grade IT
• 5 1/2f
• Turf
• $1,000,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 12:39 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Big Runnuer (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	126	Victor L. Garcia	12/1
2	2Just Might (KY)	Colby J. Hernandez	126	Michelle Lovell	30/1
3	3Imprimis (FL)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	126	Joseph F. Orseno	4/1
4	4Front Run the Fed (KY)	Javier Castellano	126	Chad C. Brown	12/1
5	5Wet Your Whistle (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	126	Michael J. Trombetta	15/1
6	6Glass Slippers (GB)	Tom Eaves	123	Kevin A. Ryan	12/1
7	7Leinster (KY)	Luis Saez	126	George R. Arnold, II	4/1
8	8Oleksandra (AUS)	Joel Rosario	123	Neil D. Drysdale	12/1
9	9Into Mystic (KY)	Joseph Talamo	123	Brendan P. Walsh	12/1
10	10Bombard (KY)	Flavien Prat	126	Richard E. Mandella	15/1
11	11Wildman Jack (KY)	Manuel Franco	126	Doug F. O'Neill	15/1
12	12Got Stormy (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	123	Mark E. Casse	7/2
13	13Texas Wedge (KY)	Florent Geroux	126	Peter Miller	20/1
14	14Extravagant Kid (FL)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	126	Brendan P. Walsh	15/1
15	15Equilateral (GB)	Lanfranco Dettori	126	Charles Hills	30/1
16	16Chaos Theory (KY)	John R. Velazquez	126	John W. Sadler	15/1
17	17Archidust (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	126	Steven M. Asmussen	30/1
18	18Bulletproof One (CA)	Javier Castellano	121	Peter Miller	30/1