Whitmore Sails Home in Breeders' Cup Sprint

In one of the most popular wins of this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships, veteran gelding Whitmore smoothly rallied in the lane to post a clear victory in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

In his fourth try at the six-furlong Sprint—after earning a runner-up finish in 2018 and third-place finish last year—the 7-year-old Whitmore refused to be denied. He saved ground early, then rallied from 10th to storm past rivals C Z Rocket and Empire of Gold in the stretch to secure a 3 1/4-length victory.

"I think he wants it," winning trainer Ron Moquett, with tears in his eyes, summed up Whitmore's desire to NBC moments after the race.

Although Whitmore finished off the board in his two previous starts, Moquett saw improvement in the Pleasantly Perfect gelding in his most recent start, a fourth-place finish in the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2) at the same trip Oct. 2 at Keeneland. Before the race Moquett noted that this year's edition of the Sprint didn't have a monster standout, like last year's winner Mitole  and 2017-18 victor Roy H.

"To be the fastest horse in the world, you have to beat the fastest horses in the world," Moquett said. "And today, we're the fastest."

While the main track had been playing toward early speed on the day, it also seemed to be favoring the inside path. Moquett said it was all he could do to not tell jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. to just send the usually closing horse to the lead. Ortiz did the next best thing, saving ground early before unleashing his winning move.

Jasper Prince seized the lead early on through a quarter-mile in :21.64 and a half-mile in :44.66 while pursued closely by longshot Empire of Gold. Empire of Gold moved to the lead in midstretch but Whitmore, who had steadily improved in the turn, came off the rail for his winning move.

C Z Rocket, a former claimer who entered off five straight wins in Southern California for trainer Peter Miller, finished second, a neck ahead of Firenze Fire in third. Whitmore completed six furlongs in 1:08.61.

"He had a great trip," Ortiz said. "We wanted to break and have him relax and that's what we did. He relaxed so good. I was able to cut the corner on the turn and when I tipped him out he just exploded. He's a nice horse. He's been running for so many years. He's a warrior." 

Miller, who sent out Roy H to those back-to-back Sprint wins, came up just short of winning a third Sprint since 2017. The former claimer entered off victories in the Aug. 29 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) at Del Mar and the Sept. 27 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G2).

"He ran his eyeballs out," Miller said. "I think the draw really hurt us. If we drew where Whitmore drew, I think it's a different deal, but that's horse racing. We had to ride him away from there and that's not the way he really wants to run, but he had no choice on this speed-favoring racetrack."

Miller said jockey Luis Saez did his job following a tough assignment because of that start from Post 2.

"From the inside, you don't want to get shuffled back to last. He rode a super race," Miller said. "It was just circumstance: speed-favoring track and an inside draw on a horse who wants to sit and doesn't want to be ridden away from there, but I couldn't be prouder of the horse. He's shown up every time we ran him." 

Firenze Fire also made a big rally as he raced 12th through a half-mile.

"We kind of lost a little bit of contact early," said Firenze Fire's jockey, Jose Lezcano. "The pace was very fast early and he was a little bit more behind than I wanted to be. From the five-sixteenths to the three-sixteenths, I didn't have any place to go. I was waiting and waiting and when I really asked him to go he gave me a good kick. He really came running. If we could have gotten a little clear earlier we would have been right there. He gave me a good race." 

In his 38th start, Robert LaPenta, Southern Springs Stables, and Head of Plains Partners' Whitmore secured his 11th stakes win, seventh graded stakes win, second grade 1 win, and biggest score to date. Moquett credited Whitmore first, then noted the use of all the best therapies at the barn for the standout who has raced since age 2. He also emphasized the care Whitmore gets from his wife, assistant trainer Laura Moquett, and exercise rider Greta Kuntzweiler in keeping him at the top of his game year after year.

"For a big old grumpy gelding, he has a lot of girls wrapped around his finger," Moquett said.

Bred in Kentucky by John Liviakis, Whitmore is one of three starters, out of the unraced Scat Daddy mare Melody's Spirit. 

Initially inspired by a photo of Whitmore sent to him by agent and friend Jeff Mackor II, Moquett privately purchased then unraced Whitmore for about $35,000 from the breeder. Moquett still loves sharing the first photo he ever saw of Whitmore, at the time an unraced 2015 juvenile removed from consideration for an upcoming 2-year-olds in training sale.

Whitmore has earned more than $4.2 million.

"When I saw the picture of Whitmore, I lost my mind," Moquett told BloodHorse earlier this year. "I didn't say anything to Jeff. I just sent him a two-word text, 'Buy him.'" 

Video: Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1)