Cyberknife Aims to Cut Through Competition in Dirt Mile

In capturing the Breeders' Cup Challenge TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) this summer at Monmouth Park, the connections of Cyberknife   earned a free roll of the dice in the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

But they'll apply his awarded entry fees and take a chance instead in the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Though the race offers but a fraction of the purse, it offers a better chance of victory.

Though the field includes such talented horses as Laurel River  and Cody's Wish , no Breeders' Cup dirt entrant has shown the brilliance of Flightline , the Breeders' Cup Classic favorite. Plus, other stars such as Life Is Good  , Epicenter , Olympiad  , Taiba , and Rich Strike  are in the Classic.

"I think the (Dirt) Mile gives us the better opportunity to win," said Cyberknife's trainer, Brad Cox.

Still, the race is not easy. A large field is assembled, and a short run to the first turn will make early positioning important. The race further ends at what is typically the sixteenth pole for races at Keeneland, leaving the participants with a short stretch to catch the leader.

Two years ago, Cox had a horse perfectly suited for the conditions of the race in the Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go  , who shot to the front in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and despite taxing fractions, was able to sustain those en route to a 3 1/2-length victory. A year later, China Horse Club and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good similarly won the race at Del Mar.

Gold Square's Cyberknife has a versatile running style but doesn't appear as speedy as those two runners. In his last start in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) Sept. 24, he broke a step slowly and was forced to play catchup from eighth. He would up third, beaten 6 3/4 lengths by Taiba.

He narrowly defeated Taiba in the Haskell. That race, like all of his races this year, have been against 3-year-olds.

The Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile is "a race where you have to have things go right, which is true for most of these races at this level—you have to have a good trip," Cox said. "Yeah, he won't be able to stub his toe or anything to get there."

A son of Gun Runner  , Cyberknife is a dual grade 1 winner this year, having also won the Arkansas Derby (G1) in April at Oaklawn Park.  He has never raced a mile, though he appears to be versatile enough to handle most any distance. His maiden win last year came at 1 1/16 miles, and he has since won multiple races at that distance and at 1 1/8 miles.

Godolphin's Cody's Wish is 5-for-5 at a mile, but winless in two races around two turns. His five wins at a mile have been in long one-turn races that Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said suit the Curlin   colt's large frame. His two routes resulted in a third-place finish going 1 1/8 miles when he was a 3-year-old maiden in the summer of 2021, and a runner-up finish in the 1 1/16-mile $100,000 Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes (G3) this March at Tampa Bay Downs.

"I think he's a nice horse and if there's a good pace, he'll be effective," Mott said. "But it is a question mark when you see one that has won as many one-turn races as he's won and the new challenge of trying to win a two-turn race."

The colt has a following, being heartwarmingly named after Cody Dorman, a teenager who has a rare genetic disorder known as Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome.

Cody Wish's achievements have also made headlines. He ran down champion sprinter Jackie's Warrior to win the seven-furlong Forego Stakes (G1) Aug. 27 after Jackie's Warrior   and Pipeline  sparred for the early lead down the backstretch and around the turn.

Jackie's Warrior is not in the Dirt Mile, with him shortening to race six furlongs in the Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), but John D. Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock Services' Pipeline will again be a foe.

Juddmonte's Laurel River has been effective in long dirt sprints and in two-turn mile races. He has won three in a row, twice in allowance optional claimers at Del Mar at a mile and most recently in the seven-furlong Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) there Aug. 27 for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. He won all three races resoundingly.

The form he established in the Pat O'Brien was flattered by the return appearance of third-place Senor Buscador , who returned from the race to win the Ack Ack Stakes (G3) at Oct. 1 at Churchill Downs.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Gunite  also stretches out from seven furlongs after winning the Perryville Stakes Oct. 22 at Keeneland. The 3-year-old son of Gun Runner, trained by North America's all-time winningest trainer Steve Asmussen, is 4-2-0 in six starts this year and won the seven-furlong Hopeful Stakes (G1) last year as a juvenile.

He has never raced two turns in 12 starts in his two seasons of competition.

Here’s the field for the @BreedersCup Dirt Mile on Saturday at #Keeneland! pic.twitter.com/fpxt0HKRf5

— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 31, 2022

Entries: Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T)

Keeneland, Saturday, November 05, 2022, Race 4

• Grade IT
• 5 1/2f
• Turf
• $1,000,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 12:29 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Creative Force (IRE)	William T. Buick	126	Charles Appleby	10/1
2	2Flotus (IRE)	Hollie Doyle	121	Simon Crisford	30/1
3	3Emaraaty Ana (GB)	Ryan L. Moore	126	Kevin A. Ryan	20/1
4	4Campanelle (IRE)	Lanfranco Dettori	123	Wesley A. Ward	8/1
5	5Go Bears Go (IRE)	Umberto Rispoli	124	David Loughnane	30/1
6	6Highfield Princess (FR)	Jason Hart	123	John Quinn	7/2
7	7Arrest Me Red (KY)	John R. Velazquez	126	Wesley A. Ward	15/1
8	8Golden Pal (FL)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	126	Wesley A. Ward	2/1
9	9Naval Crown (GB)	James Doyle	126	Charles Appleby	30/1
10	10Caravel (PA)	Tyler Gaffalione	123	Brad H. Cox	20/1
11	11Casa Creed (KY)	Luis Saez	126	William I. Mott	6/1
12	12Bran (FR)	Vincent Cheminaud	126	John W. Sadler	15/1
13	13Cazadero (KY)	Flavien Prat	126	Brendan P. Walsh	20/1
14	14Artemus Citylimits (ON)	Juan J. Hernandez	126	Michael J. Maker	30/1
15	15Dancing Buck (NY)	Joel Rosario	126	Michelle Nevin	15/1
16	16Oceanic (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	126	Jordan Blair	30/1