Straight No Chaser Triumphs in Breeders' Cup Sprint

Dan Blacker's crop of dark hair bobbed along atop a sea of admirers as he made his way through a mosh pit of MyRacehorse partners threatening to storm the Del Mar winner's circle. Straight No Chaser , the object of their hysteria, had just fulfilled the promise he had shown since coming under Blacker's care as a 2-year-old. And now, after more than three years and 10 agonizingly spaced starts, the 5-year-old son of Speightster stood atop the racing world as the winner of the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) on a cool Nov. 2 afternoon, right where his journey began.

Finally, Blacker emerged from the throng to greet Straight No Chaser and John Velazquez as they returned to the stands, victorious by half a length over the longshot Bentornato . They were 2 1/2 lengths clear of third-place Mullikin , the lukewarm favorite in an evenly matched field of 11 going six furlongs, while Gun Pilot   edged Federal Judge  for fourth.

The Sprint continued a frustrating Breeders' Cup for Japanese runners when their three entrants could do no better than eighth (Meta Max ), ninth (Don Frankie ), and last (Remake ).

After a career plagued by false starts, Straight No Chaser came to his most important race in top form. In late September, he romped in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G2) in only his second start of a year interrupted twice, including a physical glitch that prevented him from running in the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar.

"He was at his best going into that race," Blacker said. "But we had to stop briefly. The challenge was getting him back to that point for the Breeders' Cup."

Mission accomplished, with the help of the veteran Velazquez, who entered the weekend with 220 Breeders' Cup mounts and 20 wins. Blacker, on the other hand, was saddling his just his second Breeders' Cup starter.

Still, it had been 20 years since Velazquez had won the Sprint, in 2004 with Speightstown, the sire of Speightster. Straight No Chaser gave the Hall of Famer the kind of ride a jockey loves, without fuss or bother and just enough drama to get the blood boiling.

"I wanted to break well and get a good position," Velazquez said. "Dan told me not to worry about getting the lead, so I just let him get into a good rhythm and let him do his own thing."

Down the backstretch and around the turn, Straight No Chaser sat a cozy third outside Federal Judge and Bentornato through a half-mile in :44.12.

"I knew we were going fast, so I didn't want to move too soon," the rider said. "I squeezed him a little at the three-eighths, but then by the three-sixteenths I knew I was gonna get it."

The final time was 1:08.62. Blacker, 41, praised the MyRacehorse ownership for their patience and his jockey for getting along with the horse.

"He's got his own agenda," Blacker said. "John makes it look easy, but it's not. You have to go along for the ride."

For the British-born Blacker, the Sprint victory marked a happy ending to a 2024 that began under the dark cloud of a looming suspension for failure to document more than 500 workouts in accordance with California veterinary protocols. The trainer paid a fine of $15,000 and served a three-month ban that ended May 25.

When Straight No Chaser ran in the Runhappy Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack earlier that month, he was trained by Blacker's assistant, Juan Landeros. Straight No Chaser finished fourth that day after a poor start.

Straight No Chaser was a $110,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Speightster, his sire, won three of four starts, including a victory in the 2015 Dwyer Stakes (G3). The young stallion died prior to the 2022 breeding season. The Sprint winner is out of the Johannesburg mare Margarita Friday and was bred by John Eaton and Steve Laymon in Kentucky.

Video: Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1)