Green Mask Draws into Turf Sprint

Trainer Brad Cox shipped D. J. Stable's Green Mask, third in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) in 2015, out to Santa Anita Park with the hopes of making the race again, despite being the second horse on the also-eligible list in a full field.

The 5-year-old Mizzen Mast   gelding will get his chance to run, after the David O'Mera-trained Suedois was pulled up during a routine gallop Nov. 3 and was found to have a stress fracture in his near fore. The injury is season-ending, but not career-ending.

"He'll be fine next year. He'll be back for all the top sprints next year," O'Mera said.

That withdrawal meant Ranlo Investments' Lady Shipman would have made the field, but trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said the grade III-winning Midshipman   filly, who ran second in the Turf Sprint by a neck to Mongolian Saturday last year, will stick with her own division in the Senator Ken Maddy Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup undercard.

"Her last four defeats are against colts (and) she beats fillies every time," McLaughlin said. "It was 2-1 (in the Maddy) or 15-1 (in the Turf Sprint). It wasn't easy, but we decided to run against the fillies."

Green Mask, third in the Oct. 8 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational Stakes last out, has been on the board in four of his six starts for Cox dating back to May (he was trained by Wesley Ward until this April). Julien Leparoux has the mount.

"He's a difficult horse to ride. If he makes the lead too early he'll wait, but Julien's ridden him before and knows him a little bit, which is good," Cox said. "It's almost like you have to get the timing down with him. But he's always right there, and that's what we expect on Saturday."

Alicia Wincze-Hughes contributed to this report.