Roy H Seeks Redemption in Sprint Championship

There are a number of reasons why the $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1) Oct. 7 is important for Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen's Roy H.

It's a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race and a key prep for the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). For Rockingham in particular, it's a desired grade 1 win to add to the trophy case for owner Gary Hartunian's racing operation, which has just one to date (the 2015 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic won by Finnegans Wake).

But the fact that Roy H's connections feel like they had the best horse and didn't win in the July 29 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) adds a little spice to the mixture.

"Did we think we had the best horse in the race? Yeah, we did. But that's horse racing," trainer Peter Miller said of the Bing Crosby won by fellow Sprint Championship entrant Ransom the Moon.

Ransom the Moon got a clean trip as the loose champion sprinter Drefong—who ducked in leaving the chute at Del Mar and dropped jockey Mike Smith—floated Roy H six paths wide late in the turn. What would have happened if Roy H was unimpeded is impossible to know for sure, but the 1 1/2-length winning margin at the very least would have been slimmer if the 5-year-old More Than Ready  gelding hadn't lost so much ground.

BALAN: Ransom the Moon Wins Wild Bing Crosby

"I don't want to dwell on the past, and I have nothing against anybody else out there, but we were a little disappointed," said Rockingham Ranch's director of operations, Brian Trump. "This race is definitely important—because the Breeders' Cup is ahead and we want another grade 1 winner to go along with Finnegans Wake. ... But if (Ransom the Moon's connections) think they had the best horse, that's fine.

"It was a fair race. That's part of horse racing. But that doesn't mean we don't want to redeem ourselves."

Prior to the Bing Crosby, Roy H—who is named after Hartunian's grandfather—began to emerge as a top-level sprinter. After an extended break from July of 2016 to early 2017, he was gelded, came back with increased focus, and won two allowance races—one sprinting down the Santa Anita Park hillside turf course and another washed off the turf—then shipped to Belmont Park, where he impressively won the June 9 True North Stakes (G2).

BALAN: Roy H Invades Belmont, Takes True North

Unlike Miller's main string at San Luis Rey Downs Training Center in Bonsall, Calif., Roy H has remained with assistant Ruben Alvarado, either at Santa Anita or Del Mar, and has thrived. Trump calls it "kind of superstitious," which Miller laughs off.

"I used to be superstitious, but it was bad luck," Miller joked. "The horse has done well with Ruben watching over him, and after he won his first two—I'm an if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it guy."

But Roy H won't have to only contend with Ransom the Moon this time around in the Sprint Championship. Drefong is expected to train up to the Breeders' Cup, but trainer Bob Baffert will bring another formidable sprinter in American Anthem.

Third behind Practical Joke and Takaful in the H. Allen Jerkens (G1) at Saratoga Race Course last time out Aug. 26, the Bodemeister  colt will face older horses for the first time in the six-furlong Sprint Championship, but has two graded victories sprinting this year—albeit at seven furlongs—in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G2) and Lazaro Barrera Stakes (G3).

Another threat is last-out Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) winner Giant Expectations, who closed from sixth to win the seven-furlong event Aug. 26 at Del Mar. It was the third win in the last four starts for the New York-bred son of Frost Giant , who went winless in six starts to start his career in Southern California, then shipped to New Yok to win two state-bred races before he returned to trainer Peter Eurton's West Coast base.

BALAN: Giant Expectations Hits Best Stride Late in Pat O'Brien

Also entered are a pair of California-breds, Edwards Going Left and Mr. Hinx. Although they have yet to have success in graded company, both have won more races than they have lost. Mr. Hinx has won five of his nine starts—on turf, fast dirt, and wet dirt—while Edwards Going Left has won four of his six starts, including a last-out allowance score Aug. 19 at Del Mar.

Entries: Santa Anita Sprint Championship S. (G1)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, October 07, 2017, Race 6

• Grade I
• 6f
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:02 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Ransom the Moon (ON)	Flavien Prat	126	Philip D'Amato	5/2
2	2Giant Expectations (NY)	Gary L. Stevens	122	Peter Eurton	3/1
3	3Edwards Going Left (CA)	Tyler Baze	119	John W. Sadler	10/1
4	4American Anthem (KY)	Mike E. Smith	119	Bob Baffert	3/1
5	5Mr. Hinx (CA)	Drayden Van Dyke	119	Steven Miyadi	15/1
6	6Roy H (KY)	Kent J. Desormeaux	122	Peter Miller	8/5