Hofmans Hopes to Add to Turf Sprint Success

Since the inception of the Turf Sprint (gr. IT) to the Breeders' Cup World Championships in 2008, four of the six renewals have been over the unique downhill turf course at Santa Anita Park at the distance of about 6 1/2 furlongs.



And not surprisingly, all four have been won by California-based horses, including two-time winner Mizdirection.



Trainer David Hofmans, who took the inaugural running with 36-1 shot Desert Code  , hopes to add to that success this year with Tarabilla Farms' Home Run Kitten. The son of Kitten's Joy  —Grand Slam Girl, by Grand Slam, flew to a narrow victory at 10-1 odds in the Eddie D. Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the Santa Anita opening-day card Sept. 26.



Ridden by Joe Talamo, Home Run Kitten improved to 4-1-2 in nine starts, with earnings of $217,800. The 3-year-old has won four of six starts on turf at Santa Anita and is now 2-for-2 on the hillside course.



"It was very exciting, especially the way he came flying on the outside," Hofmans said of Home Run Kitten, who was bred in Kentucky by Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Homerun Kitten was among a group of horses purchased privately by Hofmans from the breeders while he was a yearling.



Considering his record over the Santa Anita turf, Hofmans said it was logical to point him to the Turf Sprint following the Eddie D.



To say that the downhill turf course is unique would be an understatement. The start is, as described, halfway up a hillside, with the horses sprinting down to connect to the main turf course, crossing the dirt track in the process.

Hofmans said that while that causes pause for some horses, he has only had one horse who absolutely did not like the route.



"Most horses handle it OK," the trainer said. "Most horses, if they are not speedy, they tuck in behind another horse and follow them across it. A horse on the lead might bolt from it a little bit but I have pretty good luck over it.

"During my career I have only had one horse who refused to go across the dirt," the trainer said. "It was in the late 70s, and his name was White Fir. Overall, he was a nice horse."

Hofmans said there are many similarities between Home Run Kitten and Desert Code, also owned by Tarabilla Farms, especially their willingness to win.



"They are very similar," Hofmans said. "They are both very determined. This horse is more consistent and is a much sounder horse. Desert Code had his issues and I had to work around that. This horse doesn't need blinkers; he doesn't need a special bit. He is much more consistent and honest than most horses I have been around."



Hofmans labeled Home Run Kitten "a very smart horse" who is "a little on the muscle some of the time. He is not a very big horse but he is made very well. He is very intelligent. He is very tough. You can see that in the races he has won; right there at the end, he wants to do it."



Home Run Kitten worked an easy five furlongs on the main track Oct. 7 in 1:03 3/5 and will be worked six furlongs next week, with another five-eighths work five or six days prior to the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup.