Secret Circle Back for More in BC Sprint

Secret Circle will try to become the second horse to win back-to-back editions of the Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) after a full field of 14 entered the six-furlong race set for Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park.

Midnight Lute   won the Sprint in 2007 and 2008 for trainer Bob Baffert, who trains Secret Circle as well. Also like Midnight Lute, Secret Circle races for owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. A 5-year-old son of Eddington   out of the Dixieland Band mare Ragtime Hope, Secret Circle has won seven of 11 starts and earned $1,954,790. He will leave post 4 with Martin Garcia in the irons.

Hong Kong will have its first-ever Breeders' Cup entry in Rich Tapestry, winner of the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (gr. I) in his first U.S. start. The 6-year-old Irish-bred son of Holy Roman Emperor defeated 2013 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) winner Goldencents   and Secret Circle in the Sprint Championship after arriving in California just a few days earlier from Hong Kong. He will be ridden by Olivier Doleuze from the 6 hole.

New York will be well represented by Palace, a 5-year-old son of City Zip   owned by Antonino Miuccio and trained by Linda Rice. Palace this year has captured the Forego Stakes (gr. I) and Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course and the True North Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park. Regular rider Cornelio Velasquez has the mount from post 8.

A lightly raced entrant who could make himself felt in the Sprint is graded stakes-placed Fast Anna. A 3-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro  , Fast Anna is out of 2006 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) winner Dreaming of Anna. 

Frank Calabrese is the owner/breeder of both Fast Anna and his dam, while Fast Anna's trainer, Kathy Ritvo, saddled Mucho Macho Man   to win last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). Fast Anna tuned up for the Sprint with a bullet five-eighths work in :57 Oct. 26. John Velazquez rides from the 12 hole.