Derby City Distaff heroine Kopion breaks new ground on November 1 when she runs over 1,200m for the first time in the $2,000,000 Breeders Cup Sprint during the World Championships from Del Mar. Richard Mandela’s four-year-old Omaha Beach filly seeks a third career Grade I victory out in California.
Kopion’s breakthrough at the highest level came in Santa Anita’s La Brea Stakes last Christmas. The way in which she quickened up when hitting the front a couple of furlongs from home and kept galloping on all the way to the wire suggested sprinting might be worth trying down the line. As Kopion then confirmed that impression when again defeating Hope Road easily at Churchill Downs, having done so despite a penalty in the Santa Monica Stakes, this is her moment.
While that victory on the Kentucky Derby undercard on sloppy going shouldn’t escape the notice of bettors, she arrives at the Breeders Cup Sprint off the back of two seconds. Kopion chased home Filly & Mare Sprint favorite Sweet Azteca in the Great Lady M around Los Alamitos, then placed again behind Seismic Beauty, favored for the Breeders Cup Distaff, in the Clement L Hirsch here. She avoids both of those rivals by taking the sprinters’ route.
Legendary jockey Mike Smith now takes the ride on Kopion, replacing Kazushi Kimura who switches onto the barn’s other runner Big City Lights. That six-year-old son of Mr Big hasn’t raced since January. That long absence from the track is a concern for the 2024 Pat O’Brien third. With her recording some fast speed figures, it’s clear that Kopion is the pick of the Mandela pair and Big City Lights is a longshot.
Last Season’s Top 3 Back for More in Breeders Cup Sprint
Each of last year’s first three return to Del Mar for another shot. Based on Morning Line odds and prices on the best Kentucky Derby betting sites, however, forecasters expect a different outcome. The 2024 runner-up Bentornato is favored to turnabout that form with Straight No Chaser. Just half-a-length separated them at the last World Championships with the front pair clear of Mullikin.
Coming into this edition of the Breeders Cup Sprint, Jose D’Angelo runner Bentornato had the most impressive prep race. He’s actually worse off at the weights with Straight No Chaser now, but romped to an easy victory in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes at Churchill Downs. Dan Blacker’s defending champ could only manage a fading third in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship, meanwhile.
It suggests, for all Straight No Chaser could’ve needed the run, that he might be vulnerable to younger legs. Imagination from the Bob Baffert barn prevailed at Santa Anita, so the California trainer looks to have reinvented his four-year-old Into Mischief colt as a sprinter. He’s a new threat relatively local to Del Mar, but his track record isn’t great.
Mullikin, who has kept knocking heads with Book’em Danno at Saratoga for Rodolphe Brisset over the summer, and Wesley Ward’s Nakatomi, only sixth in this 12 months ago but successful in his own backyard in the Phoenix Stakes around Keeneland last time, make less appeal. Neither could go the pace of the front two, but the retired seventh Raging Torrent advertised the form plenty since.
He won the Malibu Stakes with Imagination back in third, then captured the valuable Godolphin Mile out in the Middle East and the Metropolitan Handicap. The Breeders Cup Sprint draw isn’t kind to any of those returning from last year as they all have high gates.
Course Winners Dr. Venkman, Lovesick Blues Interesting
Any Del Mar winners of graded stakes need closer looks. Two from the lower half of the draw that fit the bill are Dr. Venkman and Lovesick Blues. While the former perhaps isn’t an obvious sprinting type after landing the San Diego Handicap over 1,700m last summer, Mark Glatt’s five-year-old Ghostzapper gelding did punch his ticket to the World Championships with victory in the Pat O’Brien.
Dr. Venkman also split Imagination and Straight No Chaser in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship, giving both of them weight. He’s now 4lb better off with the winner in the Breeders Cup Sprint with less than a couple of lengths to find. Earlier in the campaign, however, Dr. Venkman was no match for and only fourth to Lovesick Blues in the Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes over course and distance.
Librado Barocio’s seven-year-old Grazen gelding made a successful switch from turf to dirt then and there could be more to come. Elsewhere, Banishing who dead-heated for second in the Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby day schedule, is back sprinting. He won the Charles Town Classic over 1,800m this summer, so this might be on the sharp side.
Mad House clocked a swift speed figure when landing the Grade II Gallant Bob at Parx last time, but whether Gate 13 is too wide remains to be seen. As a three-year-old, he gets a bit of weight from his elders alongside Japan’s American Stage. Whatchatalkinabout gives Keeneland trainer Ward. Vosburgh winner Patriot Spirit completes the line-up with Amo Racing’s Valiant Force a reserve.
Breeders Cup Sprint 2025 Post Positions Draw & Morning Line Odds
- Kopion (123lbs) – 7-2
- Banishing (126lbs) – 15-1
- Lovesick Blues (126lbs) – 10-1
- Patriot Spirit (126lbs) – 30-1
- Big City Lights (126lbs) – 15-1
- Dr. Venkman (126lbs) – 15-1
- Imagination (126lbs) – 6-1
- Nakatomi (126lbs) – 15-1
- American Stage (124lbs) – 30-1
- Bentornato (126lbs) – 5-2 fav
- Mullikin (126lbs) – 15-1
- Straight No Chaser (126lbs) – 8-1
- Mad House (124lbs) – 30-1
- Whatchatalkinabout (126lbs) – 30-1
- Valiant Force (126lbs) – 30-1 [RESERVE]
Our Handicapper’s Verdict
Kopion can race right up against the fence which, off bottom weight, may give her the edge. Bentornato is a big threat, however, and definitely has the target of going one better. He appeals most of those who contested this race 12 months ago.
Bing Crosby and Santa Anita Sprint Championship winners Lovesick Blues and Imagination are obvious ones for the shortlist. Pat O’Brien scorer Dr. Venkman is 4lb better off with the latter. Mad House could be a lively longshot if he can reproduce his Parx speed.
WATCH: Straight No Chaser & Bentornato in the 2024 Breeders Cup Sprint
