In a race that lost a lot of its lust due to the scratches of Super Ninety Nine and South Floyd, it was only fitting that a maiden would win the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint, which is exactly what happened when Hightail rallied through an opening along the rail to win the six-furlong sprint by a nose, earning his first victory from nine starts in the process.
Ridden to victory by Rajiv Maragh, Hightail got off to a good start and soon settled back into fourth place along the rail as Merit Man and Ceiling Kitty dueled through fractions of :22.41 and :45.94. Hazardous was poised on the far outside in third, while Sweet Shirley Mae trailed the compact field of five.
Turning for home, jockey Patrick Valenzuela asked Merit Man for run, and the colt responded by turning back a challenge from Hazardous and opening up brief lead. But then Hightail came running along the inside, shooting through with a decisive run that saw him open up a neck advantage. Merit Man tried to battle back, but the wire came too soon, and the 1-2 favorite lost by a nose.
Sweet Shirley Mae rallied mildly for third, while Hazardous and Ceiling Kitty completed the order of finish.
Hightail's victory gave trainer D. Wayne Lukas his 19th victory in a Breeders' Cup race, and his first since 2005. The colt is owned by Bluegrass Hall LLC.
-Keelerman
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