Trio Stamp Their Way into Breeders' Cup with Victories on Saturday

by Patricia Woo | Jul 13 2009

Game Face, Eaton's Gift, and Yankee Injunuity each earned their way into the Breeders' Cup this fall at Santa Anita with victories in "Win and You're In" races on Saturday.

Eaton's Gift pulled off the biggest upset by winning the $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2) at Calder Race Course over 2008 Eclipse Award winning sprinter Benny the Bull, returning $31.20.

The four-year-old colt, owned by Zayat Stables and trained by Dale Romans, had not seen the winner's circle since winning the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs in May of '08.

The colt got the perfect trip tracking pacesetter Ikigai, took the lead in mid stretch, and held off the late running Benny the Bull in the stretch to win by 1½ lengths with Jose Lezcano aboard.

The colt won for the fifth time in 12 career starts, and earned a starting berth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, which will be contested at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 7.

Benny the Bull, who was perfect in four starts in '08, is now winless in two starts this year. The six year old started his '09 campaign with a runner-up finish in the True North Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park.

Game Face came back from a sub-par effort in the Vagrancy Handicap (G2) in her last start to dominate a field of seven in the $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap (G1) at Calder.

The victory earned the four-year-old filly a starting spot in this fall's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

The Todd Pletcher trainee tracked the early pace, made a four wide move around the far turn to work her way to the front under jockey Edgar Prado, and drew clear in the stretch to win by 6¾ lengths, returning $5.60.

Keep the Peace, who set the early fractions, proved no match in the stretch for the winner and settled for second, the $2 exacta returning $31.60.

The two "Win and You're In" races anchored an all-stakes Pick 4 on the Summit of Speed card at Calder.

The four-race sequence started with First Passage ($9.00) winning the $200,000 Azalea Stakes (G2), and Not for Silver ($10.00) victorious in the $200,000 Carry Back Stakes (G2).

Along with Game Face ($5.60) and Eaton's Gift ($31.20), the all-stakes Pick 4 returned $3,052.50 on a $2 ticket.

At Arlington Park on Saturday, Yankee Injunuity made a good late rally to come out on top by a neck to pull off the upset in the $200,000 Arlington Sprint Handicap.

The victory earned the five-year-old son of Yankee Victor a starting berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita this November.

Owned by Encore Racing Stable and trained by James McMullen, the five year old won for the first time in four starts this year.

Three of his seven career wins have now come over the Arlington Park turf course.

Chamberlain Bridge was sent off as the 6/5 favorite in the field of seven. He tracked the early pace and headed to the wire looking like the winner.

However, Yankee Injunuity, with jockey E.T. Baird, had other ideas, running the favorite down in the final strides, returning $19.00 for the win.

The $2 exacta with the favorite holding on for second returned $43.20.

There are a pair of Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" races scheduled this weekend.

On Saturday, the winner of the Greenwood Cup Handicap at Philadelphia Park will earn a start in the Breeders' Cup Marathon.

On Sunday, the Delaware Handicap (G2) at Delaware Park will be a stepping-stone to the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic.