UPDATE: BC keeps 2yo Lasix ban; Drops Juvy Sprint

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Kasept

I don't know.. The F&M Turf switches distance from 10f-11f based on venue. That's pretty significant.

The 6.5f-T is unique and I understand those that say it gives an unfair advantage to local runners. But in the first 2 runnings out there, a horse with no experience on it was close: Diabolical (2nd) was beaten a jump in '08 (Desert Code) and Cannonball (3rd) was 2L back in '09 (California Flag).

In that '08 running, Storm Treasure was 3rd at of the WO Mile and that nice Euro filly Fleeting Spirit was 4th. The '09 edition was dominated by Cal-based types besides Cannonball with Gotta Have Her 2nd and Delta Storm 4th.

Last year, Unbridled's Note (2nd) was beaten a half length (Mizdirection) and did have a downhill prep winning the Eddie D. ahead of the Cup. Great Mills was 4th behind Reneesgotzip, beaten 3L after coming in from Keeneland.

No argument with any of that. It just isn't really a turf sprint in my opinion. Most people think of 5 or 5.5 as turf sprints. Of course it wasn't that long ago that neither New York or SoCal even ran turf sprints outside of going down the hill.