KENTUCKY DOWNS PERFECT PREP FOR SNAPPER
When the runners line up for the Juvenile Turf at this year’s Breeders Cup, there is one entrant that may have a bit of an advantage…he ran his prep race at Kentucky Downs.
The European-style turf course located near the Tennessee state line has offered many opportunities to Thoroughbreds in recent years. As the purse money has grown, the challenges of the course has been equaled by the quality of talent. After winning the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Juvenile Turf Showcase on September at Kentucky Downs, the connections for Snapper Sinclair knew he was ready for a run in the sport’s biggest showcase.
“Kentucky Downs is a great place, but it is very challenging, especially for younger horses,” says Jeff Bloom, spokesperson for Snapper’s ownership group. “The stretch is a bit uphill and seems to go on forever. He handled it brilliantly and just reaffirmed our beliefs in him as one of the best in his division.”
Trained by hall of famer Steve Asmussen, this two-year old son of City Zip is two for two lifetime on grass. Before taking the $350,000 race at Kentucky Downs, Snapper was victorious over the Saratoga turf. Understanding his opportunities, Bloom looked to Kentucky Downs as the spot to prepare for a trip back to his home base on the West Coast and the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar.
“We knew it was a great spot for him and he would be tested at Kentucky Downs,” says Bloom. He has always had this presence about him and we knew the competition would be good there. Everybody likes the money at Kentucky Downs and that meant he was going to have a chance to prove his worth against good competition and the challenges of the track. Needless to say he did not disappoint us with a huge effort. After that big run we set our sights on running in the Breeders’ Cup.”
Next up for Snapper Sinclair is the challenge of toeing the turf with the world’s best two-year old male grass runners. Listed at 15 to 1 on the morning line, Bloom’s colt will get his chance to show just how good he is on Friday, November 3. Snapper will carry over $252,000 in career earnings into the one-mile turf race worth $1 million along with the hopes of a man deeply dedicated to the sport.
“He has been training like a monster and we think he is ready for the challenge at Del Mar,” says Bloom. “We think he has a chance to be a really good one and are happy to have him running at Del Mar.”
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