There was a pretty expensive bunch of horses that went to post for the latest running of the Digiturf Juvenile Sprint Qualifier Colts with Maple Leaf Farms’ Purple Velvet being the only homebred on show. All other participants in this heat had recently gone under the auctioneer’s hammer, achieving price tags ranging from $225 for Bigbob’s Bob’s Gun Bow to a whopping $1999 for Cepat Kaya’s Purple Chip.
Purple Chip was having his third outing in a qualifier since changing hands in late September. His two previous efforts in this ownership both resulted in fourth place finishers but he had managed to win one of these events while still in the care of Worldwater Stables. Cepat Kaya’s other competitor for this event, Ap Cyclone, had only once finished out of the frame in ten career starts but although he had amassed four wins he had yet to achieve better than a third place finish from three atempts in this grade.
Simply Spiteful was a relative snip at a shade under $600 and had already achieved a win and two placed efforts in sprint qualifiers to demonstrate what a shrewd purchase owner Black Lotus had made when snapping him up with just a maiden victory under his belt. He was to add to that tally here by grabbing the lion’s share of this $200 added-to-stakes purse. The bay colt just managed to prevail narrowly at the wire, a head to the good, as Cepat Kaya’s Ap Cyclone ran out of puff. Cepat Kaya’s other runner, Purple Chip, finished third.
Current leader of the standings for November’s final is Pokerstars’ triple sprint qualifier winner, Sultan Of Swings but Simply Spiteful now moves within four points of the pacemaker with this victory. Diamond Crown sits one point behind in third spot. Cepat Kaya’s pairing are holding fifth and sixth.
The Juvenile Sprint Qualifier Fillies featured some interesting, lightly raced types, particularly the Tuna Stables‘ trained Zarzuela. With just five runs to her name coming into this contest she had already demonstrated a highly promising level of form. As well as her two opening victories, she had gone on to finish third to Pool Party in a similar event to this and then last time out finished second to Bob’s Beauty in another sprint qualifier over the minimum distance. She was somewhat unlucky in running that day and gave the impression a win in this grade was well within her compass.
In opposition today though was The Barbs‘ Filly The Kid. This gray had some equally strong form claims, having already won a sprint qualifier and finished second to Bank Note in another, from a total of four attempts so far in this grade. The finish turned out to be a tight battle between this talented pair with Filly The Kid prevailing on this occasion by a neck, the pair comfortably holding sway over third placed Dream Rider, owned by Captinj.
Caballo De Oro, who finished fifth here, still retains the lead in the overall standings but the pack are begin to close in. Filly The Kid has now moved into second, nine points off the lead. Filante Stables’ Pool Party and Cepat Kaya’s Miss Independence share third spot, a further six points behind.