Multiple Laurel Stakes Winner Imperial Hint Targets Breeders’ Cup
Multiple Laurel Stakes Winner Imperial Hint Targets Breeders’ Cup
General George (G3) Winner Pre-Entered in $1.5 Million Sprint Nov. 4
Rainbow 6 Carryover at $8,834 for Return of Live Racing Friday
LAUREL, MD – Raymond Mamone’s Imperial Hint, who opened the year with back-to-back stakes victories at Laurel Park led by his first career graded triumph in the General George (G3), will attempt to cap an undefeated season in the $1.5 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 4 at Del Mar.
Imperial Hint was one of 11 horses pre-entered in the six-furlong Sprint for 3-year-olds and up, including defending champion and 2016 Eclipse Award winner Drefong. A total of 187 pre-entries for the 13 Breeders’ Cup races were announced Wednesday.
A 4-year-old son of multiple graded-stakes winner Imperialism, who ran third in the 2004 Kentucky Derby (G1) and competed in the 2005 BC Sprint, Imperial Hint has won five straight races dating back to December 2016.
The Luis Carvajal Jr. trainee kicked off 2017 with a 3 ¼-length triumph in the six-furlong Fire Plug Jan. 14 at Laurel; runner-up Chublicious came back to win the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) in September.
Imperial Hint went all the way on the lead and flirted with a Laurel track record in winning the Feb.18 General George by 2 ¼ lengths over multiple stakes-winning millionaire Stallwalkin’ Dude, running seven furlongs in 1:21.20.
From there Imperial Hint went to Dubai for the Golden Shaheen (G1) but developed pneumonia shortly after arriving and did not run. He returned with a victory in the Smile Sprint (G3) July 1 at Gulfstream Park, a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the BC Sprint, and most recently the Donald LeVine Memorial Stakes Sept. 4 at Parx.
Also in the Sprint is Whitmore, winner of the Maryland Sprint (G3) May 20 at historic Pimlico Race Course who ran third as the favorite in the De Francis.
A pair of winners on the May 20 Preakness (G1) Day undercard at Pimlico are also among the pre-entries. Dixie (G2) winner World Approval was pre-entered in the $2 million Mile (G1), while Gallorette (G3) winner Cambodia was pre-entered in the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
Other horses pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup to have won in Maryland are 2016 City of Laurel winner Sharp Azteca in the $1 million Dirt Mile (G1) and 2015 Caesar’s Wish winner By the Moon in the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).
Rainbow 6 Carryover of $8,834 for Return of Live Racing Friday
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 will have a jackpot carryover of $8,834.76 when live racing resumes at Laurel with a nine-race program Friday. First race post time is 12:30 p.m.
Included in Friday’s sequence (Races 4-9) is a $40,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track that drew a field of 11 led by Lael Stables’ Tricks to Doo, a $600,000 purchase in March (Race 6); a $47,000 third-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the world-class turf course (Race 7) and a $45,000 second-level optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares 3 and older going six furlongs (Race 8).
