Owner David Lanzman said he had good reason to ask Bobby Frankel to train Squirtle Squirt.
“Bobby trained the sire, Marquetry, and he was the only man on the planet who wanted to win a Breeders’ Cup more than me,” Lanzman said.
When Frankel went into the paddock to saddle Squirtle Squirt for the $1 million Sprint, the Hall of Fame trainer was 0-for-38 in Breeders’ Cup races. His heavy favorites, Flute and You, had finished up the track in Saturday’s first two races, the Distaff and Juvenile Fillies.
But with Jerry Bailey calling the shots from the saddle, the 4-year-old colt Squirtle Squirt stalked pace-setting Xtra Heat and Caller One in the early stages, then went between those two in midstretch and went on to win by half a length.
The filly Xtra Heat placed and Caller One showed in the 6-furlong race dominated from start to finish by horses with early speed.
Last year’s winner, Kona Gold, finished seventh as the 3.50-1 favorite, his worst performance in 17 races dating back to the 1998 Sprint.
“I have no idea why,” trainer Bruce Headley said. “Either he didn’t like the track or he’s just worn out.”
%% SPRINT: 6 F, 3-Y-O-UP, PURSE $1,000,000:
HORSE (JOCKEY) PP ST 1/4 1/2 STR. FIN. $TO1
Squirtle Squirt (Bailey) 3 2 3hd 3hd 3-2 1 1/2 9.60
Xtra Heat (Chavez) 1 1 1hd 1-1 1-1 2nk 17.50
Caller One (Nakatani) 6 3 2 1/2 2 1/2 2hd 3nk 11.20
Swept Overbrd(Delhsye) 12 14 12hd 10 1/2 4 1/2 4-1 1/2 4.90
Left Bank (Velazquez) 8 10 5-1 1/2 6-1 6-1 1/2 5nk 8.90
Delaware Township (Coa) 7 8 8-1 1/2 7hd 7 1/2 6-1 1/4 10.50
Kona Gold (Solis) 4 5 11hd 13-6 8-2 1/2 7-1 3.50
Five Star Day (Gomez) 9 6 4 1/2 4 1/2 5 1/2 8-1 3/4 48.50
Peeping Tom (Bridgmhn) 13 12 13-4 12-1 11 1/2 9-2 1/2 73.75
Alannan (Prado) 5 9 9 1/2 9 1/2 9-1 10 102.25
Mozart (Kinane) 11 11 10-1 11hd 12 11-3 11.20
El Corredor (Espinoza) 10 4 7 1/2 8-2 10 12 4.40
Bet On Sunshine (Borel) 2 13 14 14 14 13 24.50
Hook and Ladder (Mglre) 14 7 6 1/2 5hd 13 14 92.25
Squirtle Squirt 21.20 10.60 9.20 Per. 3-1: $290.00
Xtra Heat 16.20 13.20
Caller One 10.00
%%
Time: 1:08 2/5. Owner: David J. Lanzman. Trainer: Robert Frankel. T, (3-1-6) $2,162.00. S, (3-1-6-12) $27,799.00. Pick 3 (9-12-3) $2,396.00.
