T O Elvis Flies Past Englishman to Win BC Sprint

A demonstration of stellar Japanese horsemanship at the highest level of the sport was delivered on a rather appropriate international stage at the Breeders' Cup. And it happened prior to Forever Young (JPN) running in the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). American fans might recall T.O. Elvis for the wagering controversy tied to him in the May 2 Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) than his performance in the race, when he notched a 3 ¼-length victory off a 4 ½-month layoff against some top American sprinters for a fifth straight win. For those with short memories, that day CAW players flooded the pools with wagers on the Kentucky-bred son of Volatile at the last second, knocking him down from 12-1 to 5-1 in the final flash. If you forgot about him, it's understandable. After that win, trainer Daisuke Takayanagi brought the 4-year-old colt back to Japan and did not race him for nearly six months. "Elvis" was back in the building Oct. 31 when he once again faced the best sprinters America could offer in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland. This time there was no sudden drop in his odds, but the brilliance he showed at Churchill Downs was just as dazzling off that lengthy layoff as he powered past 4-5 favorite Englishman in the final yards to win the BC Sprint by 1 ¼ lengths. "This is the second happiest day of my life," owner Tomoya Ozasa (the T.O. attached to his horses) said through a translator, putting the CD stakes atop his list. Though under prodding from TV winner's circle host Britney Eurton he amended it to a dead heat between the two American wins. "I expect the horse is going to be a very historical horse among the Japanese sprinters and perform well worldwide. That's what I'm expecting now." Heading into the BC Sprint, the Eclipse Award for the champion sprinter was Englishman's to lose off two grade 1 wins in his previous two starts. As it turned out, his runner-up finish may have put the Japanese runner in the driver's seat for the title. "That's a most delightful thing for us, very happiest thing," Takayanagi said about the possibility of an Eclipse Award. While the connections may be back in the U.S. in January to accept an Eclipse Award, when they were asked if T.O. Elvis would return to America next year, the smiles on their faces erased the need for a translator. "We would like to bring him over again," Takayanagi said. When asked about the layoff, Takayanagi said he planned to give the colt a race to prep for the Breeders' Cup, but it didn't work out. Nevertheless, T.O. Elvis was at his very best for the Sprint off Takayanagi's training regimen. "First of all, I thank all the stable staff for doing their best to bring him in this condition into the race," Takayanagi said. C R K Stables' Englishman was the star coming into the BC Sprint and things seemed to be going quite well from the start when he broke smoothly and was a length off 20-1 longshot Liam Smith after a :21.68 opening quarter-mile, while T.O. Elvis ($7.56), the 5-2 second choice, was 12th in the field of 13, about 8 lengths back. On the turn, Jose Ortiz and Englishman kicked away to lead by 1 ½ lengths at the quarter pole and extended to a seemingly safe 3-length lead in mid-stretch until T.O. Elvis and Ryusei Sakai (the regular rider for Forever Young) came charging past them from the outside to cover the 6 furlongs in 1:08.20. "I was able to get the position I wanted," said Sakai, who added that he would like to ride at Saratoga Racing Course next summer. For Cherie DeVaux, trainer of Englishman, there was no excuse other than T.O. Elvis being better on this day in Kentucky. "He tried. He ran his race and was traveling well," DeVaux said about the 3-year-old son of Maxfield. "I knew the other horse would be coming late and he just got up there. (Englishman) kicked home and kept running but he got beat by a better horse." Altamira Racing Stable, Les Blake, and Jim Hart's Liam Smith, a son of Midshipman trained by Peter Miller, was four lengths back in third. T.O. Elvis, a winner of 7 of 10 starts and six straight races, was bred by Jeff and Melissa Prunzik out of the Curlin mare Stopshoppingdebbie. He is her sixth foal and lone graded stakes winner. Stopshoppingdebbie also has a 2-year-old Golden Pal filly named My Pal Al and 2026 Maxfield colt.