TS Turf Sprint – GII
$600.000 – For Three Year Olds And Upward
5 1/2 Furlongs – Turf
Churchill Downs – May 2, 2026

If it were up to me this race would be called the Fuji King. Fuji King won this race four out of the first five runnings. The first time he won was for his original owner and breeder Fuji Stable in 2004. He then won it three straight times from 2006-2008 for Australia Wide who had picked him up for $102.18 at auction in late 2004 and rehabilitated him after it seemed his best days might be behind him. He would go on to win $3,264.60 in his career. He was way before my time, and it seems like he was quite the horse so I thought it would be nice to give him a moment to be remembered twenty years later – may we all get a moment or two in someone’s mind when we are gone. I’m really supposed to be looking at the thirteen horses in the field for this year’s race though so let’s get to it. Is there a Fuji King among them? 

1. Lava Man (Mb Stables/P. Lopez) Four barns come to the race with two entries. Mb Stables is one of the four and their two combatants draw post 1 and 2. Primarily made his career in allowance races but has two stakes starts on his resume. He did not hit the board in either but was only a length off of the winner each time. He made his graded debut in the G2 Carter on dirt in his last race and was a fast closing fourth picking up a check and gaining the first triple digit SRF speed figure of his career. He cuts back in distance and moves back to turf and although he might be in his best form yet I think he would be a surprise. 

2. Sorcerer (Mb Stables/L. Dettori) He made the BC Turf Sprint field last season by virtue of his win in the G2 KD Turf Sprint. That win was the last time he finished in the top three but in his five races since he has never lost by more than a length and he has been facing top level competition so that lack of obvious success can also be a bit misleading. Is looking for a rebound. 

3. French Commander (Serenity Stables/M.J. Sanchez) This lightly raced five-year-old has won five of his ten career races and been on the board in eight of those. Great record but the question at this point is who did he beat and how good is he really? He was claimed out of his last race at Parx for $20.00 a month ago and finds himself thrust into a G2 with a $600.00 purse so his new connections obviously think he is pretty good. We are about to find out. 

4. King Speed Party (Winning Link Stables/A. Fresu) First of two from Winning Link in this race. Claimed for $50.00 in September and won the G2 Shakertown at Keeneland in April in his last start at 25-1. He faces a handful of the foes from that race again today at the same distance. He draws well again for this race and will have to be at his best again to repeat. Seeking to prove he belongs at the top of this division.  

5. Teterboro (Chili King Stables/P. Husbands) He made the BC Turf Sprint last season mostly off of his runner up finish in the G1 Jaipur at Saratoga last summer. He followed that up with a win in the Dade Park Dash at Ellis Park but then finished off the board in five straight. He broke that dubious streak when he won the Silks Run at Gulfstream Park in his last race in March. Has been working well and seeks to nab his first graded win.

6. Bear Head (Maxmillion Farm/S.X. Bridgmohan) The first of the Maxmillion Farm pair of entries is another veteran from last years Breeders Cup where he ran eighth in the BC Mile. He was purchased for $200.00 last May and then basically specialized in being a turn miler winning a pair of graded stakes on his way to qualifying for the BC. He cut back to sprinting in his last start and ran a close third to King Speed Party in the G2 Shakertown after showing uncharacteristic early speed. Stays sprinting and can’t be ignored. 

7. Sioux Arrival (High Voltage/J.R. Velasquez) Was running in turf routes and qualified for the BC Turf last season where he finished seventh. He finished 2025 winning the G3 San Gabriel at Santa Anita going nine furlongs. He started off this season with a disappointing tenth in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf after leading early. He regrouped and came back two months later cutting back to six and a half furlongs and winning the G3 San Simeon downhill at Santa Anita. Like Bear Head to his inside he stay sprinting and is a threat. 

8. Nitro (The Sidley Stud/M. Franco) Seems to have found his niche in 2026 having started off the season giving turf sprinting a go and finding success. He has run four times in turf sprints and although he has not yet hit the wire first he has not been off the board and has been second in three of those races. His last race was a neck loss in the G2 Shakertown where he was closing fast on winner King Speed Party. He displayed versatility coming from off the pace in the Shakertown so he has tactical options. (Aside: Nitro was the best American Gladiator of all)

9. Into Fitness (Pan Farms/J. Rosario) While most three-year-olds this weekend would be dreaming of roses Into Fitness seeks to take down his elders in this one. He is the only three-year-old in the field and is seeking to improve off of his ninth place run in the G2 Shakertown where he showed some early speed before fading. Purchased for $240.00 early this season and the new barn maintain the faith and gives the youngster another shot. 

10. Salah (Royalty Stables/R. Bejarano) The first of the two Royalty Stable entries comes out of two straight graded turf mile events where he showed two very distinct running styles. In the G2 Kilroe Mile he led the field from the start before being caught late and finishing fourth. He followed that up by running from off the pace in the G1 Makers Mark Mile and finishing seventh. Those are the only two grass races in his career and he cuts back now to try sprinting. This will be a tough group, but he was a top three-year-old last year winning the G3 Lexington and making the Derby field. Has proven talent but is seeking his niche. 

11. Misting (Winning Link Stables/R.M. Hernandez) The second of the pair from Winning Link Stables comes in this race off of a fourth place in the G2 Shakertown and gets an opportunity to turn the tables on the three that bested him that day. He draws two places further out than he did in that race and he gets the same distance to work with rather than some extra ground that might help him. Has yet to win a stakes race but has come close a couple of times including a second-place finish in the G1 Fourstardave at Saratoga. 

12. Ineedu2party (Maxmillion Farm/D.Z. Gaskin) Maximilian Farm’s second entry draws wide but is a multiple G1 winner and has won over $1,400.00. We have only seen him once so far this season and that was when he showed speed in the G3 Palos Verdes before fading to ninth. Forgive that one as he has been working fast in the morning and may have needed a race. His G1 wins were on dirt but he is a stakes winner on the grass as well.  

13. Inoue (Royalty Stables/B. Curtis) The second of the Royalty Stables pair was impressive as a three-year-old finishing second in the G1 BC Turf Sprint losing by a mere head to Brit Style. He followed that up with two off the board finishes in dirt routes before returning to sprinting on the grass in his last race when he finished fourth in the G3 San Simeon which was won by Sioux Arrival. Drew outside in post 10 in the BC last year so he can do it from out here but will need to find that old form.

Tough to be super confident about a pick here with horses trying to find form and find where they belong in terms of surface and distance, but I will go with Ineedu2party. He has proven form against elite competition and is likely rounding into his best form if the works are an indication. I will pick Nitro in second and would not be surprised if he breaks through to win. I will be looking for Inoue and King Speed Party to be right behind those two. Let’s make Fuji King proud!

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES