11/2/2024

8 DMR   BC Turf Sprint (GI)             

$1,000.000    3yo&Up   Preference to BC Turf Sprint Points
5f Turf   3yo&Up    3yo 124lbs  Older 126lbs

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…and with that, no matter how the story ends, the legacy of “Frankie and The Mig” will go down as one of the greatest rags-to-riches, feel-good stories in HRP history.  Disney may be calling to do the movie.   Soviet Mig was sold more times than he had wins, and for as cheap as $5.000, yet the 4yo gelding took his spot amongst the stars, winning Saturday’s BC Turf Sprint (GI) in the same manner as his career… eleventh early, moving quickly when asked and then going under the wire in front by a length, handing Lanfranco Stable their first BC victory.  The final running time was :56.00 flat for the five furlongs, over the firm turf course.

Riggins Racings’ Sweet Neddy pressed the pace throughout, overcame a wide trip, but couldn’t close the gap, taking the second spot by a head over Whoa Bo from Maxmillion Farm, then another half-length to Mb Stables’ Exemplary taking the minor money. 

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The fastest (less than a) minute in sports… They are off in the 2024 BC Turf Sprint and surprise, surprise… no lack of speed here.  Grayte Agent with a head in front of Drinkin Creepin from the outside, Whoa Bo, then outside to Bluesman, End Of The Devil, Sweet Needy and Lantern Yard.  Back down towards the inside, Awad, Shark Waters, Bayldonite and Soviet Mig on the rail.  Then another half length to Apache Tomcat, Miss Fury and Exemplary between that pair. 

The field made their way down the backside with Grayte Agent continuing to those the way by a neck, Lantern Yard and Drinkin Creepin applying outside pressure, Whoa Bo a half-length behind that pair, Bayldonite towards his inside then back outside to Bluesman and End Of The Devil.  Another half-length to Sweet Needy, then to the inside group of Awad, Shark Waters, Soviet Mig, Apache Tom Cat, Miss Fury dropping over trying to save some ground and Exemplary was still the back marker.

Around the turn and to the top of the land with three-sixteenths of a mile to run, Grayte Agent Continuing to show the way by a half-length, Lantern Yard still giving chase, Whoa Bo right there, Bayldonite not going away and now Soviet Mig inching up along the rail.  Outside to Drinkin Creepin who took the overland route, back inside to Shark Waters, Sweet Neddy, Apache Tomcat, Awad, then outside to Bluesman, Miss Fury down the center of the track, Exemplary on the rail and End Of The Devil far outside.

In what seemed to be the blink of an eye, the complexion of this one changed faster than Taylor Swift between songs… Soviet Mig blazing up the rail to take over, Whoa Bo trying to dig in, Grayte Agent putting the cue in the rack, out wider to Sweet Neddy now full of run, Bayldonite finding running room, Shark Waters with a lane, the rest had a lot of work to do and not much time to get it done.

Deep stretch and to the finish, the storybook ending was obvious… the cherry on top, the great redemption, the icing on the cake…Soviet Mig had completed the great transformation and went under the wire clear by a widening length.  Sweet Neddy ran a huge race, wide for most of it, to take the second spot, just a head in front of Whoa Bo.  It was another half-length to Exemplary… and then it was photo after photo to sort out the others… a nose to Bayldonite in fifth, a head to Shark Waters in sixth, another nose to Apache Tomcat in seventh… you get the picture… Miss Fury was eighth, Grayte Agent tiring to be ninth, Lantern Yard tenth, Bluesman eleventh, Awad twelfth, Drinking Creepin hampered by a wide trip thirteenth and End Of The Devil closed this one out.  Only six lengths covered the field of fourteen. 

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Soviet Mig is a 4yo bay gelded son of Asset Class – Buck Warrior, by Nile Warrior, and he was bred in Cal by Wood Duck Stables.  Claimed for just $20.000 back in April, this was his sixth win from fifteen starts, showing six other placings, his third consecutive win for Lanfranco Stable, and he now boasts earnings of $963.750.  Not bad for a horse that was once claimed for $5.000 at CT!  Congrats to all of the connections and to Soviet Mig. 

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