One of the West Coast’s top sprint races is back on the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series calendar for 2025. The Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes Presented by Estrella Jalisco traditionally has served as the final prep race for California sprinters in advance of the World Championships but it wasn’t a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint last year. Even so, the race winner, Straight No Chaser, went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint anyway.

Straight No Chaser is back for a repeat bid Sunday at Santa Anita Park, and he’s already secured a berth to this year’s Sprint Nov. 1 via a win earlier this year in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Venkman has also qualified for the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, but for the other six entrants it’s last-gasp time.

1. Dr. Venkman: Has yet to run a bad race through 10 career starts and nabbed a Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile “Win and You’re In” berth last out with a game score in the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien Stakes. He prefers slightly longer distances but takes a back seat in class only to Straight No Chaser and will be ready to capitalize if that contender is not up to speed.

JOCKEY: Umberto Rispoli; TRAINER: Mark Glatt

2. Straight No Chaser: Earned champion sprinter honors in 2024 with back-to-back impressive wins in this race and then the BC Sprint. Traveled to the Middle East for a two-race assignment last spring and dominated the Riyadh Dirt Sprint Presented by Saudi National Bank, only to then flop in the Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Nakheel. Hasn’t raced since that early April race but has been training well. If he can regain his form from a year ago, he’ll be very tough to handle.

JOCKEY: John Velazquez; TRAINER: Dan Blacker

3. Awesome Rhythm: Enters on a three-race win streak sprinting in California, all races held at six furlongs. The problem is that those races were at the allowance-optional claiming or straight claiming level, and he’s yet to test stakes company through 19 career starts. He has a good stalking running style, though, and could spice up trifecta tickets if he handles the class hike.

JOCKEY: Armando Ayuso; TRAINER: Victor Garcia

4. Smooth Cruisein: Has run decent against stakes company this summer, although his recent runner-up finish in the two-turn Shared Belief Stakes came against only two opponents. He was well-beaten in two sprint graded stakes before then and will be hard pressed to hit the board here.

JOCKEY: Kyle Frey; TRAINER: Karen Headley

5. Speed Boat Beach: Was one of California’s best sprinters in 2023, losing the Santa Anita Sprint Championship by a head and running a good fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. However, after taking a year and a half off, he’s showed little in two starts this year, finishing last of 10 in a stakes where he had medical issues and then a distant fourth as the 7-5 favorite behind Dr. Venkman in the Pat O’Brien. Recent workouts on this track have been good – is he ready to regain top form?

JOCKEY: Mike Smith; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

6. Wound Up: Speedster racked up an impressive win record while competing in allowance and starter-optional claiming races and took a six-race win streak into the Green Flash Handicap on turf in late August. He flopped in that race and finished last of 12, and Wound Up is now back on dirt in a tougher spot. At the least, he should give Straight No Chaser some early pace pressure.

JOCKEY: David Cohen; TRAINER: Librado Barocio

7. Mbagnick: Another longshot contender who did little in a recent stakes appearance, in his case finishing last of nine in the Bing Crosby Stakes. Competed mainly in allowance races prior to that, although he did not embarrass himself in two February stakes tries on this track. Would be a surprise.

JOCKEY: Hector Berrios; TRAINER: John Sadler

8. Imagination: Has shown glimpses of top-level talent in his career, most notably when finishing second by a neck in last year’s Santa Anita Derby. That started a seven-race losing streak that he takes into Saturday’s event. Finished a tiring fourth in his lead-in race, the San Pasqual Stakes held at 1 1/8 miles. Now cuts back and should be sitting just off the pace with a solid chance at the upset. 

JOCKEY: Juan Hernandez; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

THE PICK: Straight No Chaser

LIVE LONGSHOT: Awesome Rhythm

SUPERFECTA: 2-1-8-3