Sahara Sky bound for Breeders' Cup Sprint

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Inglewood, CA (Sports Network) - Met Mile winner Sahara Sky is safely back at his Hollywood Park barn after posting a nose victory Memorial Day in the $750,000 stakes at Belmont Park.

"He was happy to be home," noted Dan Ward, assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. "We put him in an outside pen when he got back and he was rolling around and having a ball."

Owned by Hollendorfer and Kim Lloyd, Sahara Sky came roaring down the middle of the stretch Monday to nail Cross Traffic at the wire in the Met Mile. The 9-2 third pick in the nine-horse field was timed in 1:34.17.

"I was thinking I won, but it was so close and I was so far to the outside, sometimes it's hard to tell," said winning jockey Joel Rosario. "I thought we had a head in front, but the angle was different and I didn't know.

"He's the kind of horse that makes one little, late run. If you push him a little early, he kind of stays there, but when he's like that, far back, he'll give it to you."

Ward said that the 5-year-old will probably be headed later this year to the Breeders' Cup Sprint to be held at Santa Anita in November. However, Hollendorfer noted after the Met Mile that Sahara Sky may be entered in longer races.

"It looks like he could get off a little more ground," said Hollendorfer. "I'll watch the films and watch the gallop out and see what I think about that, but it might be a possibility to look at (longer races). I don't want to keep flying him across the country, though."

Sahara Sky more than doubled his career earnings with the $450,000 he won from the trip to New York. The son of Pleasant Tap has banked $886,680 with seven wins in 16 lifetime starts.