Bear River led every step of the way and held off a furious late bid from favored Howard Wolowitz in the $2M The Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint. (Coady Media)
Springing a 19-1 upset, it was the first graded-stakes victory for Bear River and a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint
By Kentucky Downs Media Team
FRANKLIN, Ky. – In a reverse of tactics that saw him win his prep 27 days earlier, Charles K. Marquis’ Bear River led every step of the way and held off a furious late bid from favored Howard Wolowitz to spring a 19-1 upset in the $2 million The Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint (G2) by half a length Saturday at Kentucky Downs.
The six-furlong Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up was the third of five stakes, four graded, worth $10.5 million in purses, immediately preceding the richest of 12 races on the lucrative program, the $3.5 million Nashville Derby (G3).
It was the first graded-stakes victory for Bear River and, as a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup, earned the 4-year-old Flameaway ridgling an all-fees-paid trip to Del Mar for the $1 million Turf Sprint (G1) Nov. 1.
“We live in California and [winning trainer Keith Desormeaux] doesn’t come out there anymore. We had to come here to see him, and I’m sure glad we did,” Marquis said. “I couldn’t breathe. I’m glad [Bear River] could. He ran a great race. He runs up front, and front speed seems to be good here today. It’s fabulous.”
Breaking from Post 5 in a field of 12, Bear River was hustled to the lead by jockey James Graham, who was also aboard in the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint Aug. 3 at Ellis Park where they stalked the pace in the two path before prevailing by a neck over Coppola at odds of 17-1.
Intent on the front end, Graham and Bear River sped through an opening quarter-mile in 22.42 seconds with outside pressure from 4-year-old Grade 2 winner Pipsy, the lone filly in the field. Nobals, the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner, raced further out in third while Howard Wolowitz settled in fourth along the rail.
“He broke, he was on the lead, and he just powered home. He’s just got this another dimension of speed and finishing power as a 4-year-old,” Desormeaux said. “Maybe I ran him too much as a 3-year-old. He ran hard as a 2-year-old. He ran hard as a 3-year-old. A month to six weeks I was spacing them [races], at the most. But he earned his way. He’s a top-level horse. We gave him the time and he just came back a monster.”
The half-mile went in 44.69 seconds with the order unchanged and Bear River still comfortably in control, as Howard Wolowitz searched for room inside and European invader Khaadem – late-running runner-up to Cogburn in this race last year – began to rev up on the far outside.
Irad Ortiz Jr. and Howard Wolowitz finally found a seam past Pipsy midway down the straight and set their sights on the leader, but a determined Bear River held firm up front and avenged a sixth-place finish here behind Saturday’s even-money favorite in last year’s Franklin-Simpson (G1). Khadeem held off fellow millionaire Arrest Me Red for third.
“He doesn’t need to be on the lead. He proved that the last day,” Graham said. “Much sharper today. Was sharp the first day, which I put down to being fresh. Was sharp the last day, and he got sharper again. He’s grown in between the last two races, I feel like he’s got bigger since his last run.
“He’s always been quick. We’re capitalizing on the speed now,” he added. “I wasn’t really slowing down at the wire, I had somebody rushing at me, but as soon as he felt him, he grabbed me and went again. He got a little bit idle but was always going to get there. Fantastic horse to ride and fantastic guy to ride for. I appreciate it.”
The winning time was 1:06.91 over a firm course. Bear River returned $40.30 to win.
Though disappointed in the outcome trainer Jose D’Angelo was pleased with the performance from Gold Square’s Howard Wolowitz. The 4-year-old son of Munnings was making just his second start of the season and first in North America after finishing 10th in the 1351 Turf Sprint (G2) Feb. 22 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia.
“He ran a huge race,” he said. “I think he was the best horse in the race, just unlucky with the post position because he’s fast, but not fast enough to get around on these short races. You can see on the video he was checking, trying to get his position. He doesn’t like too much to go inside horses. He ran huge after the layoff, so I’m very happy and proud of him.”
Congratulations to Bear River and connections on winning the #WinAndYoureIn Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint!
— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) August 30, 2025
See you in California! pic.twitter.com/lj9pWi7tGH
Bred in Kentucky by Dreamfields Farm, Don Brady and Brendan Burke, Bear River registered his seventh win and fourth in a stakes from 22 starts. The winner’s purse pushed him his career bankroll past the $1 million mark. Bear River fetched just $50,000 as 2-year-old in training at the June 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales auction.
“I think that was a value purchase,” Desormeaux said. “I buy horses for value. I tell anyone who wants to invest with me that it doesn’t matter what I pay. I buy good horses, and I know I can get you there. So to see that motto fulfilled in this performance, it’s very rewarding. It’s what I’m in the business for, and just to see the system work, I can’t say how rewarding it is. And for someone who has been with me for 10 years and stayed loyal.”
