T O Elvis nails Englishman with late kick to take BC Sprint, Breeders’ Cup Photo
LEXINGTON, Ky (Oct. 31, 2026) – Whenever he has traveled to a Kentucky racetrack, T O Elvis has left absolutely no doubt that he is in the building. On Saturday, the Japanese-based runner again handled the best sprinters that could be assembled, running down star sophomore Englishman for a 1 1/4-length win in the $2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland Race Course.
The 4-year-old T O Elvis ($7.58) has come back to his roots, as he is a Kentucky-born son of Volatile, out of the Curlin mare Stopshoppingdebbie. Bred by Jeff and Melissa Prunzik, he was a private purchase as a young horse. Now racing in the colors of Tomoya Ozasa and trained by Daisuke Takayanagi, T O Elvis has now won six straight races dating to March 2025; overall, he has won seven of 10 lifetime starts, and is a multimillionaire with his Sprint victory.
The seeds for Saturday were sown in May, when T O Elvis made his first trip to the U.S. for his lone prior start of the year in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard. He rallied to a 3 1/4-length win over a field that included the likes of Imagination and Knightsbridge, and since that successful mission, he has been targeting the Sprint.
“I was a little concerned because he was coming off a layoff, but his condition had been improving steadily,” Takayanagi said. “At that point, all we could do was give it our best and leave the rest to the jockey.”
When the gates opened on the large field of speedsters, Liam Smith and Manny Franco, from post 3, emerged from the early scramble to claim the lead. Englishman, who was favored off back-to-back Grade 1 wins at Saratoga. was ridden along from post 13 by Jose Ortiz to secure position and found himself stalking in second through the opening quarter of 21.68 seconds. Meanwhile, T O Elvis and Ryusei Sakai were in the final flight of horses, officially 12th of 13 and a little less than seven lengths behind Liam Smith’s lead after the opening quarter.
“We had discussed settling him off the pace if the early pace was fast, and we wanted to stick to the way he had raced in Japan,” Takayanagi said. “In the end, we trusted his finishing kick.”Englishman inhaled longshot Liam Smith with relative ease around the far turn, and was in front by 1 1/2 lengths as he tripped the half-mile timer in 44.42 seconds. Set down, Englishman continued on to open up three lengths in deep stretch.
But the race was by no means over. Sakai had begun letting T O Elvis pick horses off between foes, largely under his own power, around the far turn. Once straightened away into the stretch, he committed to swinging his mount wide, and T O Elvis committed to his charge. He came down the center of the track with giant strides, and swept by Englishman in the final yards to win going away.
“It’s so impressive, his wonderful turn of foot is great, and Ryusei gave him the very best ride,” Ozasa said.
T O Elvis stopped the clock in 1:08.20 for the six furlongs.
Englishman, who set a Saratoga track record winning the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) in June, then nearly broke his own mark winning the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1), was easily best of the rest, finishing four lengths clear of Liam Smith in third.
“He has such natural speed,” trainer Cherie DeVaux said of Englishman. “Jose did a great job of getting him to relax out there. He kicked home and he kept running. No disappointment. Obviously when you are the heavy favorite, you want to win, but he was also facing olders for the first time in stakes company. He ran his race.”
Liam Smith gamely held third by a neck over Hymn, who had been hunting for running room in the lane.
“He ran a brave race,” Franco said.
After Hymn, in order, came Stradale, Built, Little Thunder, Listenupshance, Nakatomi, Roll On Big Joe, Mad House, American Stage, and Dark Saffron.
Race Quotes:
Winning trainer Daisuke Takayanagi (T O Elvis): “I was a little concerned because he was coming off a layoff, but his condition had been improving steadily. At that point, all we could do was give it our best and leave the rest to the jockey.
We had discussed settling him off the pace if the early pace was fast, and we wanted to stick to the way he had raced in Japan.
In the end, we trusted his finishing kick. Just like in the Churchill Downs Stakes, he gradually made his way through the field, and I think he did a great job to get the win.”
Second-place trainer Cherie DeVaux (Englishman): “I knew that horse was going to be coming late. (Englishman) has such natural speed. Jose did a great job of getting him to relax out there. He kicked home and he kept running. No disappointment. Obviously when you are the heavy favorite, you want to win but he was also facing olders for the first time in stakes company. He ran his race.”
Second-place jockey Jose Ortiz (Englishman): “He was traveling perfectly. Top of the lane, I let him go and he responded well. He was running hard from the three-sixteenths to the wire. He never slowed down. The winner is a very nice horse, that’s what we knew. He put up a great performance. I think both horses ran amazing.
On the break from the outside post: “I thought I got to where I wanted to be easier (than he thought). I think 21 and change, 44 and change is reasonable for these kind of horses, and I feel like he was sitting in a great spot, moving whenever I wanted. I got no excuses. The winner is a very nice horse as well.
“Very proud. Hopefully that will be good enough to close his campaign and win the Eclipse Award.”
Third-place trainer Peter Miller (Liam Smith): “I thought he ran super. I was wondering why Jose (Ortiz on Englishman) went after us so early. Cost himself the win. My horse ran great. He was lugging out a little bit, so he’s hard to ride around the turn, but he never stopped, and I’m really proud of the horse.
“We’re very pleased with the the outcome. Of course, we want to win, but the horse ran his race.”
Third-place jockey Manny Franco (Liam Smith): “That (getting the lead) was the main plan. Getting out of the gate and making the front. He ran a brave race.”
Fourth-place trainer Ron Moquett (Hymn): “I thought that was the toughest sprint field I’ve ever seen and he held his own. He did better than (2020 Sprint winner) Whitmore did in his first Breeders’ Cup Sprint.”
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