California raises the Flag

California Flag made all the running to take an impressive victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Brian Koriner's grey, sent off the 9-2 favourite, shot out of the stalls and always appeared to be travelling strongly at the head of affairs.

The race was over as a contest when California Flag crossed the all-weather strip and he only had to be kept up to his work to beat Gotta Have Her (10-1), who finished fast to claim the runner-up spot. Cannonball at 7-1 picked up minor honours in third.

Jeremy Noseda's Strike The Deal finished last under Kieren Fallon while former Karl Burke inmate Lord Shanakill was also unplaced.

Earlier in the week, California Flag unshipped his work rider and ran loose round the track.

Koriner said: "I thought that might have got him a little bit on edge but the horse has been training super. I didn't think much would affect him and thankfully it didn't.

Great job

"He finished 10th last year but this time we used our heads, we just said go before but Joe did a great job today.

"Once they let him get on his own up front I thought 'it's over' as I knew they wouldn't catch him."

Winning jockey Jimmy Talamo added: "It was great. He made the lead pretty easily, and going right until about the three-eighths pole, I was pretty confident.

"He had so much in reserve coming down the stretch and really kicked it in the last part."