California Flag wins BC Turf Sprint

ARCADIA, Calif., Nov. 7 (UPI) -- California Flag got the jump on the field in Saturday's $1 million Breeders's Cup Turf Sprint and went on to win virtually unchallenged.

At the wire, the California-bred gray gelding was 1 3/4 lengths better than late-running Gotta Have Her, with Cannonball third. California Flag, a 5-year-old son of Avenue of Flags, ran the "about" 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf course in 1:11.28, just shy of his own course-record time of 1:11.10.

There were no tactics involved. Jockey Joe Talamo gunned California Flag out of the gate and played "catch me if you can." They couldn't, although Gotta Have Her, running from far back in the pack, was gaining in the final yards.

California Flag, trained by Brian Kornier, now has won six of his last seven races, all over Southern California tracks. Gotta Have her also is locally based. Cannonball has raced throughout the United States and shipped to England this summer to compete at Royal Ascot, finishing a close second in the Group 1 Golden Jubilee.