Bear River Flowing Into Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

The Del Mar grass is where Bear River will look to flow as his next start will be in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Danny Brewer

The goal of any conditioner is to have their athlete peaking at the right time. It needs to be game on when its game time. As the Breeders’ Cup world Thoroughbred championships rapidly approach, there is one trainer in particular that has his horse flowing in the right direction.

Bear River is a sizeable son of Flameaway that flows rather quickly over the turf courses in the sport. Having won his last two starts in impressive front-running fashion, this four-year-old Kentucky-bred is now bound for Del Mar and the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. He punched his ticket to these world championships with a gate-to-wire win over the grueling undulation at Kentucky Downs in The Mint Turf Sprint Strakes on August 30. Floating home with the $1.15 million winner’s purse was nice, but the satisfaction of seeing his pupil realize potential might have been even better for trainer Keith Desormeaux.

“The win at Kentucky Downs was huge for us for many reasons”, says Desormeaux, himself a Louisiana-bred. “That race confirmed what we already knew about him. He has always had a lot of speed, but just didn’t always know how to utilize it. He is a man physically and I think he has now matured into his frame and that allows him to back up his physical stature with performance on race day.”

Prior to his Kentucky Downs score, Bear River scored a hard-fought victory against the speedy Coppola at five and a half furlongs at Ellis Park in the Kentucky Downs Turf Preview Sprint on August 3. Run at just five furlongs, the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint over the Del Mar lawn might be a good fit for the fast-breaking Bear River.

“The break from the gate is absolutely the key in a race as short as this one”, says Desormeaux, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with Texas Red in 2014. “I really think it should be a little longer because five eighths of a mile is kind of short for a Thoroughbred race.”

Bear River will head to Southern California fresh and ready to go as he has not raced since floating home first at Kentucky Downs. His crafty Cajun conditioner has had a knack for getting the most out of lower budget horses on big days. A $50,000 purchase as a two-year-old, this proto-type Desormeaux diamond will look to sparkle on the big stage.

“He has had some nice works at Churchill Downs recently and it looks like he is ready to go”, says Desormeaux. “I really love what I do and getting the most out of a horse is extremely rewarding for me. Yes, I have to work a lot harder and giving my owners a winner with a horse others passed over is tougher, but that is what I treasure the most. I have been blessed with some great ownership with Bear River and that has made my job easy.”

Bear River has started twenty-two times in his career with seven wins and three third place finishes to his credit. Owned by Charles Marquis, his career on-track earnings are at $1,698,823. The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint will be contested at Del Mar on November