Listenupshance makes it back-to-back graded stakes in Sunday’s Grade II Santa Anita Sprint Championship at Santa Anita

__LISTENUPSHANCE MAKES IT BACK-TO-BACK GRADED STAKES IN SUNDAY’S GRADE II SANTA ANITA SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP AT SANTA ANITA __

The 4-year-old gelding by Shancelot, a former claimer, previously won the GI Bing Crosby at Del Mar to secure an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint

ARCADIA, CA (Sept. 27, 2026)—With an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint having already been secured last time out in the GI Bing Crosby at Del Mar, Listenupshance made it back-to-back graded stakes win Sunday in the Grade II, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship presented by Estrella Jalisco going six furlongs at Santa Anita Park.

The Santa Anita Sprint Championship was also a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series.

On Saturday morning, the field was scratched down to just three horses when last year’s Santa Anita Sprint Championship winner, Imagination, and Ahrens were both withdrawn.

Listenpshance (6-5), ridden by Emisael Jaramillo for trainer Doug O’Neill, was outfooted at the start by 3-5 favorite Maximum Bourbon. Jockey Umberrto Rispoli aboard Maximum Bourbon then guided his mount over to the rail. Moments later, Maximum Bourbon was caught and passed by Listenupshance.

“If you go back and watch his last few races, he’s been behaving badly in the gate and giving the other horses one or two lengths at the start,” Jaramillo said. “But he has the ability in about two jumps to get where he wants to be. I had to use him a little bit to get to the front.”

Listenupshance proceeded to run the opening quarter mile in 21.98 and half mile in 43.86 seconds with Maximum Bourbon and March of Time (5-1), the third horse in the race, in pursuit.

“According to Emisael, he kind of just froze leaving there and then he got him back involved,” O’Neill said. “I know they went 21 and change so he had to go 21 flat. It was very impressive.”

Listenupshance reached the eighth pole in 55.87 seconds with a 1 ½ length lead over Maximum Bourbon and crossed the wire three-quarters of a length in front of that rival for the victory.

“He wasn’t 100 percent for this race,” Jaramillo noted. “This was preparation for the Breeders’ Cup. After (the Bing Crosby on July 25), we wanted to keep him fresh and happy. Now he’ll be 100 percent for the Breeders’ Cup and will be tough.” The $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint is Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

Listenupshance is a 4-year-old gelding by Shancelot owned by Run Fast Racing and Great Friends Stable. A mere $10,000 auction buy as a yearling, he graduated in a $20,000 maiden-claimer going six furlongs on dirt on July 24 at Del Mar when trained by Ken Sweezey. Listenupshance was then sold privately to his current connections.

On Friday, O’Neill mentioned that they “kind of accidently” put Listenupshance in against tough company following the acquisition and he “showed he could dance with them.” The race he referenced was an allowance/$80,000 optional claimer going five furlongs on turf on Aug. 9 at Del Mar, which he won by a nose at 17-1. O’Neill elaborated on what happened in the Santa Anita Winner’s Circle.

“Adam (Kluger) put this whole Run Fast Racing together. He had (Run Fast partner) Lil Yachty, a rapper, coming out on a specific day at Del Mar. We talked to the racing secretary and said, ‘Will you run a $10,000 claimer that day?’ He said I will. We were going to slam him down for 10 and be 3-5, win, and give Lil Yachty a little thrill.

“It was going as planned until we entered him. Then I got called from the racing office and they said you won’t believe it, we have 20 entered and he’s not going to make it. So I called Adam and he said, you have to put him in somewhere.

“So there was an allowance short on the turf. We put him in and it worked out great. That tells you about the inexact science of horse racing. A lot of blind luck. A good horse will do well despite who’s around him and making dumb decisions.”

This latest win pushed Listenupshance’s earnings to $558,570 with a record of 14: 5-3-3. He paid $4.40.

GRADE II, SANTA ANITA SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

EMISAEL JARAMILLO, LISTENUPSHANCE, WINNER: “If you go back and watch his last few races, he’s been behaving badly in the gate and giving the other horses one or two lengths at the start,” But he has the ability in about two jumps to get where he wants to be. I had to use him a little bit to get to the front.

“He wasn’t 100 percent for this race. This was preparation for the Breeders’ Cup. After (the Bing Crosby on July 25), we wanted to keep him fresh and happy. Now he’ll be 100 percent for the Breeders’ Cup and will be tough.”

TRAINER QUOTES

DOUG O’NEILL, LISTENUPSHANCE, WINNER: “I thought it was super impressive. According to Emisael, he just kind of just froze leaving there and then he got him back involved. I know they went 21 and change and he had to go 21 flat. It was very impressive. When that five (Maximum Bourbon) came to him somewhere down the lane, I was like, ‘Uh oh.’ He just found another gear and kept plugging away. Definitely I think his most impressive race to date.”

“Adam (Kluger) put this whole Run Fast Racing together. He had (Run Fast partner) Lil Yachty coming out on a specific day at Del Mar and we had talked to the racing secretary and said will you run a $10,000 claimer that day. He said I will. We were going to slam him down for 10 and be 3-5, win, and give Lil Yachty a little thrill.

“It was going as planned until we entered him. Then I got called from the racing office and they said you won’t believe it, we have 20 entered and he’s not going to make it. So I called Adam and he said you have to put him in somewhere. So there was an allowance short on the turf we put him in and it worked out great. That tells you the inexact science of horse racing. A lot of blind luck. A good horse will do well despite who’s around him and making dumb decisions.”

OWNER QUOTES

ADAM KLUGER, RUN FAST RACING FOUNDER, WINNER: “It’s incredible. Power is in the people not in the pockets. We are going to show everybody that this sport is beautiful and people need to feel like a participant, not just a spectator. That’s what makes everything work.”

NOTES: The winning owners are Run Fast Racing and Great Friends Stables.