Corwyn Bay Boosts Stock With Ancient Title Victory

Even though four of the first five winners of the Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Handicap went on to race in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, none of them repeated their success when $1 million was on the line.

Corwyn Bay just might be the thoroughbred to do what Groovy, Zany Tactics, Olympic Prospect and Sam Who couldn’t.

A month after winning his first start on the main track by 6 1/2 lengths, the 4-year-old Caerleon colt dominated Sensational Star, Prospectors Gamble and four others Wednesday at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meeting.

In winning for the sixth time in 13 starts, the 6-5 favorite defeated Sensational Star, winner of the Bing Crosby and Pat O’Brien stakes at Del Mar, by two lengths in 1:08 2/5 for six furlongs.

With Housebuster missing, the Sprint isn’t coming up particularly strong, and Corwyn Bay has the added advantage of being a fresh horse. He has run only twice in 1990 after 11 starts as a 2- and 3-year-old in Europe.