Turf Too Rich for Sandpit

The $2-million Breeders’ Cup Turf, already hard hit by the losses of Marlin, Rainbow Dancer and Influent because of injuries, will also be run without Sandpit, whose owner decided that a $400,000 supplementary fee was too high.

“That’s an awful lot of money,” trainer Richard Mandella said after discussing Sandpit’s status with Sergio Menezes, who owns the horse. “If the payment had only been $240,000, we might have done it.”

First place in the Turf, which is part of the seven-race Breeders’ Cup card at Hollywood Park on Nov. 8, is worth $1.04 million. The second-place horse earns $400,000 and third pays $240,000. Horses not nominated are usually supplemented for 12% of the purse--$240,000--but Sandpit’s fee would have been higher because his sire also wasn’t nominated.

Sandpit, a Brazilian-bred who has won eight stakes in the U.S., has earned $3.7 million, but this year he has won only one of seven starts. He has traveled about 72,000 miles in his career, and he might be making another long trip, to Tokyo to run in the $2.8-million Japan Cup on Nov. 23. Another option is the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup on Dec. 14.

The last time the Breeders’ Cup was held in California, at Santa Anita in 1993, Mandella won two of the races and also saddled two winners in other stakes on the card. With Sandpit out of the Turf and Gentlemen missing the Classic, Mandella is down to one Breeders’ Cup horse--Advancing Star, who is possible for the Sprint.

The pre-entry deadline for the seven races was Monday, when owners were required to make a payment of 1% of the purse for each horse. Another 1% is due on entry day, which is Nov. 5. The list of pre-entered horses will be announced Wednesday.

Singspiel, second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf last year and the early favorite this time, arrived at Hollywood Park from England on Sunday. Since last year’s Breeders’ Cup, Singspiel has won the Japan Cup, the Dubai World Cup and two stakes in England, increasing his earnings to almost $6 million.