With a field of only nine starters, the six furlong Sprint may have the smallest lineup of the 14 Breeders' Cup races to be run this weekend at Churchill Downs. But it also could prove to be one of the most competitive while re-matching the top two finishers from the race a year ago at Del Mar, Roy H and Imperial Hint. The purse for the Sprint was raised to $2 million in 2018.    

Imperial Hint, coming off a pair of impressive Grade 1 wins, will likely be favored in his rematch with Roy H. The latter proved he's cycled back to his top form after winning the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship in his last start. Imperial Hint will break from post five while Roy H has the extreme outside post with Paco Lopez aboard.

The pace scenario for the Sprint changed less than 24 hours before entry time with the announcement that the speedy X Y Jet would not compete. That could leave the Grade 1 winner Promises Fulfilled as the likely pace setter.  Promises Fulfilled drew post position 2, much to the delight of trainer Dale Romans, with Luis Saez the rider.

"Post 2 was really what I wanted," Romans said after the draw. "I wanted to be inside but not on the rail and I like the fact he'll have horses breaking on either side."

A couple of Kentucky based runners, Limousine Liberal(Jose Ortiz) and Whitmore(Ricardo Santana Jr.), are among the key contenders although the latter must contend with having drawn the dreaded inside post. Limousine Liberal is based at Keeneland year round but loves the Churchill Downs surface having won his last five starts at the Louisville oval, all stakes.

The remainder of the Sprint lineup includes Always Sunshine(Frankie Pennington), Distinctive B(Drayden Van Dyke), Warrior's Club(Luis Contreras) and B Squared(Mario Gutierrez).