Fast Draw Munnings Turns The Stables On Straight Up G In Cal Cup Derby

Soundly beaten by Straight Up G when last they met, the Jeff Mullins-trained Fast Draw Munnings turned the tables on his heavily favored rival in Saturday's $200,000 California Cup Derby at Santa Anita, as they battled head and head the final three sixteenths of a mile with “Fast Draw” gaining the advantage late to prevail by a neck. Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Fast Draw Munnings, a California-bred colt by the Kentucky-based stallion Munnings, got a mile and one sixteenth in 1:46.99.

The seeds of Straight Up G's defeat were sown early, as Highland Ghost, under Flavien Prat, gunned to the early lead from his rail post position with Straight Up G lapped on him to the five sixteenths pole, where he took the lead but was immediately tackled by the winner leaving the quarter pole.

“The main thing was hoping somebody went with the favorite, I mean that horse got away with an easy lead last time and we thought that if somebody goes with him, I told Drayden to make sure he gets a good jump out of there and be right off their heels,” said Mullins. “It worked out, the one horse went with the favorite and I think kind of softened him up and gave us the opportunity to get by.

“It's kind of waiting game most of the time, so we will just enjoy the moment now and see what comes up for him. Obviously, he's pretty versatile. I think he can go one turn, two turns and he may even like the turf. With these kind of Cal-breds you have to jump wherever you can and I think he's proved that he can.”

Bred in California by Glenn Porter and owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, Fast Draw Munnings is out of the Bedford Falls mare Zuzu's Petals. A first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos Sept. 17, Fast Draw Munnings was most recently third, beaten 5 ¼ lengths by gate to wire winner Straight Up G in the one mile King Glorious Stakes versus statebreds Dec. 12 at Los Alamitos.

Off at 4-1 in a field of six California-bred or sired sophomores, Fast Draw Munnings paid $10.40, $3.80 and $2.10.

“The main thing was to get a good break and hopefully (Straight Up G and Highland Ghost) battle like they did and just sit off of them and bide my time,” said Van Dyke. “That was exactly how it played out and we got lucky with the win. I knew it was going to be a good battle because (Straight Up G) kicked on when I asked my horse to go, but my horse dug in. I've always loved this horse, he's kind of a hard-headed horse, he doesn't give you all that he has but he showed what he could do today and I'm proud of him.”

In his fourth career start, Fast Draw Munnings notched his first stakes win and second overall victory. With the winner's share of $110,000, he increased his earnings to $170,600.

Straight Up G, off at 4-5 with Ricky Gonzalez, finished 3 ¼ lengths in front of Finneus and paid $2.60 and $2.10.

The second choice at 9-5 with John Velazquez, Finneus paid $2.10 to show while finishing 17 lengths clear of longshot Agador Spartacus.

Early pacesetter Highland Ghost tired badly and was distanced while checking in last.

Fractions on the race were 23.56, 48.01, 1:13.52 and 1:39.78.

Run as Saturday's third race, the Cal Cup Derby was the first of five stakes for California-bred or sired horses on a 10-race card.

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California Cup Day Highlights TVG’s Weekend Coverage

The California breeding programs will take center stage this weekend on TVG with live coverage of California Cup Day from Santa Anita featuring five stakes races on the ten-race card including the $200,000 California Cup Derby. A homebred for Jim Rome's Jungle Racing, Straight Up G will take on five rivals as he tries to earn his second consecutive stakes race.

TVG's Todd Schrupp, Simon Bray, Christina Blacker, Joaquin Jaime, Britney Eurton and Kurt Hoover will be reporting live from Santa Anita throughout the day with exclusive interviews, analysis and features. In the California Cup Derby, Straight Up G will be ridden by Ricardo Gonzalez for trainer Richard Baltas. A son of Straight Fire, he will be making his three-year-old debut and closed out his juvenile campaign with a win in the King Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos.

Also on the card is the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint which has drawn an overflow field of thirteen contenders. The field includes California Kook, a four-time winner and Grade 1-placed daughter of Boisterous, bred and owned in California by Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber. Trained by Rueben Alvarado, she was last seen winning an allowance race at Santa Anita and will have John Velazquez in the irons.

The coverage will continue with a special holiday card on Monday at Santa Anita featuring the $125,000 Astra Stakes (G3) going 1 ½ miles on the turf.

Gulfstream Park has a loaded eleven-race card featuring a pair of stakes races for Florida-bred horses – the $75,000 Sunshine Classic and $75,000 Sunshine Sprint. Larry Collmus and Andie Biancone will be reporting live from the track with interviews and expert analysis. Shamrocket headlines the Sunshine Classic as the 6-5 morning line favorite for Todd Pletcher. Owned by Donegal Racing, the five-year-old son of Tonalist will square off against six rivals under jockey Javier Castellano.

In addition to racing from Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, TVG will be featuring racing from Oaklawn, Tampa Bay Downs, Fair Grounds, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

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Rome Homebred Straight Up G Towers Over California Cup Derby Foes

A lights-out winner of his last two starts, Jungle Racing LLC's homebred Straight Up G appears a standout versus five sophomores going 1 1/16 miles in Saturday's $200,000 California Cup Derby at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

One of five California Cup Day races on a 10-race program, the Cal Cup Derby will be center stage as Straight Up G and his rivals attempt to follow in the footsteps of the Art Sherman-trained California Chrome, who used the 2014 Cal Cup Derby as a springboard to glory in the Santa Anita and Kentucky Derbies as well as the 2014 Preakness Stakes.

Like California Chrome, the Richard Baltas-trained Straight Up G, a bay colt by red hot sire Straight Fire, out of the Sky Mesa mare Gidget Girl, comes off a big win versus statebreds in the one mile King Glorious Stakes run at Los Alamitos on Dec. 12.

Owned and bred by sports talk icon Jim Rome and his wife Janet's Jungle Racing, Straight Up G debuted as an even money favorite going 5 ½ furlongs here on Oct. 9, but finished a disappointing fourth. Subsequently off at 4-5 in a six furlong maiden special versus Cal-breds on Nov. 21 at Del Mar, he aired by 5 ¼ lengths, earning a lofty 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

Off at 2-1 in the King Glorious, he led throughout in a thoroughly dominant performance, winning by 3 ½ lengths over Finneus, who he will again face on Saturday while earning a 75 Beyer.

With Ricky Gonzalez back to ride for a third consecutive time, Straight Up G appears headed for the deep waters of the Kentucky Derby Trail should he replicate his performance in the King Glorious on Saturday.

A gutty half length winner of the seven furlong Golden State Juvenile at Del Mar Nov. 5, Finneus, a California-bred colt by Stay Thirsty, was off as the 9-5 favorite in the King Glorious, but he could never threaten Straight Up G, finishing second by 3 ½ lengths. Well beaten three starts back in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes here on Oct. 1, Finneus, who will be ridden for the first time by John Velazquez, will be trying two turns for the third time. Devoid of early speed, his chances would be enhanced should there be a fast pace.

Bred by Terry Lovinger, trained by Walther Solis and owned by Lovingier, Mohammed Naseer Fasihuddin and Amanda Navarro, Finneus, who is out of the Ghostzapper mare My Fiona, is the leading money earner in the field with $266,366 from an overall mark of 7-2-3-1.

A sharp two length allowance winner going 5 ½ furlongs on synthetic Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields Dec. 31, the O. J. Jauregui-trained Highland Ghost will face statebred company and go two turns for the second time in what will be his eighth career start. Quick from the blocks, this chestnut colt by 2017 Santa Anita Handicap winner Shaman Ghost could prove bothersome early to Straight Up G.

With a solid last-out Beyer of 74 to his credit, Highland Ghost is owned by his breeder, Highland Yard, LLC and is 7-2-2-1 overall with earnings of $69,506.

THE $200,000 CAL CUP DERBY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 10 Approximate post time 1 p.m. PT

  1. Highland Ghost—Flavien Prat—124
  2. Sippin N Kissin—Abel Cedillo—124
  3. Fast Draw Munnings—Drayden Van Dyke–124
  4. Finneus—John Velazquez—124
  5. Straight Up G—Ricardo Gonzalez—124
  6. Agador Spartacus—Tyler Baze–124

First post time for a 10-race card, which will include a total of five California-bred or sired stakes on California Cup Day, Saturday is at 12 noon. Admission gates will open at 10 a.m.

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Big Fish Reels ‘Em In To Win California Cup Derby Going Away

Patiently handled by leading man Juan Hernandez, Legacy Ranch's Big Fish reeled 'em in late to take Saturday's $200,000 California Cup Derby at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., by 1 ½ lengths. Trained by David Hofmans, Big Fish got a mile and one sixteenth in 1:46.37.

A joint sixth, about four lengths off the lead going into the far turn, Hernandez bided his time, angled outside three sixteenths from home and Big Fish unleashed a powerful stretch kick to run down None Above the Law in the final sixteenth.

Fourth in the one mile turf Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 27, Big Fish, a 3-year-old gelding by Mr. Big out of the Into Mischief mare Perched, had been on turf and faced open company in his last four races, with both of his wins coming on the grass.

Ridden for the first time by Hernandez, he was also fitted with blinkers, after having not run in them in his last two starts.  Off at 4-1 in a field of eight, Big Fish paid $10.00, $5.80 and $3.60. He was bred in Cal;ifornia by George Krikorian.

A one mile turf stakes winner in his fourth start on Sept. 7 at Del Mar, he now has added money victories on both surfaces.  With the winner's share of $110,000, Big Fish increased his earnings to $229,018.

“I thought he preferred the turf, but since he was a Cal-bred we thought we'd take advantage of that,” said Hofmans. “He breezed well over (the dirt), the other day with Juan (Hernandez) and seemed to get over it well. He's just maturing. This horse is just now coming into himself. I think we have a better future going forward.

“I dream all the time, it's the only reason I get up in the morning,” Hofmans added. “We'll see what happens, how he comes out of it and go from there.”

Attentive to the pace throughout with Kent Desormeaux, None Above the Law finished four lengths better than pacesetter Good With People and paid $8.80 and $4.80 while off at 9-1.

Ridden by Rickey Gonzalez, Good With People finished 1 ¼ lengths in front of Warrens Candy Man and paid $3.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.26, 47.50, 1:12.43 and 1:39.38.

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