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Royal Ship Looms Large in San Diego

Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm's ascendant handicap division contender Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman) figures to be tough to beat in Saturday's GII San Diego H. at Del Mar, the seaside oval's traditional prep for its marquee GI TVG Pacific Classic Aug. 21.

Earning a trip to America by reeling off five consecutive open-lengths turf victories in his native Brazil, capped by a score in the G1 Estado do Rio de Janeiro, the gelding was third making his Stateside bow in the GII Del Mar Mile H. over the turf last summer. Sixth in the GII City of Hope Mile S., he ran last of four after stumbling at the start when switching to dirt in the GIII Native Diver S. here in November.

Running fifth, beaten just a length, in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. Mar. 6 at Santa Anita, the bay has become a new horse since moving back to the main track, annexing the GII Californian S. with a 108 Beyer Apr. 17 before just being denied by a head when second in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. last out May 31.

Third that day was re-opposing Express Train (Union Rags). Completing the exacta behind Charlatan (Speightstown) at 16-1 in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. closing out his sophomore campaign, the $500,000 Keeneland September buy built on that effort with a dominant victory in the GII San Pasqual S. and a half-length second in the GI Santa Anita H. Third to next-out GI Metropolitan H. victor Silver State (Hard Spun) in the GII Oaklawn H., he broke outwardly at the start of the Gold Cup and suffered a wide trip before settling for third.

Finishing a half-length behind him was Rushie (Liam's Map), who looks to be the main other contender should Royal Ship take a step back. Annexing the GII Pat Day Mile S. last summer, the gray was seventh in the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and a nose runner-up in the Oaklawn Mile S. Apr. 10 before stumbling at the start and flattening out from a middle move in the Gold Cup.

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Royal Ship Looms The Horse To Beat In Saturday’s San Diego ‘Cap

The Brazilian-bred 5-year-old Royal Ship has found his footing on dry land of late and could take a lot of beating at Del Mar Saturday as he heads a field of nine in the 80th edition of the $250,000, Grade 2 San Diego Handicap.

The gelded son of Del Mar's 2008 Del Mar Futurity winner, Midshipman, fired two big shots at Santa Anita this spring, winning the Grade 2 Californian and being beaten a head in the Grade 1 Gold Cup. Both races were on the main track, a relatively new chapter for the South American who had raced primarily on the turf.

The bay will go postward Saturday with a couple of sizeable pluses in his sails. First, he's trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, always a good thing for a horse, especially so if you've come north from South America, a Mandella specialty. Then Royal Ship also gets the advantage of being guided by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, a man who has ridden more stakes winners then there are sailboats on San Diego Bay on a Sunday afternoon. The likely race favorite will pack topweight of 124 pounds and break from Post 4.

Second highweight at 123 and likely the favorite's chief threat is CRK Stable's Express Train, a hard-knocking colt by Union Rags who has won a graded stakes and been placed in three others thus far in 2021. The John Shirreff's trained 4-year-old will get the saddle services of his regular partner, J. J. Hernandez, as they start their journey from Post 5 right alongside Royal Ship.

Here's the full field for the San Diego from the rail out with weights and riders:

Daniell or Daniell's Rushie (121, Umberto Rispoli)
John Sondereker's Kiss Today Goodbye (120, Victor Espinoza)
Joe Peacock's Sheriff Brown (118, Edwin Maldonado)
Royal Ship
Express Train
Martin or Martin's Mo Mosa (120, Ramon Vazquez)
Summer Wind Equine's Magic On Tap (120, Abel Cedillo)
Hronis Racing's Tripoli (118, Tiago Pereira)
Hronis Racing's Heywoods Beach (118, Trevor McCarthy)

The San Diego is considered the shore track's key prep race for its centerpiece – the $750,000 TVG Pacific Classic, which this year will be run on Saturday, August 21. It goes at a mile and a quarter for 3-year-olds and up.

Also on the Saturday card is the Osunitas Stakes, an overnight for fillies and mares that carries an $80,000 purse. The mile on the turf has drawn a field of nine, including a pair out of trainer Richard Baltas' barn in Nasty and Ippodamia's Girl.

First post Saturday is 2 p.m. for the 11-race card.

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Californian Winner Royal Ship Faces Express Train, Rushie In Hollywood Gold Cup

Formerly a turf specialist, Richard Mandella's Royal Ship appears ready for his close-up on dirt, as he heads Monday's Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Originally run and won in 1938 by Seabiscuit at Hollywood Park, Monday's renewal has attracted a field of seven 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/4 miles and will mark the 83rd renewal of one of North America's most prestigious races for handicap division horses.

Prominent among those who will try to deny Royal Ship is the John Shirreffs-trained Express Train, who returns to Santa Anita following a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap and the Michael McCarthy-trained Rushie, who was beaten a nose in the ungraded Oaklawn Mile on April 10.

A 5-year-old gelding who was making only his third start on dirt, Brazilian-bred Royal Ship stalked the pace proved gamest late in taking the Grade 2, 1 1/8 mile Californian Stakes by neck on April 17. A Group 1 winner on grass in Brazil, Royal Ship, a 5-year-old gelding by Midshipman, had been winless in four starts for Mandella prior to the Californian.

In winning the iconic Gold Cup prep, Royal Ship earned a Gold Cup-best last-out Beyer Speed figure of 108 and will hope to stretch his current form to a mile and a quarter—a distance that's he's never tried.

Owned by Fox Hill Farms, Inc. and Siena Farm, LLC, Royal Ship is 12-6-1-2 and will be ridden by Mike Smith for the sixth consecutive time.

A rousing 3 ¼-length winner of the G2 San Pasqual Stakes three starts back on Jan. 30, Express Train opened up turning for home in the G1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6, but was overtaken late to be defeated by a half length by Idol.

A 4-year-old colt by Union Rags, Express Train was subsequently made the 9-5 favorite in the G2 Oaklawn Handicap, but finished third, beaten 1 ½ lengths. Owned by Lee and Susan Searing's C R K Stable, Express Train, who is 10-3-4-1, rates a huge chance with regular rider Juan Hernandez back aboard.

A one-mile maiden winner in his second start eight races back on Feb. 1, 2020, Rushie has raced out of town in his last four races, finishing second by a nose on April 10 at Oaklawn Park, seventh by 6 ½ lengths in the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland Nov. 7, winning the G2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs by 1 ¾ lengths on Sept. 5 and running third, beaten 8 ¼ lengths, in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on July 11, 2020.

With newly relocated Trevor McCarthy set to ride for the first time, Rushie, a 4-year-old Florida-bred colt by Liam's Map who will be trying a mile and a quarter for the first time, will run out of his own stall for the first time since finishing third in the G1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on June 6, 2020. Owned by Jim and Donna Daniell, Rushie is 9-3-2-2 with earnings of $583,151.

GRADE 1 HOLLYWOOD GOLD CUP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS

IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

Royal Ship—Mike Smith—124
Country Grammer—Flavien Prat—122
Brown Storm—Umberto Rispoli—122
Heywoods Beach—Tyler Baze—122
Rushie—Trevor McCarthy—124
Two Thirty Five—Abel Cedillo—122
Express Train—Juan Hernandez—124

First post time for a nine-race card on Memorial Day, Monday, is at 1 p.m. Two other Grade I stakes, the Gamely and the Shoemaker Mile, will highlight the day's racing. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Solid Field of Eight Set for Oaklawn Handicap

A deep field of eight–headed by 5-2 morning-line favorite and Southern Californian invader Express Train (Union Rags)–will line up for Saturday's $1-million GII Oaklawn H.

The well-built bay, second in last term's GI Runhappy Malibu S., followed a breakthrough victory with a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure in the GII San Pasqual S. Jan. 30 with a second-place finish after leading in the stretch in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 6. John Shirreffs trains the C R K Stables colorbearer.

The rail-drawn Silver State (Hard Spun), second and third in last term's GIII Lecomte S. and GII Risen Star S., enters riding a four-race winning streak for Steve Asmussen. He posted back-to-back, hard-fought local wins in the Fifth Season S. Jan. 23 and Essex H. Mar. 13, respectively.

Owendale (Into Mischief), a close second as the 4-5 favorite in the GII New Orleans Classic S. last time Mar. 20, looks to snap a seven-race losing streak while Fearless (Ghostzapper) ships in for Todd Pletcher following a win in the GII WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile S. Feb. 27.

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