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Country Grammer Holds Royal Ship At Bay To Win Hollywood Gold Cup

In an ultra-game performance, Bob Baffert's Country Grammer battled back inside the length of the stretch and prevailed by a head over Brazilian-bred Royal Ship in Monday's Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Country Grammer got 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.23 and thus provided Baffert with his eighth Gold Cup win—equaling the legendary Charlie Whittingham, who registered his final Gold Cup win with Ferdinand in 1987.

A measured second, about a half length off of longshot pacesetter Brown Storm a half mile from home, Country Grammer gained the advantage mid-way around the far turn but was immediately engaged to his outside by Royal Ship, who appeared to be in control a furlong from the wire. Country Grammer battled back, however, and got the job done, giving Prat his first-ever Gold Cup win.

“He ran super well,' said Prat. “He broke well and I was able to get myself in a good spot. I was a little worried when I saw Mike Smith (aboard Royal Ship) on the outside of me, I wish I could have kept him inside. Mike took the lead on me, but my horse was really game to come back.”

A 4-year-old colt by Tonalist who had run his first six races for eastern-based Chad Brown, Country Grammer made his debut for Baffert in the Grade II Californian here on April 17, finishing second by a neck to Royal Ship.

Ridden for the first time today by Prat, Country Grammer was off as the 9-5 favorite in a field of seven 3-year-olds and up and paid $5.60, $3.20 and $2.60.

Owned by WinStar Farm, LLC, Country Grammer, who is out of the Forestry mare Arabian Song, took his second graded stakes and now has three wins from eight starts. With the winner's share of $180,000, he increased his earnings to $377,320.

“Elliot Walden and WinStar bought him to bring to California because they figured a mile and a quarter was his distance,” said Baffert. “His form on the dirt was really good last year. It looked like he was beat today, but he kicked it in…It's exciting. He ran a big race last time and just got beat. He was really ready to go today and I think the distance was the key. He got it done with a lot of class and determination.”

Ridden by Mike Smith, Royal Ship was trying a mile and a quarter for the first time and was gallant in defeat, finishing some 4 ¼ lengths clear of Express Train. Off at 3-1, Royal Ship paid $4.20 and $2.80.

Last early, Express Train rallied for third money, finishing a half length better than Rushie. The second choice at 2-1 with Juan Hernandez, Express Train paid $2.40 to show.

Fractions on the 84^rd Hollywood Gold Cup were 22.92, 47.16, 1:12.09 and 1:37.18.

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Better With Age: 8-Year-Old Bombard Digs In For Daytona Stakes Score

Quick from the gate and head and head to deep stretch with speedy Law Abidin Citizen, heavily favored Bombard simply wouldn't be denied in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as he prevailed by 1 ¼ lengths under Flavien Prat. Trained by Richard Mandella, the 8-year-old gelding by War Front got 6 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:14.47.

Most recently second in a tough classified allowance going six furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on April 25 and only beaten 3 ¼ lengths two starts back in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, Bombard added blinkers for the first time in this his 18th career start and notched his first-ever graded stakes victory at a point in life where most of his classmates have been retired.

“He's as good as he's ever been, for sure,” said Mandella. “I don't race him much, he's got a few problems that we have to take care of, but he comes back and he pays us back. We'll keep doing that as long as he's having a good time and so are we.”

Off as the 3-5 favorite in a field of five older horses, Bombard paid $3.40, $2.80 and $2.10.

“He broke really well and put himself in the race,” said Prat, who has now ridden by Bombard to a total of five victories. “I don't think the blinkers had anything to do with his race. I love to win.”

Owned by Perry Bass II, Ramona Bass, Adele Dilschneider and Waddell Hancock II, Bombard, who is out of the Distorted Humor mare Witty, was making his second start of the year and is now 18-6-6-2. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $459,771.

Idle since Aug. 29, Law Abidin Citizen finally threw in the towel a sixteenth out, enabling others to secure the minor placings.

Last for nearly the entire trip, Majestic Eagle unfurled a good stretch run to take second by a head over French-bred Commander. Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Majestic Eagle was off at 9-1 and paid $6.00 and $2.80.

Commander, who sat third most of the trip, finished third by a length and quarter and paid $2.80 to show while off at 6-1 with Juan Hernandez.

Law Abidin Citizen, a multiple graded stakes winner, was ridden by Abel Cedillo and held fourth by a nose over Jamming Eddy.

Fractions on the race were 21.63, 44.17 and 1:08.13.

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Smooth Like Strait Likely Favorite In Monday’s ‘Win And You’re In’ Shoemaker Mile

Cannon Thoroughbreds' consistent Smooth Like Strait heads a field of seven 3-year-olds and up in Monday's Grade 1, $300,000 Shoemaker Mile, one of three Grade 1 stakes on a nine-race Memorial Day program at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

A Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, the nominated winner of the Shoemaker Mile will be entitled to an automatic entry to the 2021 Breeders' Cup Mile Turf, to be run at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Smooth Like Strait, a four-time graded stakes winner on turf, will face stiff competition, headed perhaps by Phil D'Amato's Say the Word, who was supplemented at a cost of $6,000.

A 4-year-old colt by Midnight Lute, Smooth Like Strait comes off a pair of neck defeats—a third place finish in the G1 Turf Classic at 1 1/8 miles on May 1 at Churchill Downs and in the G1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita on March 6.

A three-quarter length winner of the G2 Mathis Brothers Mile three starts back on Dec. 26, Smooth Like Strait, dating back to his 2 ½-length win in the G2 La Jolla Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 9, has been favored in six of his last seven starts, all graded stakes, and he's won three of them.

With regular rider Umberto Rispoli back aboard, Smooth Like Strait, who earned a best last-out Beyer Speed Figure of 100 in the Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, is 14-6-3-2 overall with earnings of $753,823.

An impressive 1 ½-length winner of the G2 Elkhorn Stakes going 1 1/2 miles over a soft turf at Keeneland April 17, Say the Word was second, beaten three quarters of a length two starts back going the same distance here in the G3 San Luis Rey Stakes on March 20.

A 6-year-old Ontario/Canadian-bred gelding by More Than Ready, Say the Word, who will be cutting back to a flat mile for the first time since Sept. 1, 2019, will be making his fifth start for D'Amato on Monday. With Flavien Prat engaged, he's well-spotted for owners Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm.

A G1 winner in his final start at Woodbine Race Course on Oct. 18, Say the Word brings an overall mark of 29-6-3-5 and earnings of $609,292 to Monday's Shoe Mile.

GRADE 1 SHOEMAKER MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS

IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Next Shares—Trevor McCarthy—122
Smooth Like Strait—Umberto Rispoli—124
Crossfirehurricane—Mario Gutierrez—122
Restrainedvengeance—Tyler Baze—122
Raymundos Secret—Juan Hernandez—124
Whisper Not—Geovanni Franco—122
Say the Word—Flavien Prat—124

First post time for a nine-race card on Monday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Velazquez To Ride Preakness Winner Rombauer In Belmont Stakes

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will ride John and Diane Fradkin's Grade 1 Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer in the G1 Belmont Stakes on June 5, replacing Flavien Prat, who rode the Twirling Candy colt to victory in the Triple Crown's middle leg but committed to ride G1 Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Hot Rod Charlie in the 1 1/2-mile Test of the Champion at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The news was first reported by Daily Racing Form.

Velazquez rode Medina Spirit to a first-place finish in the Kentucky Derby and finished third aboard the Protonico colt in the Preakness, but Medina Spirit will not run in the Belmont. Following Medina Spirit's defeat in the Preakness and more than a week after the colt's trainer, Bob Baffert, revealed that he was notified of a positive drug test from the Derby, New York Racing Association officials said they would not accept any entries from Baffert or allow his horses to stable at NYRA tracks indefinitely. A stewards' hearing can not be held in Kentucky until results of a split sample test is received by officials there.

Velazquez was also the regular rider of G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat, who was briefly under consideration for a try against colts in the Belmont. However, her connections announced last week she would not contest the Triple Crown's final leg.

If Rombauer contests the Belmont, this will be the 19th consecutive year Velazquez has a mount in the race. He's won twice – with the filly Rags to Riches in 2007 and 2012 with Union Rags – from 24 Belmont Stakes starts dating back to 1995.

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