The Committee reviewed 970 overall with purses of at least $75,000 and also assigned listed status to a further 213 races. Some 10 races were upgraded from their previous status–one new Grade I and nine Grade Iis. Four new Grade III events were also listed. Fourteen new listed raced and two new listed/restricted races were upgraded from non-listed black-type status.

The Franklin-Simpson S. at Kentucky Downs is the lone new Grade I for 2024, while the Carter H., the Man o'War S., the Beverly D. S., the United Nations S. and Hollywood Gold Cup each lost its elite-level grading. Nine races were upgraded to Grade II, four races received an upgrade to Grade III, 14 races were upgraded to listed status and two races were awarded listed/restricted status.

Ten races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III, 15 were downgraded from Grade III to listed status and 13 races were downgraded to non-listed black-type.

In 2024, a total of 93 Grade I races will be staged, 137 at the Grade II level and 199 Grade IIIs. Click here for the 2024 U.S. graded and listed stakes listing.

Upgraded Stakes

Grade II to Grade I

Franklin-Simpson S., Kentucky Downs

Grade III to Grade II

Intercontinental S., Belmont Park

Charles Town Oaks, Charles Town

Locust Grove S., Churchill Downs

Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Gulfstream

Valley View S., Keeneland

Music City S., Kentucky Downs

Fantasy S., Oaklawn

Saratoga Oaks Invitational, Saratoga

Troy S., Saratoga

Listed to Grade III

Unbridled Sidney S., Churchill Downs

Giant's Causeway S., Keeneland

Perryville S., Keeneland

Kentucky Cup Classic, Turfway Park

Downgraded Stakes

Grade I to Grade II

Carter H., Aqueduct

Man o'War S., Belmont

Beverly D. S., Colonial Downs

United Nations S., Monmouth

Hollywood Gold Cup, Santa Anita

Grade II to Grade III

Forty Niner S., Aqueduct

Hill Prince S., Belmont at Aqueduct

Vosburgh S., Belmont at Aqueduct

Sheepshead Bay S., Belmont at Aqueduct

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. at BC host site

Penn Mile S., Penn National

Californian S., Santa Anita

Goldikova S., Santa Anita

Royal Heroine S., Santa Anita

Prioress S., Saratoga

Grade III to Listed

Bay Shore S., Aqueduct

Fall Highweight H., Aqueduct

La Jolla H., Del Mar

Golden Gate H., Golden Gate Fields

Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S., Gulfstream

Smile Sprint S., Gulfstream

Sugar Swirl S., Gulfstream

Swale S., Gulfstream

Smarty Jones S., Parx

BWI Invitational Turf Cup, Pimlico

Iowa Oaks, Prairie Meadows

Remington Park Oaks, Remington

Desert Stormer S., Santa Anita

Kona Gold S., Santa Anita

Schuylerville S., Saratoga

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Favored at 3-5, the chestnut broke well and took his five rivals along at a comfortable gallop, covering the opening four furlongs in :47.59 while being kept company by longshot Piroli (Battle of Midway). Kiss Today Goodbye (Cairo Prince) ranged up three wide turning up the backstretch and there would be no further change in the order in what became very much a merry-go-round race through the six furlongs in 1:11.83. Niggled along by Juan Hernandez nearing the stretch while given no breather by a very stubborn Piroli, Defunded led narrowly into the stretch, turned away the race-long challenge of Piroli at the furlong grounds and maintained a safe margin to the wire. The winner's stablemate and 2021 Gold Cup hero Country Grammer (Tonalist) bobbled a bit at the break from the inside stall, settled and chased from fourth throughout and never offered any sort of winning bid.

“I would have like to seen Country Grammer second and run 1-2, but Defunded is a tough horse,” said Baffert, whose won his first Gold Cup with Pegram's GI Kentucky Derby winner Real Quiet (Quiet American) nearly a quarter-century ago. “This horse today he got the lead and he wasn't going to let anybody pass him. He is just improving and getting better. I was happy to see him get a mile and a quarter.”

The 10 furlongs of the Gold Cup had proved a task too tall for Defunded previously, as he was second after setting a much sharper pace in last year's renewal and met a similar fate in the GI Santa Anita H. this past March, where he couldn't quite last and settled for third. Having made the 2022 GI Awesome Again S. his first graded win last October, he added a facile score in Del Mar's GIII Native Diver S. and was second to Art Collector (Bernardini) in the GI Pegasus World Cup in January. Defunded was a latest winner as the 1-5 mortal of the Apr. 22 GII Calfornian S.

Pedigree Notes:

Defunded's dam, a $31,000 Keeneland September yearling, punched well above her weight in winning five times while placing in a similar number of black-type races and bankrolling nearly $195,000.

Having produced four foals, Wind Caper was not mated in 2016 and fetched $37,000 from Athens Woods at that year's Keeneland November Sale. The stakes-winning second dam Wind Tunnel was a half-sister to Grade III winner Reunited (Dixie Union), the dam of GI Runhappy Travers S. and GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner and GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}).

Wind Caper is also the dam of the 3-year-old filly Capital Lights (Lookin At Lucky) and a 2-year-old full-sister to Defunded. That filly, named Ringy Dingy, was a $200,000 purchase by Oracle Bloodstock out of last year's Fasig-Tipton October Sale and breezed a half-mile over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga in :50.12 (12/30) May 26.

Monday, Santa Anita
HOLLYWOOD GOLD CUP S.-GI, $400,500, Santa Anita, 5-29, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:02.85, ft.
1–DEFUNDED, 124, g, 5, by Dialed In
                1st Dam: Wind Caper (MSP, $194,286), by Touch Gold
                2nd Dam: Wind Tunnel, by Summer Squall
                3rd Dam: Tivli, by Mt. Livermore
($210,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson
and Paul Weitman; B-Athens Woods LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert;
J-Juan J. Hernandez. $240,000. Lifetime Record: 17-7-4-2,
$1,588,100. *1/2 to Lookin At Roses (Lookin At Lucky), SP,
$296,510. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Piroli, 122, g, 4, Battle of Midway–Phonybooksnrecords, by
Tapit. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1
BLACK TYPE. O/B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Michael W.
McCarthy. $80,000.
3–Kiss Today Goodbye, 122, h, 6, Cairo Prince–Savvy Hester, by
Heatseeker (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($150,000 Ylg '18
KEEJAN). O-Sondereker Racing LLC; B-Debmar Stables (KY);
T-J. Eric Kruljac. $48,000.
Margins: 1, 3 1/4, HF. Odds: 0.60, 28.30, 37.30.
Also Ran: Country Grammer, Senor Buscador, Yes This Time.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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And it isn't just a NYRA problem. The number of stakes run across the country that have attracted five horses or fewer is alarming. Since May 7, GI Kentucky Derby Day, there have been 21 graded or listed races that had five-horse fields, a list that includes some of the biggest races on the calendar, like the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H., the GI Ogden Phipps S., the GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. Six more graded stakes consisted of just four runners.

When it comes to the bettors, there are way too many unappetizing betting races, $3.60 winners and $8.20 exactas. When it comes to the breeding industry and the importance of the graded stakes system, it's become too easy for a horse to pick up black type. To get a filly or mare to finish among the top three in graded company is no longer the accomplishment it used to be.

The problem is obvious. There aren't enough horses and there are too many stakes races.

In 2007, there were 474 graded stakes and 107 Grade I's. This year, there will be 449 graded races and 101 Grade I's. Over a 15-year period, the number of graded stakes has declined by 5.3% and the number of Grade I races has fallen by just 5.6% The numbers haven't come close to what has happened with the foal crop over that same period of time. The registered foal crop in 2007 was 34,358. In 2022, it will be about 17,000. That's a decline of more than 50%.

There's also the added problem of how infrequently horses run. In 2007, the average number of starts per horse was 6.2. Last year, the number was down to 5.26.

That means that the American Graded Stakes Committee hasn't done it's job. The decline in the number of graded stakes should at least somewhat resemble the decline in the foal crop. That hasn't happened. The graded stakes committee needs to show the sport some tough love and start taking a hacksaw to the list of graded stakes. Otherwise, it risks losing its credibility.

When it comes to the number of total races run, the sport has adjusted to meet the realities of the situation. In 2007, 51,304 races were run in the U.S. By last year, the number was down to 33,567, a decline of 34.6%. But when it comes to the number of stakes races offered, the sport has stubbornly stuck to the status quo. The problem won't go away until there is a meaningful reduction in the number of stakes races offered.

The 3-year-old filly division is a perfect example. Let's start with the Acorn, run June 11. Two weeks later, NYRA ran the Mother Goose, a recipe for disaster considering how close the Acorn and Mother Goose were to one another on the calender. But there's more. The GIII Delaware Oaks will be run July 2. The next day, Monmouth will run the Boiling Springs S., a $100,000 race for 3-year-old fillies. On July 9, they'll run the GIII Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows and the GIII Indiana Oaks at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Even if trainers wanted to stick to the NYRA races, there are just too many. After the Acorn and the Mother Goose, you will have the GI Coaching Club American Oaks July 23 and the GI Alabama S. Aug. 20, both at Saratoga. That's four graded stakes races for 3-year-old fillies run on the same circuit in a span of 70 days.

The only way to fix this is for some stakes races to go away. Yes, the Mother Goose is a prestigious race that has been around since 1957 and has been won by horses like Serena's Song, Ruffian and Shuvee. But it's no longer a Grade I and the purse is $250,000, modest by today's standards. Despite the four-horse field, the Acorn is the better race. It's a Grade I and the purse is $500,000. You don't need both, and the answer is to keep the Acorn, extend it to a mile-and-an-eighth, and say goodbye to the Mother Goose.

There are at least a half dozen more stakes on the NYRA schedule that could be done away with. Maybe more. Does Monmouth really need the Boiling Springs? Should we have both an Indiana and an Iowa Oaks, run on the same day? The Hollywood Gold Cup isn't the race it used to be, when it was won by the likes of Swaps, Native Diver, Affirmed and Cigar. This year's winner, There Goes Harvard (Will Take Charge), had never so much as run in a graded stakes before capturing the mile-and-a-quarter event at Santa Anita. Is this race really necessary anymore?

To get rid of races like that would be a tough pill to swallow. Stakes races represent the highest level of the sport and what track doesn't want to be able to brag that it has an important group of these races? In some sense, they probably mean more to smaller tracks likes Prairie Meadows and Horseshoe Indianapolis than they do to a NYRA or Santa Anita because they don't get many opportunities to put on cards that include major races.

Then again, something needs to be done. You could start by requiring that the racing secretaries from all the major tracks assemble each year, go over their proposed schedules and make some sort of effort to work together. There have to be compromises that can be made. But you also have to cut down on the number of stakes available. It doesn't have to be a mass reduction in the number of races, maybe, as a starting point, a race here and there.

Until then, there will be only more and more four and five-horse fields in some of the sport's biggest races. This problem is not going to go away on its own.

Beverly Park Does It Again

Iron horse Beverly Park (Munnings) won a starter allowance  June 18 at Churchill Downs. It was his 17th start of the year and his eighth win. He's earned $150,244. For owner-trainer Norman (Lynn) Cash, he's run at nine different tracks this year and has won at six. All but two of his starts have come in starter allowance races.

He's on pace to make 34 starts this year and to win 16 races. By way of comparison, the horse with the most wins in 2021 visited the winner's circle 12 times. The horse with the most starts went to the post 27 times.

Cash, who takes on no outside owners, claimed Beverly Park for $12,500 last August. He's since won 15 times and started 25 times.

The post The Week in Review: Do We Really Need So Many Stakes Races? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Taking six starts to break his maiden, doing so on the Ellis turf last summer, the chestnut was second in the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby on the main track two tries later. Runner-up off a seven-month layoff in a local dirt optional claimer Mar. 19, the homebred dead-heated for the victory in a similar spot Apr. 17 before capturing a local turf allowance May 14. Settling last at the rail behind dueling Defunded and Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) through a sharp :22.72 quarter, There Goes Harvard moved up a spot as the half went up in :46.13. Creeping into third going by six furlongs in 1:10.99, he swung into the three path for racing room approaching the stretch, sidled up to Defunded entering the final furlong and proved best in deep stretch for the victory.

“I was pretty excited, when I saw him stick his head in front coming to the three-sixteenths pole, I got a little emotional but things just worked out properly,” said winning trainer Michael McCarthy, who notched his first Gold Cup win, as did Ortiz. “Small field, you have to take a shot. The horse is doing well and sometimes you just have to take a chance. I just can't thank Irad enough here. Every body involved, my grooms, my guys, everyone in barn 59, big day. The way things are going lately, it's nice to get a win anywhere, but yes these are the kinds of races you get up for in the morning. You hope you are lucky enough to participate in, let alone win.”

“I had a perfect trip,” said Ortiz, who shipped in for the Memorial Day card from his Belmont Park base. “My horse was fighting a little bit with me going into the first turn, they went a little fast. I tried to let him relax, settle a little bit and he did come back to me on the backside. That was the key, after that, I was just biding my time and kicked him out down the stretch and he responded really well.”

Pedigree Notes:
With the victory, There Goes Harvard becomes the first Grade I winner for Three Chimneys' Will Take Charge, as well as his 11th stakes winner and fourth graded stakes winner. He is the first black-type performer from three foals to race out of his dam, a half to two stakes winners out of GSW Michigan Bluff. Third dam Middlefork Rapids was a GSW as well. Soul Crusader, who sold to Bud Petrosian for just $22,000 at Keeneland January in 2020, was represented by a juvenile Nyquist colt who sold for $700,000 to Zedan Racing at Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream after breezing a furlong in :9 4/5. She produced a filly by Sir Prancealot (Ire) this season.

Monday, Santa Anita
HOLLYWOOD GOLD CUP S.-GI, $400,000, Santa Anita, 5-30, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:02.66, ft.
1–THERE GOES HARVARD, 122, c, 4, by Will Take Charge
1st Dam: Soul Crusader, by Fusaichi Pegasus
2nd Dam: Michigan Bluff, by Skywalker
3rd Dam: Middlefork Rapids, by Wild Again
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Cannon Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Michael W McCarthy; J-Irad Ortiz Jr. $240,000. Lifetime Record: 12-4-5-2, $455,090. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Defunded, 122, g, 4, Dialed In–Wind Caper, by Touch Gold.
1ST G1 BLACK-TYPE. ($210,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Michael E Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul Weitman; B-Athens Woods LLC (KY); T-Sean McCarthy. $80,000.
3–Royal Ship (Brz), 122, g, 6, Midshipman–Bela Val (Brz), by Val Royal (Fr). O-Fox Hill Farms Inc & Siena Farm LLC; B-Haras Belmont (BRZ); T-Richard E Mandella. $48,000.
Margins: 1, 3 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 8.80, 5.50, 1.00.
Also Ran: Stilleto Boy, Spielberg. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Pegram, Watson and Weitman's Defunded (Dialed In) looked poised for big things when second in last year's GIII Affirmed S. and GIII Los Alamitos Derby, but went to the sidelines following an optional-claimer romp at Del Mar in August. The  4-year-old, 3-1 on the morning line, resurfaced with a powerful victory in a one-mile optional claimer at Santa Anita May 8 in his first start for trainer Sean McCarthy.

Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm's Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman) missed by just a head to subsequent G1 Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer (Tonalist) in last year's Gold Cup. He returned from eight months on the sidelines to score a front-running victory in the Apr. 10 John Shear S. last time out.

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In the aftermath of the Baffert-trained Medina Spirit failing a drug test following his first-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, including Churchill Downs' and the New York Racing Association's bans of Baffert from their premises, WinStar shipped Coutnry Grammer East to the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher in mid-June.

“With the ban on Bob in Kentucky and New York right now, our opportunities are limited to the Pacific Classic in late August,” Walden wrote in a text to DRF at that time. “We are continuing to evaluate the situation with Bob and will adjust as we need to.”

An ankle injury prevented Country Grammer from making a start in Pletcher's care, but he has since recovered and is now back in Southern California, recording a four-furlong breeze in :50.40 at Santa Anita on Dec. 11.

“I sent Country Grammer and Life Is Good [former Baffert trainee who won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile for Pletcher] back East because of the legal issues Bob was having at that time,” Walden told DRF this week. “We didn't know where they would be able to run. If I thought Bob was doing anything wrong, I would not have sent Country Grammer back to California.”

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

The post Walden: ‘If I Thought Bob Was Doing Anything Wrong, I Would Not Have Sent Country Grammer Back To California’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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I'm not saying that the two pound difference in the Gold Cup made a difference in the outcome, as Country Grammer ran an amazingly game race. But where do we draw the line on who deserves to be classified as a graded winner?

Many years ago, I trained a horse named Big Whippendeal for George Steinbrenner and won the Hialeah Turf Cup in track-record time. I then took him to California for the GI Century H., which he also won. We went back to Hollywood Park for the GI Sunset S. and my horse lost by a nose to a horse named Greco II.

If I remember correctly, Greco ll was in with 108 pounds with the great Bill Shoemaker aboard. My horse carried 126 pounds with another great in Laffitt Pincay. Shoe closed on the far outside and Laffitt didn't even see him and he brought Big Whippendeal back to the winner's circle to get our picture taken. In the end a nose, and eighteen pounds, beat us out taking that photo.

Does Greco ll deserve to be classified as a Grade I winner? I don't think so, but any catalogue page will list him as such and give more value to his entire family.

I have always  believed that any horse who achieves the classification of being a graded stakes horse should have to accomplish that without having advantages over his competition.

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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.

The post Country Grammer Holds Royal Ship At Bay To Win Hollywood Gold Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Away alertly, the former Paul Pompa runner was taken hold of to sit second as longshot Brown Storm (Chi) (Scat Daddy) rolled to the front showed the way through moderate splits of :22.92 and :47.16. Switched off nicely in the two path for the run down the backstretch, Country Grammer was asked for a bit of acceleration and overtook Brown Storm at the three-furlong pole, but he soon had outside company in the form of Royal Ship, who was deftly slipped a bit of rein by Mike Smith at the 4 1/2-furlong marker and raced three wide just off the pace into the turn. Country Grammer and Royal Ship hit the quarter pole more or less on even terms, but the last-out GII Californian S. hero appeared to have all the momentum and was clearly in front entering the final eighth of a mile. But Country Grammer remained in for the fight, re-took the lead inside the final sixteenth of a mile and scraped home just in front as Royal Ship came back at him at the wire.

“He ran super well,” said winning jockey Flavien 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 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.”

Trained by Chad Brown to win last year's GIII Peter Pan S., defeating future G1 Dubai World Cup hero and 'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) into third on that occasion, the $60,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $450,000 OBS April juvenile was fifth in the GI Runhappy Travers S. and changed hands for $110,000 as part of the late Pompa's dispersal at this year's Keeneland January sale. He was beaten a neck into second by Royal Ship when making his local debut in the GII Californian S. Apr. 17.

“Elliot Walden and WinStar bought him to bring to California because they figured a mile and a quarter was his distance,” said trainer Bob Baffert, winning the Gold Cup for the eighth time, equaling the record of Charlie Whittingham. “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.”

Pedigree Notes:

Country Grammer was one of two Memorial Day stakes winners for Tonalist, who was also represented by Bouwerie S. heroine Betsy Blue at Belmont Park. Country Grammer's second dam Prima Centauri was a half-sister to French G1SW and US MGSW/GISP Etoile Montante (Miswaki), whose MGSW daughter Starformer (Dynaformer) produced SW & GSP Flavius (War Front) and GSP Oyster Box (Tapit). This is same female family as MGSW Bonny South (Munnings) and Saturday's GIII Matt Winn S. winner Fulsome (Into Mischief), whose second dam Viviana (Nureyev) was a full-sister to the dam of Etoile Montante. Arabian Song's 3-year-old daughter Joyful Cadence (Runhappy) was second in this year's Purple Martin S. and third in the GIII Miss Preakness S. and her most recent produce is a 2-year-old filly by Wicked Strong.

Monday, Santa Anita
HOLLYWOOD GOLD CUP S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 5-31, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:02.23, ft.
1–COUNTRY GRAMMER, 122, c, 4, by Tonalist
1st Dam: Arabian Song, by Forestry
2nd Dam: Prima Centauri, by Distant View
3rd Dam: Willstar, by Nureyev
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($60,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; $450,000 2yo '19
OBSAPR; $110,000 4yo '21 KEEJAN). O-WinStar Farm LLC;
B-Scott & Debbie Pierce (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat.
$180,000. Lifetime Record: 8-3-1-1, $377,320. *1/2 to Joyful
Cadence (Runhappy), GSP, $106,857. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Royal Ship (Brz), 124, g, 5, Midshipman–Bela Val (Brz), by Val
Royal (Fr). O-Fox Hill Farms, Inc. & Siena Farm LLC; B-Haras
Belmont (BRZ); T-Richard E. Mandella. $60,000.
3–Express Train, 124, c, 4, Union Rags–I'm a Flake, by
Mineshaft. ($500,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-C R K Stable LLC;
B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-John A. Shirreffs. $36,000.
Margins: HD, 4 1/4, HF. Odds: 1.80, 3.20, 2.30.
Also Ran: Rushie, Heywoods Beach, Two Thirty Five, Brown Storm (Chi). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Country Grammer Battles Back In Gold Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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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

1. Royal Ship—Mike Smith—124
2. Country Grammer—Flavien Prat—122
3. Brown Storm—Umberto Rispoli—122
4. Heywoods Beach—Tyler Baze—122
5. Rushie—Trevor McCarthy—124
6. Two Thirty Five—Abel Cedillo—122
7. 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.

The post Californian Winner Royal Ship Faces Express Train, Rushie In Hollywood Gold Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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