Hollywood Gold Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Country Grammer Battles Back In Gold Cup

Narrowly favored at 9-5 in Monday's GI Hollywood Gold Cup, WinStar Farm's Country Grammer (Tonalist) became his Lane's End-based stallion's first Grade I winner, narrowly outbattling Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman) in a rousing finish.

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.

Source of original post

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.

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

Source of original post

Brazilian-Bred Royal Ship Overtakes Country Grammer In Californian

In what soon developed into a match race, Richard Mandella's Royal Ship out-gamed Bob Baffert's Country Grammer by a neck following a thrilling stretch duel in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Californian Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Mike Smith, Brazilian-bred Royal Ship got 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.47 and will now be pointed to the G1, $400,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on May 31.

Idle since running fifth in the G1 Travers Stakes Aug. 8 at Saratoga, Country Grammer was sent from his number three post position while Royal Ship, who had been well off the pace in his four stateside starts for Mandella, was hustled out of the gate and sat a close second early while applying considerable pressure to the front-runner.

A half length back at the three furlong pole, Royal Ship got on terms with Country Grammer a quarter mile out and from there, it was “game-on,” as 3-5 favorite Independence Hall, who sat third throughout, was never a factor.

“Yes, we wanted to be closer today,” said Mandella, who had tried Royal Ship in four graded stakes dating back to Aug. 23, with three of them on turf. “He's fast enough, we didn't need him back off the pace and getting into trouble again. He's always trained well on dirt and the only time we ran him on it, he fell on his face leaving the gate (in the G3 Native Diver on Nov. 21). We didn't have a grass race to point for, so this looked like a good spot.

“We'll run in the Gold Cup next.”

Most recently a fast finishing fifth, beaten one length in the G1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf March 6, Royal Ship was off at 5-1 in a field of five 3-year-olds and up and paid $13.40, $5.80 and $2.60.

“He really fought hard today,” said Smith, who has ridden him in all of his races with Mandella. “I've been very unlucky leaving the gate with him on several different occasions. We ran him on the dirt (at Del Mar) and ran fourth. It seems like every time I get something going my way, something pushes me back two steps and today, finally everything went our way.”

A 5-year-old gelding by Midshipman, Royal Ship is owned by Fox Hill Farms, Inc. and Siena Farm, LLC. A Group 1 and Group 3 stakes winner on grass in Brazil, the Californian marks his first win in three career tries on dirt and his first win in five graded stakes assignments for Mandella. The winner's share of $120,000 increases his earnings to $203,305 from an overall mark of 12-6-1-2.

Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Country Grammer, who won the G3 Peter Pan Stakes for trainer Chad Brown two starts back on July 16 at Saratoga, was making his first start for Baffert and ran a huge race in defeat, finishing 9 ½ lengths in front of Independence Hall.

The second choice at 7-2, Country Grammer paid $5.00 and $2.10.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Independence Hall, who paid $2.10 to show, demonstrated his customary tactical speed, but the top two got away from him around the far turn and he had to settle for third money, finishing 14 lengths ahead of Magic On Tap.

Fractions on the race were 23.23, 46.98, 1:10.67 and 1:35.39.

Hall of Famer Mandella collected his fourth career win in the Californian, while fellow Hall of Famer Smith, who took the prestigious prep to the Hollywood Gold Cup in 1995 aboard eastern-based Concern, notched his second Californian win.

The post Brazilian-Bred Royal Ship Overtakes Country Grammer In Californian appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Santa Anita Boosting Big ‘Cap Day Overnight Purses By $15,000 Per Race

Santa Anita Park and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club have joined forces to create the $1 Million Wild West Bonus providing $1 million in additional money to winning connections of any horse that sweeps three of Southern California's most prestigious Grade 1 races, the $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6, the $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (at Santa Anita) on May 31 and the $750,000 TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 21.

Including the $1 million bonus, any horse sweeping these three races would bank a total of $1,870,000.

All three races are run at the North American classic distance of a mile and a quarter.

Santa Anita has also increased the purses of the China Doll Stakes to be run March 6 from $75,000 to $100,000. Additionally, Santa Anita will raise purses on all overnight races on Big 'Cap Day by $15,000 per race in an effort to ensure big fields and reward owners and trainers who continue to support Santa Anita on its most significant programs.

For additional information on the $1 Million Wild West Bonus, call Santa Anita's Racing Office at 626 574-6352.

The post Santa Anita Boosting Big ‘Cap Day Overnight Purses By $15,000 Per Race appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post