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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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Letter to the Editor: John Fulton

On Memorial Day, we saw a great race between Country Grammer and Royal Ship (Brz), a horse that I purchased in Brazil for Fox Hill Farm and Siena Farm. Two classy horses battling to the wire and neither giving up. But, what Royal Ship was giving up was weight to the winner and that is the issue that I want to address. Why, in a Grade I stakes race, or any graded stakes for that matter, are the horses not running with equal weights or, at least, weight for age or sex?

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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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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