The BEL Gold Cup, Purse $250, Ungraded, 1 1/2 miles, Turf for 4+
The final weekend of the Triple Crown is upon us and there is not chance for a Triple Crown winner this year, however that does not mean that there are not a number of great races running. The BEL Gold Cup is one of these races and will be run at the challenging mile and a half on the turf for older male horses. There is a nice field of five runners who have signed on to take their shot at winning this race.
1-Aint He Grand (MB Stables)- This is a $5 purchase from January of this year by MB stables that is hitting the track for the first time since the purchase was made. This horse has been predominantly run at the free tracks and has never been further then 7 ½ furlongs in his life. The horse does sport 4 wins in 12 starts however all of these wins have been at the free tracks. The horse has been working well on the turf for MB Stables coming into the race, so my guess is MB Stables saw a small field for a decent purse and figured why not take a shot here. Can this horse make the step up needed to get a win here? We will find out on Friday.
2-Studs Chito (Nakamura Stables)- Comes into the race with two wins in 18 starts with a whopping 9 seconds, including a second by a nose two starts back in a G3 race. Studs Chito does boast a stakes win in an ungraded stake at FG in Feb 2015. Studs Chito earned a nice 100 SRF number in that race and won in a nice time. Studs Chito fired off a bullet work on May 25th at BEL going 6 furlongs on the turf that shows he is primed and ready coming into this race. Can he get over his case of the seconditist? Time will tell but you have to give this horse a look.
3-Caught Red Hoofed (MB Stables)- This is a full brother to the great commanding who has won four out of 13 career starts however is two for three since the switch to turf. Caught red Hoofed comes into the race on a nice two race win streak, both going long on the turf and both in allowance races. This will be Caught Red Hoofed’s first chance to run against Stakes Company on the turf, and it appears as if he is ready for the challenge based upon those last two efforts. Caught Red Hoofed is also training well coming into the race and also looks poised to run a monster race here. You need to pay close attention to this horse here and moving forward.
4-Carnage (D J C Racing Stables)- Comes into the with six career wins all of them coming on the turf. He comes into the race winning one out of three starts this year against Allowance Company but last time out finished a disappointing 7th in the Grade 1 Woodford Turf Classic. Owner D J C Racing Stables has decided to bring this former Grade 2 and Grade 3 winner back to the overnight stake level and see if he can get back to his stakes winning days. This is going to be a tough field to do it against but the horse is working well coming into the race so has to be given a look.
5-Z Jinxed One (Diablo Diable)- Is easily the class of this field. The horse is last year’s Belmont Stakes winner who is also a Grade 1 winner on the turf as well. Z Jinxed One has run his last 5 races on the Turf all in Graded Stakes races and has hit the board in three of them, with one being a win in the Grade One Pattison Canadian International at WO in October of 2014. 2015 has been an uphill battle for this horse as he has run two times and did not hit the board; however those were in graded races against tough fields. Is the horse slowing down in his four year old year? His public works appear to be close to what they were when he was last winning so I feel that the drop down to the non graded level may be just what this horse needs to get back to the winners circle. Going into the race on class alone this horse has to be the favorite.
There are some talented older male horses in this race that are going after a nice pot on Belmont Stakes weekend. The class of the field has to be the multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Z Jinxed One, can any of these horses step on and get him in the race? I think it’s going to be tough but I feel that there is a horse in this race that can do it. Here is my prediction. 3-5-4-2
Warbucks
Categories: Ungraded
