The Gold Cup – Grade I
1 1/4 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $500.00 Open 3 Year Olds And Up.

Once again we were reminded of the fragility of owning a horse at HRP. You may be winning the KYD or the BC one minute and then watching your champion disappear into obscurity as horses come from everywhere to suddenly take up the mantle. In this race we saw a horse that was being beaten in an ungraded stakes when Splash Mountain was winning the BC Classic last November and scraping home in an ungraded stakes when Centrepiece and Pretty Ferro were finishing first and second in the KYD. Today he beat those horses and made it three from three this year.

1st Champion In Action Night Rider Stables Maragh Ro

Whatever it is that switches inside these horses has certainly switched inside this one this season. He was always traveling well and found most at the end to win by a half length in one of the best fields of older horses outside a BC race. He will march on now as one of the older horses to try and bring down the three year olds, that hasnt proved very easy at HRP in recent years but he certainly has ability in buckets and will be there at the BC.

2nd Centerpiece Mb Stables Gaffalione T

This must be one of the most consistent horses in the game. It just doesnt know how to run a bad race. Its crazy to think he has only won three races in the last two years but has amassed nearly 2K in that time. He was right there as usual and will be right there again in November.

3rd State Police Smokey Stover Bejarano R

Came from furthest back of the first three home and was gaining all the way to the line. He must be pretty close to paying back his $1K price tag from last year now and one feels that he will be put to good use in the shed in the years to come.

4th Having A Blast Mb Stables Beschizza A

Fourth beaten a length in a grade one, not bad for a horse with very limited exposure at this level. Lets face it earlier this month he was winning an overnight at TAM and just over three weeks later he is beating a KYD winner and a BC Classic winner.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES