CA Cup Turf Classic- $250.000 Purse
SA- For Four Year Olds and Upward Foaled in CA
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
January 30, 2016
One of the highlights of CA Cup weekend at SA will be our Turf Classic, and we have no shortage of talent going to the starting gate for this one. It will represent the fourth time that the race has been run, having first appeared in 2011, and then would take a couple of years off before returning to the schedule in 2014. The two earlier winners will not really stand out at you, but last year’s will. That would be Pip Cozzene in what would prove to be the only race he won in 2015. Today, Pip Cozzene will be watching as fellow Pip Boy foal, Chrystal Pip tries to make it two in a row for the sire and for the trainer, Chili King Stables. It will be a tough assignment, as there are eight strong contenders in this race to likely make it the best CA Cup Turf Classic we have had to date. Let us meet our field!
#1- Chrystal Pip (Chili King Stables, ridden by G L Stevens)- His task today will start with this position on the rail for the first time in his career. While we are used to equating Pip Boy foals and turf success, Chrystal Pip has been dominant on the main track. Included in his dirt successes in 2015 are a win at the Grade 1 Haskell, and then a second at the Travers at SAR. Though he got it done on the grass as well, taking the BEL Derby Invitational on Independence Day, and that is the last time we have seen him race on the turf. Most recently, Chrystal Pip ran respectfully in the BC Classic, being on the lead early, before ultimately placing right smack in the middle, 7th of 14. If there were any concerns about a layoff, they should be considered erased thanks to a stunning bullet work here on the 21st. Jockey G L Stevens, at press time, if off to slow start in 2016, having won just once in 36 mounts at this meet thus far. He’ll be on a good one in this race, and I like Chrystal Pip to get it done here.
#2- Girl Talk (Nolespan Racing, ridden by E Trujillo)- There is no similar race for fillies and mares this weekend, so Nolespan racing has decided that they would enter their star filly against the males. It will not be the first time she has done this, running in the Grade 3 Transylvania at KEE last April in what was one of her worst races of the season. However, that may have also been because of the weather, as Girl Talk has definitely shown that she does not want to be anywhere near a turf course that isn’t firm. This is her first race since the BC Fillies and Mares Turf, and she will need to improve on that effort. Note that she does get a five pound weight advantage here.
#3- Hold The Point (Big Guns Stables, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- This five year old has 23 starts under his belt, but the last time he ran on turf was when he was a two year old in November of 2013. He never would win any of those four early career starts, and his successes on the main track can only be described as modest. Why is he here then? Look no further then a bullet work of 1:07 3/5 posted on the SA turf on the 19th of this month, as a work in company. So, we shall see. It’s always good to take a shot like this.
#4- Skipping Stone (Night Rider Stables, ridden by T C Baze)- The gelding by Simply Awesome Pal was able to qualify for the BC Turf, and would place 7th while running against the best. His past performances show nothing but inconsistency. He has had some great moments, such as winning the G2 San Gabriel here last year and a second place running in the Grade 1 Read Stakes at DMR last July. Then, he has some other performances where simply did not show up. If the good Skipping Stone shows up, then he will be Chrystal Pip’s biggest challenger here, but he is a tough horse to throw a lot of support behind due to that inconsistency.
#5- Finding Faith (Emerald Racing Inc, ridden by M A Pedroza)- This is the only horse in the field that is coming off a win in a graded stake in his last start, and it was a good one. Finding Faith went to DMR and was victorious in the much longer G2 HOL Turf Cup, recording a 101 SRF in the process, at the end of November. A little bit before that, he went on a four race winning streak that started modestly in a claimer (in which Emerald Racing Inc did indeed claim him, for $20.000), and ending with the Grade 2 DMR Mile in August. He seems to be comfortable with any racing style, and I was particularly impressed with the way he wired the field in the HOL Turf Cup. This is a horse to watch in 2016, and he stands to be one of the top choices in this race.
#6- Gypsy Corner (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by J Lezcano)- The Laffin Policeman colt was purchased just a couple months ago in a private sale from Brave for $27.770, and in his first start in his new silks, he went on to dominate an optional claimer at GG. This won’t be the first time he has ever run in a stake, but this still will be his toughest challenge to date. While running for Brave, he turned in a couple of strong seconds in high level optional claimers. He appears to have the ability, as long as he is on top of the game to be in the mix all the way to the end, but still may end up a bit of a price on race day.
#7- Steel Moon (On The Map Racing, ridden by M E Smith)- On The Map Racing is a relatively new trainer to the game, but they have put together some good numbers thus far. As of press time, this will be their first graded stake runner! The trainer purchased Steel Moon from Downwind Stables for $375.000 last month, so it’s nice to see that kind of enthusiasm from a new trainer. Now, as for the horse, he’s pretty good too; coming off a 2015 that saw him win just a tick over $1,000.000 for the year. Included in that is a four race winning streak that started by breaking the maiden, and ended up with a win in the G3 PEN Mile. Later, he would win the Secretariat Stakes (Grade 1) at AP. These successes sent him to the BC Turf, where he ended up being a non factor, placing 9th of 14, and he would not race again for Downwind Stables. He should make a good bid to put On The Map Racing on the map of graded stake winners.
#8- Dreaming Again (Gdp Inc, ridden by R A Baze)- On the outside, we have another poster child for why it is ok to geld a horse. Prior to mid-August, any plans of success for Dreaming Again were indeed dreams for Gdp Inc, but in the four times since the snip, the new gelding has begun to fulfill that potential. He was two wins and two seconds in that span, including a victory in the Grade 3 River City Handicap at CD near the end of November. That was a small field, so he has never faced the caliber of opponents that he will see today, but that does not mean that he will not have the ability to be competitive with them.
Prediction: 1-5-7-2
— NS
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
