The Tokyo City Cup (Grade 3)- $100.000 Purse
SA- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Half on the Dirt
April 18, 2021

A field of nine will be hitting the starting gate for the 17th edition of the Tokyo City Cup, which is designed for horses that want to keep running and running. It’s a smaller Grade 3, so it would seem to be a good spot for up and coming horses in this division to make a big step forward. The history for this race shows that it was run twice in 2020, once in April and the other time in September. The April race was for four and up and the September was for three and up. The late Questionable won in April, and Market Value won in September. Neither has won a race again. Let’s meet the horses that would love to not only win here, but pick up more wins afterwards!

#1- Charlemagnes Command (Serenity Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- This one is here with the hopes of getting his career back on track. After winning the Autumn Stakes, the gelding has had two abysmal races. More concerning is that the two races before the Autumn were also quite poor. Hard one to like, although he should like not seeing the caliber of fields he has been in recently.

#2- Mad Monster (The Sidley Stud, ridden by J J Hernandez)- Makes his debut here for The SIdley Stud after being picked up in private sales for $65.250 in January. He has not raced much, in fact two races ago for him was the September 2020 edition of this race. Has been idle since placing 10th in the Grade 2 Marathon last November.

#3- No More Haggis (YME Stable, ridden by V Espinoza)- Made his graded debut a successful one last December as he won the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes, but has not been able to follow that up. In two races since then, he has failed to be a factor at the end. This is a good chance for him to rebound as he goes twelve again, for the first time since the Valedictory.

#4- Set In Space (Nakamura Stables, ridden by T J Pereira)- Late last month, Set In Space finished second in a $60.000 stake for LA-breds, and now he gets a chance to return to the graded ranks. Back in November, you may remember him with a strong second place showing in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap, but he has not been able to match that. Still only has one career win.

#5- Puppet Master (Spankys Barn, ridden by F Prat)- Claimed for just $5.000 last September, and soon found himself running in the CC Jewel. Finished fifth there, and was then allowed to break his maiden in the conventional manner. Won an eleven furlong ungraded stake in his last start, coming in late March.

#6- Hollywood Dump (Night Rider Stables, ridden by A Cedillo)- This gelding has spent much of his career racing north of the border, against ON-breds. He has had success in that, winning the $400.000 Breeders Stakes at WO last October, which is a twelve furlong race, but on the grass. He has only made one start since then, coming in December, so it’s fair to wonder where he has been. If I wasn’t worried about a layoff, I would make him my pick. With the layoff, I am not as sure.

#7- Hurricane Run (Simmer Down Stable, ridden by Ru Fuentes)- Makes his debut for the trainer after being picked up for $75.000 in an open claimer that he won right here last month. The win was the sixth in 16 starts for the gelding who also ran second in the Valedictory Stakes in his career. He does an excellent job of finishing first or second lately, and he is not going to be intimidated by graded competition.

#8- Command Me (Serenity Stables, ridden by Ru Gonzalez)- He has been closer to the front recently than his stablemate, but still is looking for a big win to be excited about. Ran fifth in the Grade 2 Marathon, and interestingly, he ran in that same claimer that Hurricane Run won. He finished three lengths behind the rival he sees again here.

#9- Unfold (Harrell Racing, ridden by M E Smith)- This is your big money maker in the field, as over his career, Unfold has surpassed $1,500.000 in career earnings. He has done that over 25 races, with some coming in his last start when he was second in the $75.000 Santana Mile. This is his third start for Harrell Racing, and they have all come in a six week period.

Prediction: 7-3-6-9

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES