The Gold Cup – GII
$200.000 – For Three Years Olds And Upwards
1 1/4 Miles – Dirt
Santa Anita Park – May 25, 2026

Charlie Jace made it two graded stakes wins in a row when he stretched his neck to hit the wire first on a sunny Memorial Day at The Great Race Place. It was the second straight year that the winner bore the familiar colors of MB Stables, beginning another streak for the barn that once dominated this race with four straight wins from 2013 through 2016. Tack on two wins that came in between the winning streaks, and Charlie Jace makes a gaudy eight Gold Cup wins for the barn. An incredible feat which, on Memorial Day, makes it worth listing and paying tribute to all eight:

2013: Jesse James
2014: Visa Vice
2015: No Trippin
2016: Chrystal Pip
2020: Tactical
2021: Tactical
2025: Wahpekute Sioux
2026: Charlie Jace

Winner: Charlie Jace (Mb Stables/A. Fresu) Soviet Warrior/Broomstick Storm (Commanding The Storm) Stalked in tandem with Shoot For The Head a length behind the pacesetter Cherokee Revolution. Put away his stalking partner and began to threaten the leader going into the far turn. Found Cherokee Revolution to be a stubborn foe throughout the stretch drive and only gained the advantage with a furlong left extending the lead to a neck at the wire and holding off hard Fried Chicken. 

Second: Cherokee Revolution (Royalty Stables/P. Lopez) Cherokee Reaper/Sky Ruler (Caleb) Led from the break through honest fractions. Responded willingly when engaged around the turn by the eventual winner. Dug in but yielded slightly in the last eight. Another near miss in a graded event.

Third: Fried Chicken (Angelos Stable/V. Del-Cid) Storming/Aix En Provence (Chai Chicken) As if falling eight lengths behind the leader in the first quarter of a mile wasn’t enough, jockey Del-Cid decided to drop back even further entering the backstretch in a piloting error on par with the likes of JFK Jr. He began a sizzling run with a half mile to go and flew home but was left with too much to do and never threatened the winner. Two races in a row he has fallen just 3/4 of a length short of Charlie Jace. 

Fourth: Shoot For The Head (Twin TowersRacing/M. Franco) Dehara/Shoot For The Moon (No Doubt About It) Stalked inside of the eventual winner down the backstretch but could not keep pace with Charlie Jace when that one began to move. Tried throughout to gain a solid placing.

Preview Pick: Fried Chicken – Third after falling far back. 

As noted, the win by Charlie Jace marks the eighth win in this race for Mb Stables but it was the first win for jockey A. Fresu. The $120.000 winner’s share of the purse helps Charlie Jace creep ever closer to $2.000.000 with career earnings that now stand at $1.914.000. With two graded wins in 2026 he sits solidly in the top 10 of qualifying for the BC Classic.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES