9th Race. (C9) The Gold Cup at Santa Anita (Grade I)
$500,000 Guaranteed
STAKES
Purse $500,000 Guaranteed One Mile And One Quarter
FOR THEEE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD.
1 BAL A BALI (BRZ) (L) '10 H 120 Prat, F Fox Hill Farms, Inc. or Siena Farms, LLC Richard Mandella
2 SECOND SUMMER (L) '12 G 120 Gutierrez, M S. Alesia, Ciaglia Racing LLC or Ferrell, Et Al Peter Eurton
3 HARD ACES (L) '10 H 122 Gonzalez, S Hronis Racing, LLC John Sadler
4 LIEUTENANT COLONEL (L) '12 G 120 Garcia, M Clarke & Braverman Jerry Hollendorfer
5 WIN THE SPACE (L) '12 C 120 Stevens, G Kretz Racing, LLC George Papaprodromou
6 HOPPERTUNITY (L) '11 H 120 Smith, M Pegram, Watson or Weitman Bob Baffert
7 MELATONIN (L) '11 G 124 Talamo, J Tarabilla Farms, Inc. David Hofmans
8 IMPERATIVE (L) '10 G 120 Bejarano, R J K Racing, LLC Richard Baltas
Hoppy! There's got to be a G1 with his name on it somewhere!
Quote from: Diver52 on June 22, 2016, 11:43:18 PM
Hoppy! There's got to be a G1 with his name on it somewhere!
I know it's been awhile, but he won the Clark as a 3 year old. That being said, I think this will be his 2nd G1. :)
Quote from: Zenyatta on June 23, 2016, 12:20:32 AM
I know it's been awhile, but he won the Clark as a 3 year old. That being said, I think this will be his 2nd G1. :)
I hope so, but Baffert almost didn't enter him because he thought he wasn't quite ready. Up until that last work they were going to wait for DMR with him.
We'll see of course, but the US runners that shipped to Dubai have been running well on Stateside return, so here's hoping.
I would like to join the Hoppertunity bandwagon!
I want him to take this race and follow it up with a ship to Saratoga to run in the Whitney. ;D
The bandwagon might not be traveling this weekend. ???
Santa Anita: Hoppertunity not a certain runner on Saturday
Hoppertunity, unraced since finishing third in the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse on March 26, may not start in Saturday's $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, trainer Bob Baffert said late Thursday afternoon.
Baffert said he will make a final decision on Friday morning after watching Hoppertunity train.
"I'm leaning the other way," he said. "I'll rethink the situation. He's probably a couple of works short."
http://live.drf.com/nuggets/29899
It would be too bad if he doesn't run, but on the other hand, I'm glad that he has a trainer who would rather err on the side of caution in taking care of the horse.
This is the GOLD CUP - disappointing field for me...
Quote from: Dusty on June 23, 2016, 09:24:25 PM
This is the GOLD CUP - disappointing field for me...
Kinda shocking to me that no east coast based trainers ship in and pick up the G1 and their portion of 1/2 Million dollars plus an auto-birth into the BC on a track they'd be proven over.
4 minute crystal ball video
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/videos/212711/that-handicapping-show-the-gold-cup
Baffert plans to start Hoppertunity
Hoppertunity impressed trainer Bob Baffert in a gallop on Friday for the Hall of Fame trainer to plan a start in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita.
Baffert said late Thursday afternoon that he was having second thoughts about starting Hoppertunity in the Gold Cup at 1 1-4 miles for the 5-year-old's first start since a third in the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 26.
Baffert said after training on Friday that he saw enough from Hoppertunity to run on Saturday. Hoppertunity galloped at Santa Anita.
"I thought he might have been a little short, but he looked good today," Baffert said. "We'll run. He'll run well."
Hoppertunity may go favored in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita, although there will be support for Melatonin, who won the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 12.
I don't know what to make of Bal a Bali running in this race
I'm going with Win the Space today
So exacta box Bal a Bali-Win the Space
Then exacta, Win the Space on top with Second Summer,Imperative
and win bet on Win the Space
Good luck to all that will play the race!
Melatonin wins
Win the Space [ @ 24-1 ] second
I'll need some melatonin tonight!!!
Quote from: Raven on June 25, 2016, 06:00:11 PM
Melatonin wins
Win the Space [ @ 24-1 ] second
I'll need some melatonin tonight!!!
Nicely DONE!
Melatonin is a remarkable animal,to have come back from a brain diseases at G1 caliber. David Hofmans and crew should be commended on the job they've done with him. AND since he's a gelding, we may have a few more years to see him run.
I'd rather he take the Pacific Classic next year, however; torn between California Chrome and Beholder.
Earned a 108 Beyer!
Quote from: stark on June 26, 2016, 11:53:22 AM
Earned a 108 Beyer!
Well done! He's become one very very good horse. I look forward to his remaining happy and sound and racing for quite some time into the future.