OAK TREE AT SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES
Sunday, October 27, 1996
By Mark Midland
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CONNECTIONS VICTORIOUS IN BREEDERS' CUP XIII
Georgia B. Ridder's Alphabet Soup, Evergreen Farms' Lit de Justice and the Stephens and Thoroughbred Corporation's Jewel Princess all brought home Breeders' Cup victories for their Southern California connections.
Trainer David Hofmans saddled Alphabet Soup to capture the $4-million Breeders' Cup Classic, for his first Breeders' Cup victory.
Chris McCarron earned his third Breeders' Cup Classic victory, adding to wins with Alysheba in 1988 and Sunday Silence in 1989.
Jenine Sahadi became the first female trainer to saddle a Breeders' Cup winner with Lit de Justice in the Sprint.
Corey Nakatani guided Lit de Justice and Jewel Princess to wins in the Sprint and Distaff, earning his two first Breeders' Cup wins. Nakatani became the 11th jockey to win two races on one Breeders' Cup card.
Gary Stevens captured his fourth Breeders' Cup victory with Da Hoss in the Mile.
Wally Dollase gained his first Breeders' Cup victory with Jewel Princess in the Distaff.
"This is one classy filly," Dollase said. "She turned in a huge race against the best there are; then cooled out quick, ate up and settled right down."
Dollase reported that Jewel Princess will get a vacation and be pointed for the winter-spring meeting at Santa Anita.
"We hope to get her back to the Distaff at Hollywood Park," Dollase said.
The 59-year-old conditioner also sent out Windsharp to finish fifth in the Turf and Helmsman, who ran sixth in the Mile. Windsharp is a possible Japan Cup starter and will remain in training next year. Helmsman will make his next start in the Citation Handicap (Gr. II) at Hollywood Park.
"He needed the race," Dollase said. "He worked really hard and never seemed to get a hold of the surface. Still, he finished ahead of Mark of Esteem and some other good ones."
TIMARIDA INVADES FOR THE $600,000 YELLOW RIBBON STAKES
Timarida, perfect in two U.S. raids the last two years, is planning to invade Santa Anita for next Sunday's $600,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes. In previous trips stateside, the gray filly captured the 1995 E. P. Taylor (Gr. II) at Woodbine and the Beverly D (Gr. I) this August at Arlington.
She most recently finished third behind Bosra Sham and Halling in the Oct. 19 Dubai Champion Stakes (Gr. I) at Newmarket.
Probables for next Sunday's $600,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes, to be run at 1 1/4 miles over the turf for fillies and mares: Chelsey Flower, Laffit Pincay Jr.; Timarida, no rider; Admise, Kent Desormeaux; Donna Viola, no rider; Alpride, Chris McCarron; Wandesta, Corey Nakatani; Real Connection, no rider, and Zoonaqua, Eddie Delahoussaye.
MEGAN'S INTERCO MAY SEEK THIRD CAL CUP WIN IN $250,000 CAL CUP CLASSIC
Milton Bronson's Megan's Interco could bid to become the first three-time Cal Cup winner in Saturday's $250,000 Wells Fargo Bank California Cup Classic. The 7-year-old gelding captured the 1993 and 1995 Cal Cup Mile.
"Winning a third Cal Cup race with Megan would mean a lot to me," said trainer Jenine Sahadi, who saddled Lit de Justice to win the $1-million Breeders' Cup Sprint on Saturday.
In other developments:
Ready To Order worked six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 Sunday morning.
Half Mamoon drilled six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 at Hollywood Park.
Oncefortheroad went six panels in 1:13 over the Hollywood main track.
Probables for the $250,000 Wells Fargo Bank California Cup Classic, for 3-year-olds and up, to be run Saturday at 1 1/8 miles: Megan's Interco, Corey Nakatani, 123; Ready to Order, Goncalino Almeida, 116; Oncefortheroad, Julio Garcia, 115; Mateo, Chris Antley, 116.
Possible: Longliner, no rider, 115; Half Mamoon, no rider, 114, and Windy's Halo, no rider, 113.
AMBIVALENT HEADS CAST FOR CAL CUP MILE
Oceanside Stakes winner Ambivalent heads the group of turf runners pointing for Saturday's $175,000 Cal Cup Mile. With Megan's Interco likely to run in the Classic, this will be the first time in five years that neither Megan's Interco nor Blaze O'Brien will be in the Cal Cup Mile winner circle. The duo traded off victories from 1992-1995, with Megan's Interco taking the Mile in 1993 and 1995, and Blaze O' Brien winning in 1992 and 1994.
In other developments:
Ambivalent worked six furlongs in 1:15 2/5 over the turf.
Probables for Saturday's $175,000 Cal Cup Mile, to be run at one mile over the turf course: Ambivalent, Rene Douglas, 117; Bat Eclat, David Flores, 115; Canyon Crest, no rider, 112; Skywalkers Choice, no rider, 112, and Gastown, Alex Solis, 117.
Possible: Longliner, no rider, 115; Half Mamoon, no rider, 114, and Windy's Halo, no rider, 113.
YEARLY TOUR TO DEFEND TITLE IN CAL CUP MATRON
Golden Eagle Farm's Yearly Tour will look to defend her title in Saturday's sixth running of the $125,000 Cal Cup Matron. The 5-year-old mare is trained by David Hofmans, who captured the $4-million Breeders' Cup Classic with Alphabet Soup.
Probables for the $125,000 Cal Cup Matron, to be run Saturday at 1 1/16 miles on the main track for fillies and mares: Yearly Tour, Chris McCarron; Little Gumpher, Julio Garcia; Wheatly Special, Alex Solis; Cabo Queen, Danny Sorensen, and Hemet Eagle, David Flores.
Possible: Belle's Flag, Corey Nakatani.
LETTHEBIGHOSSROLL SEEKS SECOND CAL CUP SPRINT
Mike Pegram's Letthebighossroll, who captured the 1991 Cal Cup Sprint at three, will return at the age of eight to bid to become the first two-time winner of the Cal Cup Sprint.
The veteran sprinter finished second in the Ancient Title (Gr. II) opening weekend at Oak Tree. Trained by Bob Baffert, the gray has recorded three wins and three seconds from six starts this year, all coming in stakes competition.
Probables for Saturday's $125,000 Cal Cup Sprint, to be run at six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up: Letthebighossroll, Chris McCarron, 123; Off The Tee, Chris Antley, 116; Uncaged Fury, Gary Stevens, 117; Kingdom Found, Kent Desormeaux, 119; Academyawardwinner, Eddie Delahoussaye, 115; Wild Gold, no rider, 116; Tres Paraiso, no rider, 117; Desert Pirate, Martin Pedroza, 112; Testimony, Alex Solis, 114, and Creston, no rider, 117.
CAT'S CRADLE GOES DOWN THE HILL IN $125,000 DISTAFF
Georgia B. Ridder's Cat's Cradle heads a group of fillies and mares going down Santa Anita's hillside turf course in the $125,000 Cal Cup Distaff. Trained by David Hofmans, the Flying Paster filly has the same connections as $4-million Breeders' Cup Classic winner Alphabet Soup.
Cat's Cradle, Tabled With Saros and Distinguish Forum come out of the Autumn Days Handicap, where they finished third, fifth and ninth respectively.
In other developments:
Tabled With Saros drilled four furlongs in :49 Sunday morning at Santa Anita.
Miss Kyama went five panels in 1:02 2/5 at Santa Anita.
Probables for the $125,000 Cal Cup Distaff, for fillies and mares at 6 1/2-furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course: Cat's Cradle, Alex Solis, 121; Tabled With Saros, no rider, 121; Seattle Carla, no rider, 114; Distinguish Forum, no rider, 113 and Miss Kyama, no rider, 113.
Possible: Belle's Flag, Corey Nakatani, 114.
FREE HOUSE TO BUILD REPUTATION IN $100,000 CAL CUP JUVENILE
McCaffery and Toffan's Free House, victor of the Norfolk Stakes (Gr. II) on Oct. 6, leads a group of 2-year-olds looking to the future in Saturday's $100,000 Cal Cup Juvenile. Trained by Paco Gonzalez, the son of Smokester will run alongside entrymate Bagshot in the 1 1/16 mile event.
Trainer Bob Baffert will likely send two or more runners in the Juvenile, hoping to follow in the footsteps of 1995 winner Cavonnier, who went on to take the Santa Anita Derby (Gr. I) and finish second in the Kentucky Derby (Gr. I). Baffert has recent maiden winner Photarc, Inexcessivelygood, third in the California Sires Stakes on Oct. 14, and In Excessive Bull, second in the Oct. 23 Sunny Slopes Stakes, to choose from.
In other developments:
Pete The Greek worked four furlongs in :47 4/5 Sunday morning at Santa Anita.
Probables for Saturday's $100,000 Cal Cup Juvenile, to be run at 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-olds: In Excessive Bull, no rider; Inexcessivelygood, no rider; Free House, Kent Desormeaux; Photarc, no rider; Carmen's Baby, Chris Antley; Red, Corey Nakatani; Bagshot, Alex Solis; Princely Prince, Chris McCarron; Renteria, no rider, and Pete The Greek, Gary Stevens.
UNAFLAME LOOKS TO GET HOT FOR $100,000 CAL CUP JUVENILE FILLIES
Unaflame, who upset the California Sires Stakes at 13-1, will look to make it two straight in Saturday's $100,000 Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies. Trained by Leigh Ann Howard and ridden by Brice Blanc, the daughter of Far Out East broke her maiden in the Oct. 14 stakes victory.
Probables for the $100,000 Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies, to be run Saturday at 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-old fillies: Fun In Excess, David Flores; Unaflame, Brice Blanc; One More Angel, Chris McCarron and Rexy Sexy, Alex Solis.
Possible: Starry Ice, no rider.
CAL CUP STARTER HANDICAPS ROUND OUT NINE-STAKES DAY
Completing Saturday's nine-stakes card on Cal Cup day are the $50,000 Cal Cup Starter Handicap for 3-year-olds and up and the $50,000 Cal Cup Distaff Starter Handicap for fillies and mares.
Probables for Saturday's $50,000 Cal Cup Starter Handicap, to be run at 1 1/2 miles for 3-year-olds and up: Judgement Maker, no rider, 115.
Probables for the $50,000 Cal Cup Distaff Starter Handicap, to be run Saturday at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares: Special Eyes, no rider, 108; Mary Beverly, Chris Antley, 118; April's Benefit, no rider, 114, and Both Ways, no rider, 115.
FINISH LINES: Rainbow Blues, third in the Volante Handicap (Gr. III), breezed three furlongs in :38 Sunday . . . Jockey Chris McCarron, who piloted Alphabet Soup to victory in the $4-million Breeders' Cup Classic, is attending a wedding in Boston Sunday and will be back riding Wednesday.
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