HORSE RACING UPDATE: CAL CUP CAST BACK FOR RERUN FAMILIAR HORSES RETURN FOR 14TH RUNNING.Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer ARCADIA - Today's California Cup races at Santa Anita Santa Anita may refer to:
High Chaparral is a racehorse, winner of the Epsom Derby in 2002, and the winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf in 2002 and 2003 (dead-heating in the latter). and Pleasantly Perfect Pleasantly Perfect (born April 2, 1998 in Lexington, Kentucky) is a Thoroughbred racehorse who retired as the fourth richest American horse in career earnings. A son of Pleasant Colony, winner of the 1981 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, he was out of the mare Regal State who , some of the world-class winners in last month's Breeders' Cup The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I thoroughbred horse races operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982 by a consortium of North American racing organizations, led by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. at the same track. Then again, the Breeders' Cup didn't have horses like Sky Jack, FullMoon Madness, Native Desert, Sweetcakesandshakes and the inappropriately named Spinelessjellyfish. The Cal Cup, a 10-race, $1.325 million showcase for Cal-breds that will be held for the 14th time, is distinguished again by the many tough old favorites among the entries, more than one-quarter of the horses in the races for 3-year-olds and up having appeared at this event before. ``There was a lot of chatter regarding the Breeders' Cup as to the many relatively young horses that had been retired to stud, and the lack of continuity in the handicap ranks,'' said John Harris John Harris may refer to: Dr. John Harris Internationlly Known Educator, Speaker, Philosopher, Theologian, and HomileticianItalic text http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/biography. , the California Horse Racing horse racing, trials of speed involving two or more horses. It includes races among harnessed horses with one of two particular gaits, among saddled Thoroughbreds (or, less frequently, quarterhorses) on a flat track, or among saddled horses over a turf course with Board vice chairman and leading California breeder who owns Hot Market, a contender in the $250,000 Cal Cup Classic. ``This certainly is not true of our Cal-breds and the Cal Cup. ... This is really important to the fans, as we like to bet on horses we're familiar with.'' Five-year-old Hot Market needs better luck than he had in the Classic last year, when he reared at the start and finished fifth. Hot Market also needs to beat a lot of experienced opponents among 10 horses going 1 1/8 miles. They include 4-year-old Calkins Road, last year's Classic winner; 6-year-old Grey Memo, last year's fourth-place finisher; and 7-year-old Sky Jack, the 2000 Classic winner. Hot Market is one of 10 horses set to be ridden by Pat Valenzuela Patrick Valenzuela (born October 17, 1962 in Montrose, Colorado) is an American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. Born into a racing family, his father plus three of his uncles were jockeys. , who went into Friday's races leading Tyler Baze Tyler Baze (born October 19, 1982 in Seattle, Washington) is an American Champion jockey. Born into a racing family, both of his parents were jockeys as is his uncle, Gary Baze. His second cousin is U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey, Russell Baze. 34-31 in the jockey standings as the Oak Tree meet nears its Sunday close. Sky Jack is one of 13 horses entered today by trainer Doug O'Neill, who set an Oak Tree record with his 22nd victory of the meet Wednesday. Because Cal-bred horses generally have less-fashionable pedigrees, and many of the males are geldings, few retire early to lucrative breeding careers. Like Calkins Road in the Classic, 2002 Cal Cup Matron winner Super High will go for a repeat victory today, her opponents in the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares including 2002 Juvenile Fillies winner Summer Wind Dancer Wind Dancer (Sofía Mantega Barrett) is a fictional character, a former mutant in the Marvel Universe, one of the student body in the Xavier Institute, and a member of the New Mutants squad therein. Her first appearance was in New Mutants vol. 2 #1. . Ten-year-old Native Desert (1999 and 2001 Mile winner and 2000 runner-up), 7-year-old Spinelessjellyfish (2001 and 2002 Mile runner-up) and 7-year-old Continental Red (2002 Classic runner-up) are contenders in the Mile on turf. Eight-year-old Full Moon Madness (2000 Sprint winner) is favored in the Sprint. Eight-year-old Sweetcakesandshakes (fifth in the 1999 Distaff before a nearly three-year layoff) returns to the Distaff. ``They're just really honest, durable horses,'' said Jenine Sahadi, who trains Spinelessjellyfish. The Cal Cup races begin at noon. The chance of rain is 20 percent. On-site crowds have averaged 30,000 in recent years. Oak Tree is guaranteeing a $1 million pool for the pick-six, which begins with the fifth race and spans the Cal Cup Distaff, Sprint, Juvenile Fillies, Mile, Classic and Juvenile. Kevin Modesti, (818) 713-3616 kevin.modesti(at)dailynews.com |
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