Catch a Flight (left) and Moreno (right) will duke it out yet again in the Gold Cup (Benoit Photos)

However, the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup takes center stage on the card with an 11-horse field comprised of Catch a Flight (Giant's Causeway), Finnegans Wake (Mizzen Mast), Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) and Moreno (Ghostzapper).

Catch a Flight and Moreno were one-two, respectively, while separated by just a half-length in the Californian S. (G2) last out, with the re-opposing Hard Aces (Hard Spun) filling the third spot.

Before the Californian, Catch a Flight sandwiched a third-placing in the Santa Anita H. (G1) between wins in an optional claimer and the Precisionist S. (G3). Moreno also ran in the Big 'Cap, finishing second, a head in front of Catch a Flight, and followed that with a third in the New Orleans H. (G2) and a two-length victory in the Charles Town Classic (G2) prior to the Californian.

Turf specialist Finnegans Wake has placed just once in five tries on the dirt/synthetic, but trainer Peter Miller is giving it another go with his six-year-old bay charge. The Kentucky-bred has won four of his last six, including the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1) two back on the Kentucky Derby undercard, but will be getting a jockey switch to Mike Smith as regular rider Victor Espinoza has chosen to stick with Hard Aces in this spot.

Masochistic (left) and San Onofre (right) re-oppose in the Triple Bend after going one-two in the Kona Gold (Benoit Photos)

The well-matched seven-horse field features Masochistic (Sought After), who scored over the re-opposing San Onofre (Surf Cat) and Sahara Sky (Pleasant Tap) in the Kona Gold S. (G2) last out on April 11. The bay gelding was making his first start for new trainer Ron Ellis in that contest, which was just his second try against stakes rivals. Masochistic, whose record currently stands at 7-5-1-0, ran second in the Los Alamitos Mile in September while under the tutelage of A.C. Avila.

San Onofre is suffering from a case of seconditis, having filled that spot in all three of his starts so far this season. The Karen Headley trainee has yet to be worse than second, including the Kona Gold and Los Angeles S. (G3), and gets Alex Solis in the irons.

Sahara Sky started in the Kona Gold off a sixth-place effort in the 2014 Triple Bend for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and was flying down the center of the track to just run out of room late in that 6 1/2-furlong affair. Hero of the 2013 Metropolitan H. (G1), the seven-year-old dark bay also boasts a trio of Grade 2 wins on his resume and keeps Rafael Bejarano aboard.

Queen of the Sand (outside) and Fanticola (inside) renew their rivalry in the Royal Heroine (Benoit Photos)

Two races later, Fanticola (Silent Name) faces nine in the Royal Heroine off a tough-luck neck second in the Gamely H. (G1) on May 25. The Philip D'Amato trainee captured the Megahertz S. to kick off her five-year-old campaign, then was third in the Wishing Well S. and second by a nose in the Santa Barbara S. (G3) prior to the Gamely. In that latter event, the dark bay mare led throughout before just being caught on the wire under Joseph Talamo, who retains the mount in the Royal Heroine.

Queen of the Sand beat Fanticola in the Santa Barbara but offered no run in the Gamely to be eighth, while Blingismything (Arch) shocked at 25-1 to get third in the latter contest. Birdlover (Byron) skipped those two races in favor of the Wilshire S. (G3), where she led before being caught by a neck to be third, and a head victory in the Mizdirection S. for her past two.