Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents cuts back to a sprint against a strong
group of older horses in Sunday’s Grade 1, $300,000
Bing
Crosby at Del Mar. The Doug O’Neill-trained colt found the longer distances
of the Triple Crown too taxing, recording a disappointing 17th in the Kentucky
Derby before a well-beaten fifth in the Preakness, but he possesses plenty of
quickness and is already a winner over the Del Mar Polytrack, capturing his
career debut at 5 1/2 furlongs by a scintillating 7 1/4 lengths last summer.
Regular rider Kevin Krigger retains the mount in the six-furlong test and
Goldencents figures to break running from post 2 with first-time blinkers.
The bay son of Into Mischief received a 101 BRIS Speed rating for his wire to
wire maiden score and earned a 106 when capturing the Santa Anita Derby.
Top challengers include Grade 1 winners Jimmy Creed and Comma to the Top.
Jimmy Creed turned in a superb effort when capturing the Malibu in late
December and opened his four-year-old season with a victory in the Grade 2
Potrero Grande in early April. The lightly-raced Richard Mandella trainee was
sidelined again until the June 29 Triple Bend, returning with a flat effort, but is eligible to move forward significantly off the tightener
at Del Mar. Jimmy Creed recorded a convincing allowance tally over the Polytrack
at six furlongs last July before a neck second in his stakes debut, the El
Cajon, at a two-turn distance that was a little beyond his scope.
The chestnut son of Distorted Humor picks up the services of leading jockey
Rafael Bejarano and Jimmy Creed could easily go favored as the 123-pound
highweight.
Comma to the Top is a two-time victor at Del Mar and a five-time winner at
the distance. The game gelding has performed well all season for leading trainer
Peter Miller, recording three stakes victories, and figures to relish the
cutback off a respectable second in the seven-furlong Triple Bend. Edwin
Maldonado returns aboard the speedy five-year-old son of Bwana Charlie.
Points Offthebench brings a two-race win streak into his stakes debut, taking
optional claimers at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park for conditioner Tim Yakteen.
Coach Bob invades off a runner-up finish in the July 4 Casual Lies at Pleasanton
and Majestic City was last seen finishing second in a June 14 allowance at
Hollywood.
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