Turf Cup, Native Diver featured on Futurity undercard

Last updated: 12/11/13 5:56 PM

Lucayan (yellow cap) and Huntsville (red cap) make up one-third of the Hollywood Turf Cup field

(Benoit Photos)

Seemingly out of his element when a faltering ninth in the Canadian
International in late October, Lucayan figures to show better form at his
Hollywood Park base in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000
Hollywood
Turf Cup.

Up closer to the pace than usual over deep ground at Woodbine, Lucayan began
his steady retreat by the second call of that 1 1/2-mile fixture. It was a far
cry from the contending form he had displayed throughout the summer and fall in
Southern California, when he placed in the John Henry Turf Championship, Del Mar
Handicap, and American Handicap.

Although winless since taking the 2012 French Two Thousand Guineas, Lucayan
is one of the classier entrants in the six-horse Turf Cup, which is also
contested at 12 furlongs. Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale, who has surprisingly
never trained a winner of this race, has enlisted Joel Rosario to ride.

The only other graded winner in the field is Temeraine, who bagged the
Kentucky Turf Cup prior to a fifth-place effort in the Canadian International.
The four-year-old Arch gelding was also prominent in Arlington Park’s major
grass stakes over the summer, finishing a close second in the Arlington Handicap
and a rallying fifth in the Arlington Million.

A lack of speed on paper might benefit Segway, who led gate-to-wire in
beating first-level allowance foes going 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita on October
27. He was beaten in his previous start by the returning Artic North, who was
subsequently sixth in the Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct.

The field is rounded out by Huntsville, who finished third in the Del Mar
Handicap in August, and Irish Surf, who has not placed in three prior stakes
appearances.

San Felipe winner Hear the Ghost enters the Native Diver with plenty of upside

(Benoit Photos)

The three-year-old Hear the Ghost will step up in class and distance later on
Saturday’s card in the Grade 3, $150,000
Native
Diver. The 1 1/8-mile event on Cushion Track drew a field of nine, with Hear
the Ghost set to break outside his older rivals.

Briefly a classic candidate following a half-length victory in the San Felipe
last March, Hear the Ghost was sidelined the following month after developing a
knee injury. The Ghostzapper gelding returned to the races in a 6 1/2-furlong
allowance on November 7, where he finished second as the even-money choice.

Jerry Hollendorfer, who trains Hear the Ghost, will also saddle
Blueskiesnrainbows, second by a length in the November 1 Breeders’ Cup Marathon,
and Rousing Sermon, last seen taking the On Trust Handicap for California-breds
on November 24.

Returning from a lengthy absence in the Native Diver is Setsuko, who was last
seen finishing second in the 2012 Santa Anita Handicap. Now six, the gelding has
placed in two Big ‘Caps, the Santa Anita Derby, and Californian, but has yet to
win a stakes.

Others in the Native Diver lineup are Grade 2 veteran Drill, third in the
$75,000 Governor’s Cup at Fairplex and $77,000 Big Bear at Santa Anita in his
last two; Fire With Fire, who’s placed in three straight stakes including a
Grade 3 at Golden Gate; and Soi Phet, a distant third behind Mucho Macho Man in
the Awesome Again two back.

Slim Shadey, a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, and Mobilized, whose
last win came in the $125,000 Tiznow for California-breds in April, complete the
field.

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