Cal Cup Day wraps up Oak Tree

The Oak Tree Racing Association meet at Santa Anita concludes Sunday with the
16th running of California Cup Day, a 10-race program worth a combined $1,325,000
for horses bred in the Golden State. The $250,000
California Cup Classic H. is
the centerpiece event.

Held at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, the Classic will feature a field of
eight, including 122-pound highweight DESERT BOOM (Boomerang). Winner of the
Berkeley H. (G3) and Claiming Crown Jewel S. this season, the Art
Sherman-trained five-year-old exits a third-place finish in the Hawthorne Gold
Cup (G2), 2 1/2 lengths back of Super Frolic (Pine Bluff), who finished fourth
in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Grade 2 hero MCCANN’S MOJAVE
(Memo [Chi]) and TEXCESS (In Excess [Ire]), winner of last year’s California Cup
Juvenile, are also in the line-up.

DEVIL BADGETT (Bold Badgett) heads the post parade under a 114-pound impost
that includes Rene Douglas. Next comes McCann’s Mojave, Alex Solis, 118; CHEROOT
(Smokester), David Flores, 113; Desert Boom, Roberto Gonzalez; DEPUTY DOC RENZI
(Wild Deputy), Patrick Valenzuela, 113; Texcess, Victor Espinoza, 116; MR. JOE C
(Present Value), Martin Pedroza, 114; and CARANO (In Excess [Ire]), Garrett
Gomez, 115.

Unfurl the Flag owns two stakes wins this year (Michael Cabezas/Horsephotos.com) Apple Blossom H. (G1) queen DREAM OF SUMMER (Siberian Summer) highlights a cast of eight distaffers in the $150,000 Matron H. A three-time graded winner, the six-year-old gray mare won last year’s California Cup Matron and finished second by a nose in March’s Santa Margarita Invitational H. (G1) prior to a victory in the Apple Blossom, defeating champion Ashado (Saint Ballado) and others in the process. The Juan Garcia charge will spot her opponents five-to-10 pounds under Valenzuela. Her challengers include Grade 2 victress HOUSE OF FORTUNE (Free House) and recent stakes winner SOMETHINABOUTLAURA (Dance Floor). Triple Bend H. (G1) winner UNFURL THE FLAG (Bertrando) tops a field of 11 entered for the $150,000 Sprint H. The David Bernstein-conditioned gelding finished seventh, beaten only 4 3/4 lengths by narrow Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) runner-up Taste of Paradise (Conquistador Cielo), in the Vosburgh S. (G1) most recently and will spot weight to all of his opponents under a 123-pound assignment. AREYOUTALKINTOME (Smokester) and BILO (Bertrando) are other contenders in the six-furlong test. The $175,000 Mile H. drew 12 turf runners and has California Turf Championship victor EL DON (Cee’s Tizzy) as a participant. Trained by Martin Jones, the four-year-old finished fourth in the Bay Meadows Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) last out. Multiple stakes winner RUNNING FREE (Soft Gold [Brz]) and last year’s Mile runner-up HEMET THOUGHT (Smokester) also merit serious respect.

A full field of 14 is set for the $150,000
Distaff H., which will be held
down the hill at about 6 1/2 grassy furlongs. Two-time reigning Sunshine
Millions Filly & Mare Turf heroine VALENTINE DANCER (In Excess [Ire]), second in
her most recent turf start, the Solana Beach H. at Del Mar, and stakes victress
WESTERN HEMISPHERE (General Meeting), who will make her first start since
finishing second by a nose in this race last October, are both leading
contenders.

Ten colts and geldings will square off in the $125,000
Juvenile S., and its
counterpart, the $125,000
Juvenile Fillies, will feature 11. Both races take
place at 1 1/16 miles. The $100,000
Distance H. is a 1 1/4-mile test on the
grass and attracted a field of six.

Post time on Cal Cup Day is 11:15 a.m. (PT).