CAL CUP DAY AT OAK TREE HOLLYWOOD PARK

ZENYATTA BY DAVID MORANT

Bank update from Friday Night. I made one bet a pick three which ran out.   
                         Bank is $2,949.50   Happy Cal-Cup Day!



Race 1          California Cup Sprint Six Furlongs

The class of this Cal cup race is Cost of Freedom. He is the speed of this field dropping out of Grade One company and into stakes company for California-breds. My concern is that he might be long in the tooth and has lost a step or two. He needs to beat the horse that I like which is Goggles McCoy. Goggles McCoy did not like the two turn experiment and gets back to what he does best sprint. It looks like maybe Freedom and Goggles might hook up on the front end and dust themselves into the ground. If this pace scenario unfolds then A Lil Dumaani could wait then pounce on the leaders and reel them in at the wire.

50 Cent Pick Four    1,3  with 1,5,8  with 1,2,6 with 1,2,7,8 

Cost $36   Returned a profit of $2.50


Race 2          Six Furlongs Maiden Special Weight

A contentious blue blood maiden sprint that looks wide open. I watched Zenidekka stand at the gate and walked out giving her rivals a three length lead. She then got her act together a made a move on the field. P-Val stays put for this Benchmark filly trained by Neil Drysdale. Clubhouse Rules drops back into her own kind. She just might be the speed of this race. She has put together four excellent works and looks large on the win end. Going For A Spin trained by Jerry Hoffendorfer and ridden by Bejarano team up as a deadly trainer and jockey combo. A slight improvement as she can win this maiden sprint race. A Golden Jet raced in the same race where she showed speed. Cassidy and Smith hook up together and a slight improvement puts her in the winner's circle. A first time starter  Sting N Stella looks like a runner for David Hoffman. Joe Talamo team up!





Race 3          Six Furlongs Maiden Special Weight

Shelter Cove drops out of open company to face Cal-bred. He ran a excellent race with Mr. Artistic M.D. He can win this if he does not do the classic bounce.  Bell Blitz showed speed his first time out. Tab for improvement his second time out. He has been freshen up for this race. A first time starter Arresting Officer has great pedigree that win early. He has a series of dangerous fast work outs. He looks and acts like a runner. Kalrya Cat is another first time starter that has long fast work outs..... beware of this Cat!





Race 4          Six Turf John Deere California Cup Distaff
A wide open turf sprint and a fun race to watch today. The class of this race is U R All That I Am. She is a four time stakes winner and won her last race at Fairplex. I like the filly shortening up for this Ruination to win this turf sprint.  She is a sprinter and has the speed to be right off the pace. It looks like she is spotted for action...... Ruination is lightly raced and looms large for a win. Ms G. I. Jane has 2 wins, two seconds and two thirds in eight starts. The One Man Army filly has the perfect running style to be the rabbit or the mid-pack closer as well. She looks scary if the speed melts down at the top of the lane. La Nez is a horse that looks off form but prior races she has the back class to have the final say in the outcome today! She is the threat to take this race.

Pick Three    1,8  with 1,6,7 with All  ( PAID $177.800)





Race 5          One Mile Sixteenth Cal Cup Matron


Lady Railrider won this exact race last year but it was not on the cushion track. She has been pointed for this race by her trainer Steve Specht who can flat out get them to fire. She had to need her last race getting second to her entrymate. She has been training great. The pace scenario looks like Lady will be on the lead or right off the lead. She has tactical speed. Camille C is the speed horse and will try to steal this race on the front end...... a hard task to do at this distance. This is her first start since July but do not take her lightly.... lots to like about Camille C. If the speed melts down the take a long look at Ultra Blend who returns to a surface that she does her best running on. She is 4 for 8 on the cushion track. She will wait, then pounce on the leaders at the wire! Warren's Jitterburg has run races and has the speed numbers to put her in the mix today.


      1. Camille  C    2. Lady Railrider



Race 6          Six Furlongs Turf Maiden Special Weight

On paper The Unusual One is the fastest of this field but he is 0 for 9 and counting! He faced far better horses his last race dropping out of open maiden company. His last race was well.... super..... and if he does not do the classic bounce will win this race. His main rival is Emerald Assets his second start after a lay off which usually is there best performance. He takes off the blinkers for P-Val today. He has speed and these turf sprint races have been won with horses sitting right off the pace. Beware! Hittheroadrunning a very cool name for him has the leading jockey staying with him. That tells me he think he can win this..... and he can!  The scary horse in this puzzler is Urban Hunter who finished third in his debut. He has great pedigree with Tribal Rule and should love the switch to grass today. I like this one to win this race but still he needs to get by the Unusual One to win.... a wide open sprint turf race and very fun to watch and wager.

HIT PICK THREE PAID  $177.80

Race 7          One Mile Sixteenth  Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies

The most talented filly is California Nectar but this is the Kool aid acid test on class for her. Is she up to the task trying to stretch out and face winners for the first time! Her main rival looks to be Warren's Flyer who looked great winning her maiden then stepped up in a highly regarded allowance race and got second. She is fit and o the upswing...... with talent.She is also stretching out to two turns and her sprint style fits with this distance. Swiss Wild Cat a stakes winner sprinting but the pedigree suggest that she will have no problem getting the distance. She can win this Stake route race. Queenie Marini fits the speed and distance! She looks live! Arta B. Tappin is a maiden who will be picking off the speed horses late. A interesting long shot. She likes the track at Hollywood.

    1. Queenie Marini     2. California Nectar  3. Warren's Flyer 

Pick Four 50 Cents   3,4,6, with 3,5,6 with 2,5,8 with 6,9 
             Back up ticket  7 with 3,5,6 with 2,5,8 with 6 and 9
.HIT 50 CENT PICK FOUR  $228.60


Race 8          One Mile Turf John Mabee Cal Cup Mile

A great betting race with many contenders in the Cal bred turf mile. Bruce's Dream is the most logical choice after he troubled third in the Del Mar Mile. He gets two months off and the owner and trainer have zero him in for this race. He is the scary horse and in my opinion the horse to beat! His main two rivals are Colgan's Chip and a horse I like Liberian Freighter. Colgan's Chip will sent the pace and is a gutsy tough customer who never wants to give it up down the lane. He is a major player! As to Liberian Freighter he looked awesome winning the Oak Tree Mile. he has a touch of back class and is a pro. I like him in this spot to win this outright! This is the three horses on paper that can win this race.

Late Pick Three  1,3,5,6 with 2,5,7,8 with 6 and 9 

HIT LATE PICK THREE 75.00


Race 9          One Mile Eight Cal Cup Classic

Enriched is the logical contender and looks scary as the horse to beat! The question that concerns me is the distance of the race but he will be the horse on the lead at the quarter and half mile pole trying to go gate to wire with this group of runners. If he melts down then I like a very interesting long shot that might reel in the speed horses which is Low Gear Power who will be closing down the stretch....... a good value price at high odds........ a place bet maybe!
Cayambe is the other rival that will be running his best race down the lane. Unusual Suspect is a pro with back class. He has been facing some tough dudes and this is a drop in class for him. Soul Candy had a troubled trip his last start in Del Mar. He was steadied and then was taken out of his game which has produced a good closing kick down the stretch. He likes the distance and maybe more important then that ......... He just loves the track.


          
           1. Soul Candy    2. Enriched    3. Low Gear Power


$20 Across the Board on Soul Candy





Race 10         One Mile Sixteenth Bob Benoit Cal Cup Juvenile

A wide open affair is the Cal Cup Juvenile routing for a distance of one mile and a sixteenth. Woodman's Luck looked good winning his maiden sprint race. Slammer Time won a open maiden turf route race and I was impressed with the way he won. A major contender!
Contemplated was a horse I pick last time at Del Mar and he fits with speed figures and distance. A interesting sprinter that looks like maybe this time will relish the distance is Luckarack. A live horse with questions of will he like the distance........ He try to route once and did not like it...... two times a charm! Joy Boy with Corey in the drivers seat looks live and has the right running style to go this distance........ at 10 to 1 morning line....... lots to like with style and pedigree and odds.

            1. Joy Boy  2. Slammer Time

$20 Across the board on Joy Boy