By J. Keeler Johnson (“Keelerman”) Twitter: @J_Keelerman
On a quiet mid-January race weekend, one of the best races on the show was the $200,000 California Cup for three-year-olds to race 1/16 mile at Santa. Anita.
Six horses are entered for the race, including a pair of proven bet winners. Let’s take a look at each horse in the field, then put together a selection of picks to use for exact straight, triangle and/or super perfect bets:
#1 Ghosts of the Central Highlands (5-1): Extreme hot racer Flavien Prat (39% winner at Santa Anita this time) will guide Highland Ghost, son of Santa Anita H. (G1) Shaman Ghost hero. The chestnut sophomore is shipping south with a speed-squeeze victory in the race for the 5 1/2-extra long-term option on the Tapeta track at Golden Gate Fields.
But Highland Ghost’s dirty form is unremarkable, and his career-best 83 Brisnet Speed rating looks a bit light compared to his rivals in the California Cup Derby. A spot in the super-perfect could be the ceiling for Highland Ghost’s potential.
#2 Sippin N Kissin (20-1): Dirt or grass, sprinting or routing — it made no difference for Sippin N Kissin, who ran well in a variety of conditions. But Stay Thirsty’s son is yet to win the race from seven starts and a career-best 73 Brisnet Speed rating suggests he’ll need a step up to Saturday’s challenge. .
#3 Quick Draw Munnings (4-1): Never beyond the trio in three starts, Fast Draw Munnings has shown promise across a wide range of distances. After taking his first win by 5 1/2 at Los Alamitos, intern Jeff Mullins finished third in the Golden State Juvenile S. Del Mar’s seven long lines and third again in the King Glorious S . a mile in Los Alamitos.
Fast Draw Munnings is versatile in his running style and his Brisnet Speed stats (82, 88 and 86) are respectable. But he finished behind rivals Finneus and Straight Up G in the California Cup in two bets, so Fast Draw Munnings will need a step up to better secure a three-game finish on Saturday. The good news is that Mullins won by 21% with the horses running long for the second time, and a sharp five-hair long gate appeared: 59 1/5 last week hinting that Fast Draw Munnings could be in the works. improve.
#4 Finneus (5-2): The best performer among the California Derby Cup attendees was Finneus, who showed strong form against the tougher team by finishing second in both Best Pal S. (G2) and Del Mar Futurity (G1) throughout. summer. He reiterated his talent in the seven-round Golden State Juvenile S. November 5 in Del Mar, rallying impromptu to beat the next winner of Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) Slow Down Andy is half.
But Finneus then took second place in the King Glorious S. one mile at Los Alamitos, beaten 3 1/2 lengths by his Straight Up G. California Cup opponent. It’s worth noting that Finneus boasts a 5-2-2-1 sprint record. and a long 2-0-1-0 record, and longer trips seem to have diminished his ability to kick stretch. Walk of Fame driver John Velazquez (37% winner in this meeting) is named to ride, but I wonder if the California Derby Cup run will stretch Finneus’ limits of endurance.
#5 Straight up G (4-5): It’s easy to see why Straight Up G is a favorite to win the California Derby Cup. Since placing 4th behind Slow Down Andy on his Santa Anta debut, intern Richard Baltas has been unstoppable. Straight Up G had no trouble wiring the six-feathered maiden special weight in Del Mar with a length of 5 1/4, then he beat Finneus with a length of 3 1/2 in King Glorious S .
With Brisnet Speed ratings of 90 and 92 respectively, the Straight Up G was the fastest horse in the California Cup Derby. His pacesetting pace is an asset, as there wasn’t too much pace in the field on Saturday. If he takes the lead under Ricardo Gonzalez (who has been three-quarters for Baltas in the past two months), Straight Up G could land a second straight bet win.
#6 Agador Spartacus (20-1): Shaman Ghost’s second son in the field on Saturday broke the triad three times playing on both the court and the grass. But the 0-for-8 resume and career-best 83-speed Brisnet stats are two indicators that the California Derby Cup will be a tough one for Agador Spartacus to challenge to win.
Option
First: Straight up WOOD
Monday: Quick Drawing Munnings
Tuesday: Finneus
Wednesday: Ghosts of the Central Highlands
If our perfect combination comes up, we’ll have every opportunity to turn the odd bets into great rewards, even if the California Derby Cup goes on as a whole.
Now it’s your turn! Who do you like in the California Derby Cup?
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J. Keeler Johnson (also known as “Keelerman”) is a writer, cinematographer, voice actor, amputee, and horse racing enthusiast. A huge fan of racing history, he considers Dr Fager the greatest racehorse ever made in America, but considers the Zenyatta his all-time favorite.
