By Bruno De Julio
The Hollywood Park Gold Cup brings back many memories. Over the years I have watched Gentlemen and Siphon duke it out, Marquetry and Farma Way in a legendary battle. Lava Man, and Lava Man, and Lava Man. Cigar, Real Quiet, and so many others.
I always followed the history of the Gold Cup and the preps, The Mervin LeRoy, and the Californian were the preliminaries of the event. I often discounted a good win by an up and comer in those two preps and really got down with the serious Grade 1 animals in the Gold Cup.
Horses like Informed, a rags to riches story, claimed out of a $25,000 by Doug O'Neill, who has gone on to be a Graded winner. I think O'Neill did this once before, no, three times before with another claimer turned superstar. Geez, can't remember Lava Man's name......Informed is a hard knocker, but he had his day in the sun in the Californian. Dakota Phone is along the same mould as Informed. He has been knocking on the door and has been handed nose defeats by nemesis Rail Trip, who is also in here. All three, Rail Trip, Informed, and Dakota Phone are in the same boat. They are good horses, but not the kind that makes you scream out Grade 1.
We have a filly in the mix this year and her name is Life Is Sweet. She has trained very well for this, but she just may not be good enough. According to Garret Gomez her rider last out she didn't handle the track as well as Santa Anita's Pro-Ride. It was either that or the fact she ran into a monster that day, Zenyatta. Tres Borrachos, who has enjoyed great success on this surface along with Mast Track, who won the Gold Cup last year with the help of a lonely lead, are the pacesetters.
The best horse in the field may be Parading and that man, Kent Desormeaux. Fresh off a sounding victory in the American Oaks aboard Gozzip Girl, Kent, returns for another stellar weekend at Hollywood Park. Parading, who was awesome in his win in the Ben Ali, a Grade 3, at Keeneland on April 19. He has since won the Dixie Handicap at Pimlico on the grass. Parading on dirt and synthetic combined is 2 wins out of four starts with a second place finish. Six year old son of Pulpit looks to be well spotted in this Grade 1 event, although he is not a Grade 1 winner. A late bloomer if you will, but I am not sold on his ability at 10 furlongs, and with a strong pace to boot. He needs to stay in contact, and when too far off a 47 and change for example (Keeneland doesn't count) he has come up short.
The horse that interests me is Bullsbay. He is a bias or track profile play. He last raced in the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs. He made a bold move four wide and then hung late. He finished a length and a quarter behind Macho Again. If you watched the Stephen Foster you knew Bullsbay was in trouble from the moment they went into the first turn. He was caught four wide, four wide down the backstretch and have to be sent early while four wide on the second turn. This is not how you win at Churchill. His inside draw will have him in the perfect spot. Watch for a more patient ride and as the field bunches for home, Bullsbay will be in the perfect spot. If not, the race is up for grabs.
----
