Champions Gate Ready for Cal Cup Juvenile

It’s too soon to tell if Mike Machowsky has another Caracortado on his hands, but the trainer of the mild favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 5 likes his chances with a youngster named Champions Gate in Saturday’s $100,000 Bob Benoit California Cup Juvenile.

“He’s doing good,” Machowsky said of the gelded son of Pure Prize owned by Donald R. Dizney of Ocala. “He worked Sunday morning in 1:03.20 with Zoe (Cadman aboard), and he’s ready. I’m just kind of keeping him fresh going two turns. I expect him to run a good race. He’s bred to run a route of ground.”

Champions Gate was a maiden winner first out, leading wire to wire at 5 ½ furlongs at Del Mar. He closed well to be second in the six furlong I’m Smokin for state-breds on Sept. 5 after bobbling at the start and going four wide through the stretch.

Machowsky’s Caracortado, meanwhile, who began his career in the claiming ranks at Fairplex Park and has gone on to become a multiple graded stakes winner and earned $774,105, is on course for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs.

The field for the Juvenile: Unveiled Heat, Joe Talamo; Far to Reach, Alonso Quinonez; Motown Men, Garrett Gomez; Rousing Sermon, Rafael Bejarano; Broadway Nika, Jose Valdivia Jr.; Stoney Fleece, Victor Espinoza; Inquisitive Son, Chantal Sutherland; Our Boy Benjamin, Patrick Valenzuela; and Champions Gate, Joel Rosario.