Club Aspen, Bettor Trip Nick headline California Cup Derby
Club Aspen, an impressive 2 ½-length stakes winner in his most recent start, heads a field of nine sophomores going a mile and one sixteenth in Saturday’s $200,000 California Cup Derby at Santa Anita Park. Trained by Craig Lewis and owned by his brother Larry, Club Aspen is by the hottest sire currently standing in California, Clubhouse Ride, who was also conditioned by Craig Lewis.
Golden Gate Fields invader Bettor Trip Nick, a two-time stakes winner on synthetic Tapeta, rates a big chance in the Cal Cup Derby and is owned in part and trained by William Delia.
Reddam Racing’s homebred Rookie Mistake, a son of top sire Square Eddie, comes off a 3 ¼-length maiden turf win at 5 ½ furlongs and also figures very prominent for trainer Doug O’Neill.
The Cal Cup Derby is part of the lucrative Golden State Series, which is sponsored by the CTBA and is for eligible California-bred or sired horses.
CLUB ASPEN
Owner: Lawrence D. Lewis
Trainer: Craig Lewis
Bred in California by Harris Farms, Club Aspen is out of the Talkin Man mare Aspen Gal. A six-furlong maiden special weight winner versus statebreds in his second start on Aug. 2 at Del Mar, Club Aspen ran the best race of his career in winning the one-mile King Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos on Dec. 15 and will likely employ a similar stalking style on Saturday under regular rider Jorge Velez. The leading money earner in the field with $118,211, he has two wins from seven starts.
BETTOR TRIP NICK
Owner: William Delia, Gary Oetman & Ray Pagano
Trainer: William Delia
One length shy of being unbeaten in five Golden Gate Fields starts dating back to Aug. 23, this gelding, who is by the Harlan’s Holiday stallion Boat Trip, comes off a gate to wire score in the one mile Gold Rush Stakes on Dec. 7 as the 4-5 favorite. He figures to use similar tactics on Saturday under regular pilot Catalino Martinez. A half-length winner of the six-furlong Gold Rush Stakes two starts back on Nov. 9, Bettor Trip Nick will be trying two turns for the second time in the Cal Cup Derby.
ROOKIE MISTAKE
Owner: Reddam Racing, Inc.
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
By Square Eddie, out of the General Meeting mare Meetmeinthewoods, Rookie Mistake comes of a scintillating 3 ¼-length win going 5 ½ furlongs on turf here Jan. 3, and although he’s a solid fit in the Cal Cup Derby, he may be better suited for grass.
The 6-5 favorite in the 5 ½-furlong turf debut four starts back here on Oct. 20, Rookie Mistake led throughout prior to tiring late, finishing third, beaten 1 ½ lengths. Subsequently well beaten in the Golden State Juvenile, his best race on dirt came two starts back when he was a close second versus state-bred maidens going 5 ½ furlongs at Del Mar Dec. 1. Saturday’s Derby will be his first two-turn assignment.
The field for the California Cup Derby, Race 7 at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET, in post position order:
1. Bettor Trip Nick—Catalino Martinez—124
2. Dapper—Geovanni Franco—124
3. Sacred Rider—Abel Cedillo—124
4. Summer Fire—Mike Smith—124
5. Club Aspen—Jorge Velez—124
6. Rookie Mistake—Mario Gutierrez—124
7. Indian Peak—Juan Hernandez—124
8. Fast Enough—Tiago Pereira—124
9. Big Returns—Ruben Fuentes--124