Cross-entered Flamboyant is Turf Cup favorite

Flamboyant, co-owned by California Horse Racing Board Chairman Charles Winner, has been established as the 3-1 favorite in a field of nine on oddsmaker Russ Hudak’s morning line for the 1 ½-mile grass test. The six-year-old French-bred gelding, trained by Paddy Gallagher, is also entered in Sunday’s 1 1/16-mile Seabiscuit Handicap and a decision will be made Friday morning.

Flamboyant was third, beaten 11 ¼-lengths by Bullard’s Alley, in his last start, the Grade I Canadian International at Woodbine on October 15.

“He ran well in Canada and has come back down and worked twice on the grass here,” Gallagher said Thursday morning. “He seems to be his old self.”

Flamboyant has five wins in 30 career starts and earnings of $897,571. He is winless in 11 starts since a victory in the Grade II San Marcos Handicap in February of last year.

Lottie, a four-year-old filly trained by H. Graham Motion, scratched from the Red Carpet for a better post position despite the Turf Cup being an eighth of a mile longer and against males.

Trainer Jim Cassidy entered Prince of Arabia and Prime Attraction, but said Thursday he will withhold Prime Attraction until Saturday’s Native Diver.

Of Prince of Arabia, Cassidy said: “We know he’ll get the trip and we hope he wakes up from his last two (ninth place efforts). Tiago (Pereira) is on him and he’ll get him going.”

The field from the rail: Chicago Style (Drayden Van Dyke, 7-2), Lottie (Rafael Bejarano, 6-1), Flamboyant (Brice Blanc, 3-1), Tequila Joe (Flavien Prat, 6-1), Infobedad (Joe Talamo, 8-1), Prince of Arabia (Tiago Pereira, 20-1), Prime Attraction (Victor Espinoza, 6-1), Manitoulin (Mike Smith, 6-1) and Inordinate (Corey Nakatani, 12-1).