Heck Yeah wins Cal Cup Turf Sprint in impressive fashion

Upstart Heck Yeah answered any questions about his ability to handle turf as he rallied into a fast pace en route to winning Saturday’s $100,000 California Cup Turf Sprint by 2 ½ lengths under Drayden Van Dyke.  Trained by Bob Baffert, the 3-year-old colt by Eclipse Champion Turf Horse Acclamation got 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course in 1:13.61.

Well back early but an attentive fourth turning for home, Heck Yeah validated his 5 ¼ length main track win in his debut at Los Alamitos Dec. 7 by running lights out on turf today.

“He broke well," said winning rider Van Dyke. "I thought he would be a little bit closer but he wasn’t so I just let him fall into place. Coming into that turn I had a lot of horse left. He was doing it easy and I tried to work my way out once I crossed the dirt.”

Bet down to the 2-1 favorite in a field of a dozen 3-year-olds bred or sired in California, Heck Yeah paid $6.40, $5.00 and $3.60.

Bred in California by his co-owner Michael Pageler, Heck Yeah is out of the Maria’s Mon mare Lutess.  Now perfect in two starts, he picked up $60,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $124,000.

“It’s wonderful," said Pageler. "This is my first stakes winner and the first horse I’ve ever bred. The mother (Lutess) is the first horse I ever owned.”

A supplemental entrant, Psycho Dar, who is trained by Steve Miyadi and ridden by apprentice Evin Roman, checked in second, a head in front of his stablemate, Campaigner.  Off at 12-1, Psycho Dar paid $12.40 and $7.40.

Off at 15-1, Campaigner paid $6.40 to show while finishing a half length in front of Vutzak.

Fractions on the race were 20.94, 43.28 and 1:07.17.