Mensa Heat Set for Cal Cup Sprint

Grass, dirt, synthetic: Mensa Heat has won on each surface. Trainer Doug O’Neill is confident the 6-year-old Unusual Heat gelding claimed for $62,500 four races ago will give another solid effort when he runs in Saturday’s $100,000 Donald Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint at six furlongs on conventional dirt Saturday at Santa Anita.

“He’s doing fantastic,” the Kentucky Derby-winning trainer said of Mensa Heat, who has a 9-9-9 record from 48 starts with earnings of $505,718. “He’s honest, he’s versatile, he tries hard; he’s just a gamer.

“He’s one of those who shows up every race, so we’re pumped to see him compete.”

The field for the Sprint, race seven: Maui Mark, Garrett Gomez, 8-1; Bench Points, Chantal Sutherland, 8-1; Mensa Heat, Edwin Maldonado, 5-2; Night Wind, Juan Hernandez, 30-1; Obsess, Joe Talamo, 15-1; Korban, Joel Rosario, 15-1; Ain’t No Other, Rafael Bejarano, 3-1; Shudacudawudya, Julien Couton, 7-2; Derby Gold, Martin Garcia, 6-1; and Legal Separation, Russell Baze, 20-1.