Setsuko, Dark Cove Offer Value in Gold Cup
Twirling Candy, a decisive winner of the Californian June 4, has been established the 4-5 favorite by Hollywood Park morning line maker Russ Hudak for the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup.
A Grade I at 1 ¼ miles over Cushion Track, the Gold Cup will be run for the 72nd time Saturday. Post time is 1 p.m. The Gold Cup, which is the eighth of 10 races, has a scheduled post time of 4:40 p.m. The race will be televised by ESPN (4-5 p.m. PDT).
The Gold Cup is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’’ race, so the Breeders’ Cup nominated winner of the Gold Cup is guaranteed a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs. Additionally, the winner will have pre-entry and entry fees waived and given a $10,000 travel allowance.
Fans coming to Hollywood Park to see the Gold Cup in person will have an opportunity to enter the Breeders’ Cup Classic Ownership Challenge. All those who enter the contest will become a virtual owner of the Gold Cup winner. If that horse also captures the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the virtual owners will divide $250,000.
There is also a fedora giveaway – one per paid admission while supplies last – and a Gold Cup hat contest with a first prize of $500.
Owned by breeder Jenny Craig’s Family Trust, William S. Farish and Marty Wygod, Twirling Candy will break from the inside in the field of eight. The odds on the rest of the field follow in post position order: Miss Match (20-1), Setsuko (8-1), Game On Dude (6-1), Awesome Gem (10-1), Soul Candy (10-1), First Dude (5-1) and Dark Cove (12-1).
Setsuko is an interesting price player at 8-1. The Richard Mandella runner has earned triple digit BRIS Final Time Ratings in his last two starts. The G1 Santa Anita Handicap runner-up came off the bench to land the place behind Twirling Candy in the G2 Californian and that nine furlong Cushion Track event was a perfect prep for the Gold Cup.
Dark Cove can be used in the exotics for Ken McPeek. He has come a long way since running for a $16,000 Maiden Claiming tag at Saratoga last summer. He has captured half of his last eight outings and is a perfect 2-for-2 on synthetic ground.
The Gold Cup program also includes the $150,000 Swaps Stakes, a Grade II for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles. Coil, impressive winner of the Grade III Affirmed Handicap June 11, is the 6-5 morning line favorite. The Swaps is the fourth race. Scheduled post time is 2:34 p.m.
The odds on the rest of the field in post position order: Runflatout (5-2), Spud Spivens (10-1), Coil, Uncle Sam (5-1), Dreamy Kid (10-1) and Boxeur des Rues (5-1).