Twirling Candy to Pack 122 in Hollywood Gold Cup
Twirling Candy, a stylish winner of the $150,000 Californian June 4, was handed top weight of 122 pounds 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 at Hollywood Park. The track’s signature race is part of a stakes doubleheader, along with the $150,000 Swaps Stakes, a Grade II for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.
The Gold Cup is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’’ race, meaning the Breeders’ Cup nominated winner will earn a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs. Additionally, the winner will have pre-entry and entry fees waived and awarded a $10,000 travel allowance.
All those on track Saturday are invited to enter the Breeders’ Cup Classic Ownership Challenge. All those who play will become virtual owners of whatever horse wins the Gold Cup. If the Gold Cup winner also captures the Breeders’ Cup Classic, all Classic Ownership Challenge participants will divide $250,000.
Owned by breeder Jenny Craig’s Family Trust and William S. Farish, Twirling Candy tops a field that could have as many as 10 starters. Entries for the Gold Cup and the Swaps will be taken Wednesday.
Other probable entrants and their weight assignments include the Bob Baffert trained duo of Santa Anita Handicap winner Game On Dude (118) and First Dude (116), Kentucky shipper Dark Cove (115), Californian and Santa Anita Handicap runner-up Setsuko (115), Soul Candy (114) and the 6-year-old mare Miss Match (110).
Possible participants include Blind Luck, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2010 and recent Vanity winner. The daughter of Pollard’s Vision was assigned 117 pounds.
The last female to compete in the Gold Cup was Life Is Sweet, who finished third at 3-1 in 2009. The last filly or mare to win the race was Princessnesian for owner William Haggin Perry and trainer J.W. Maloney in 1968.
The weight assignments for other Gold Cup possibles: defending champion Awesome Gem (116), Acclamation (118), Aggie Engineer (116) and Jeranimo (116).