The $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) Nov. 27 at Del Mar attracted a full field of 12, plus two also-eligible entries, topped by grade 1 winners Arklow and Say the Word. Last year's winner, Oscar Dominguez, is also back to defend his title.
Previously in the barn of Gail Cox at Woodbine, Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm's Say the Word will make his first start for Southern California-based trainer Phil D'Amato in the 1 1/2-mile feature for 3-year-olds and up on turf. The 5-year-old More Than Ready gelding is fresh off a breakthrough victory in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes Presented by Pattison (G1T) at his former Toronto base Oct. 18. He has worked three times at Del Mar this month, including a 1:00 move on the turf Nov. 15.
Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger, and Peter Coneway's Arklow will ship in from Kentucky for trainer Brad Cox. The 6-year-old son of Arch last ran sixth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Keeneland. One start earlier, he won his second Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Downs. Arklow's biggest victory came in the 2019 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park.
Also coming out of the Breeders' Cup Turf is Little Red Feather Racing, Gordon Jacobsen, and Philip Belmonte's Red King, who finished ninth. Another D'Amato trainee, Red King entered the Breeders' Cup off three consecutive wins, including the Aug. 22 Del Mar Handicap Presented by The Japan Racing Association (G2T) and June 21 San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park.
D'Amato also entered The Ellwood Johnston Trust, Timmy Time Racing, and Ken Tevelde's Acclimate for his first start since finishing ninth in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Turf. Like his stablemate Red King, Acclimate is also a winner of both the Del Mar Handicap and San Juan Capistrano, scoring victories in 2019.
Nancy Messineo and Bruce Sands' Oscar Dominguez seeks his first win since rallying to beat United by a neck in the Hollywood Turf Cup a year ago. The Richard Baltas trainee enters off a fifth in the Sept. 26 John Henry Turf Championship (G2T), won by United, at Santa Anita.
"'Oscar' wants some speed to run at, but mile-and-a-half is his race," Baltas said. "He hasn't had a whole lot of pace to run at this year (0-for-5), but I think with some of the other horses in the race, it shouldn't be paceless.
"Obviously, it's a very tough race, but 'Oscar' maybe can do it again at 7 years old. He's training great for it."
Shipping in from trainer Graham Motion's base at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland will be Laccario. The 2019 IDEE Deutsches Derby (G1) winner was second in his United States debut, the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Oct. 3.
North County Guy, Gregorian Chant, Ward 'n Jerry, Proud Pedro, Marckie's Water, and Another Mystery complete the main body of the field. Tartini and Fivestar Lynch are also eligible.
Del Mar, Friday, November 27, 2020, Race 7Entries: Hollywood Turf Cup S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1North County Guy (CA) Mario Gutierrez 122 Richard Baltas 15/1 2 2Oscar Dominguez (IRE) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 124 Richard Baltas 15/1 3 3Red King (KY) Umberto Rispoli 124 Philip D'Amato 5/1 4 4Say the Word (ON) Flavien Prat 126 Philip D'Amato 5/1 5 5Arklow (KY) Joel Rosario 126 Brad H. Cox 5/2 6 6Gregorian Chant (GB) Ricardo Gonzalez 122 Philip D'Amato 20/1 7 7Acclimate (CA) Tyler Baze 124 Philip D'Amato 12/1 8 8Laccario (GER) Manuel Franco 126 H. Graham Motion 3/1 9 9Ward 'n Jerry (CA) Jose Valdivia, Jr. 122 Mike Puype 20/1 10 10Proud Pedro (FR) Juan J. Hernandez 122 Leonard Powell 20/1 98 11Marckie's Water (CA) SCRATCHED 0 UNKNOWN - 11 12Another Mystery (IL) Mike E. Smith 122 Michael W. McCarthy 10/1 12 13Tartini (KY) Geovanni Franco 122 Mark Glatt 30/1 13 14Fivestar Lynch (IRE) Abel Cedillo 122 Richard Baltas 30/1
