Maker Tries for Eighth Connally Turf Cup Win

Mike Maker has conditioned the $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) winner for seven of the last eight years, including the last six runnings. He'll try to continue his streak in the marathon event Jan. 26 at Sam Houston Race Park with four entered for the 1 1/2 miles.



Three Diamonds Farm owns two of Maker's entries, Marzo and Cross Border. Marzo, a 5-year-old Medaglia d'Oro  gelding, was a $62,500 claim in August. Two starts later he won the Sycamore Stakes (G3T), the distance at the Connally Turf Cup, at Keeneland for his new connections. Cross Border received a 12-furlong test in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park, where he was checked heading into the first turn and finished fifth. The 6-year-old English Channel  riddling came back from the Joe Hirsch to win a 1 3/8-mile allowance at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Both horses last ran in the Dec. 14 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park. Cross Border faded to sixth, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, after setting the pace and Marzo finished seventh, a neck behind his stablemate, after running in second.

"(Cross Border) ran well at Belmont, which was also at the distance of a mile and one-half," Maker said. "It wasn't a great trip in his most recent; he and my other runner, Marzo, got in each other's way."

Maker also entered Paradise Farms Corp.'s Bemma's Boy, a $30,000 claim in May. The 5-year-old Into Mischief  gelding was fourth beaten less than a length in the Nov. 16 River City Handicap (G3T) at Churchill Downs after a fractious start and wide trip.

"We gave him a freshening after Churchill Downs and (he) has been training well," Maker said. "I think he will like the added distance."

Eccentric Club Racing Stable's Patriot Drive rounds out Maker's four.

Ten Strike Racing's Dot Matrix adds some competition from the Brad Cox stable. The 7-year-old Freud  gelding won against fellow New York-breds last season in the Ashley T. Cole Stakes at Belmont. He most recently rallied back to finish third in open company in the Nov. 23 Red Smith Handicap (G3T) at Aqueduct.

Calumet Farm's Tracksmith, despite being forced seven wide in the first turn, rallied to win the Dec. 28 Woodchopper Stakes on a yielding turf course at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for trainer Joe Sharp. The 4-year-old Street Sense  colt missed by half a length one race earlier in the Commonwealth Turf Stakes (G3T) at Churchill on a good course. He was first or second in five of six starts as a sophomore and will face older horses for the first time Sunday.

Thumbs Up Racing's Sleepy Eyes Todd, a 4-year-old Paddy O'Prado colt, will make his turf debut in the Connally Turf Cup. The Miguel Angel Silva trainee came back from a three-month layoff to win the Dec. 15 Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial Stakes at Remington Park, which followed a runner-up finish in the Oklahoma Derby (G3).

Dot Matrix, Sleepy Eyes Todd, and Marzo share the 123-pound highweight.

Prospector Fever, Zumurudee, Yeowzer, Another Mystery, and Nate's Attack complete the field.

Entries: John B. Connally Turf Cup S. (G3T)

Sam Houston Race Park, Sunday, January 26, 2020, Race 9

• Grade IIIT
• 1 1/2m
• Turf
• $200,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 6:00 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Prospector Fever (AR)	Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez	116	Sarah Nicole Davidson	30/1
2	2Cross Border (NY)	Flavien Prat	120	Michael J. Maker	7/2
3	3Patriot Drive (KY)	Colby J. Hernandez	116	Michael J. Maker	20/1
4	4Zumurudee (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	120	Michael Stidham	15/1
5	5Yeowzer (KY)	Iram Vargas Diego	116	Karl Broberg	30/1
6	6Another Mystery (IL)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	118	Chris M. Block	12/1
7	7Marzo (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	123	Michael J. Maker	9/2
8	8Nate's Attack (KY)	Luis Batista	118	Lonnie Briley	20/1
9	9Dot Matrix (NY)	Florent Geroux	123	Brad H. Cox	4/1
10	10Tracksmith (KY)	Adam Beschizza	123	Joe Sharp	10/1
11	11Sleepy Eyes Todd (KY)	David Cabrera	123	Miguel Angel Silva	6/1
12	12Bemma's Boy (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Michael J. Maker	6/1