Arklow, Say the Word Headline Hollywood Turf Cup
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Photo: Coady Photography
Arklow trains Oct. 31 at Churchill Downs
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 Friday's 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 when trained by Gail Cox. He has now worked three times at Del Mar, 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 straight 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 Johnson Trust, Timmy Time Racing, and Ken Tevelde's Acclimate for his first start since 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 pace-less.
"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 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 at Belmont.
North County Guy, Gregorian Chant, Ward 'n Jerry, Proud Pedro, Markie'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
North County Guy (CA)
Mario Gutierrez
122
Richard Baltas
-
2
Oscar Dominguez (IRE)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
124
Richard Baltas
-
3
Red King (KY)
UMBERTO RISPOLI
124
Philip D'Amato
-
4
Say the Word (ON)
Flavien Prat
126
Philip D'Amato
-
5
Arklow (KY)
Joel Rosario
126
Brad H. Cox
-
6
Gregorian Chant (GB)
Ricardo Gonzalez
122
Philip D'Amato
-
7
Acclimate (CA)
Tyler Baze
124
Philip D'Amato
-
8
Laccario (GER)
Manuel Franco
126
H. Graham Motion
-
9
Ward 'n Jerry (CA)
Jose Valdivia, Jr.
122
Mike Puype
-
10
Proud Pedro (FR)
Juan J. Hernandez
122
Leonard Powell
-
11
Marckie's Water (CA)
Tiago Josue Pereira
124
Peter Eurton
-
12
Another Mystery (IL)
Mike E. Smith
122
Michael W. McCarthy
-
13
Tartini (KY)
Tyler Baze
122
Mark Glatt
-
14
Fivestar Lynch (IRE)
Abel Cedillo
122
Richard Baltas
-
