Idol to Miss Hollywood Gold Cup
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Idol (outside) rallies to catch Express Train in the Santa Anita Handicap at Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner Idol will miss the Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park May 31 due to an undisclosed issue that does not appear to be career-threatening, trainer Richard Baltas told track publicity. Baltas still has the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar this fall as a long-range goal for the 4-year-old son of Curlin .
Following his Santa Anita Handicap victory March 6, Idol was in line for a chance at the inaugural $1 million Wild West Bonus, a series linking the Santa Anita Handicap, Gold Gup, and TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar Aug. 21.
"I wanted to train him up to the Gold Cup, but that's off," Baltas said of Idol, owned by Calvin Nguyen. "I wasn't in a hurry with him because our ultimate goal is the Breeders' Cup Classic."
His Gold Cup defection depletes an already thin lineup of prospects for the Hollywood Gold Cup. Just five horses raced in Santa Anita's last major dirt race for older dirt males, the Californian Stakes (G2), a race Royal Ship took by a neck over Country Grammer .
The 2018 and 2019 winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic—Accelerate and Vino Rosso —won the Hollywood Gold Cup those same years. Last year's Hollywood Gold Cup winner, Improbable , ran second in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Classic.