Straight Up G Follows 'Chrome Path Into Cal Cup Derby

There are no points races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby this weekend, but one stakes race at Santa Anita Park Jan. 15 may have the potential to produce a 3-year-old that could advance into the series.

The $200,000 California Cup Derby, one of five stakes on California Cup Day there Saturday, is a 1 1/16-mile test for state-bred sophomores, led by Straight Up G . A dominant winner of his last two starts, he is heavily favored against five rivals.

It is not without precedent for a colt to win the California Cup Derby and go on to bigger things. The Art Sherman-trained California Chrome  won the 2014 race and experienced further 3-year-old glory with victories in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), and Preakness Stakes (G1) en route to being crowned Horse of the Year.

Straight Up G still must prove his graded stakes worth but is off to a promising start to his career. By Straight Fire   out of the Sky Mesa   mare Gidget Girl, he comes off a blowout win against state-bred competition in the one-mile King Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course Dec. 12.

"He's doing everything really easily," said trainer Richard Baltas. "Last time, he handled the two turns with no problem. He's still growing, he big, he's good looking and he's got a good mind. Hopefully he can get this done (Saturday) and then maybe we can tackle open company.  He's got size, he's got length."

Video: King Glorious S. (BT)

California Chrome also won the King Glorious late in his 2-year-old season when the race was held at defunct Hollywood Park.

Before the King Glorious, Straight Up G rolled over maidens at Del Mar Nov. 21 after a fourth-place finish in his debut at Santa Anita Oct. 9. As Jungle Racing, sports talk host Jim Rome owns him with his wife, Janet. They also bred him.

Ricky Gonzalez rides.

Finneus  and Fast Draw Munnings , 2-3 behind Straight Up G at Los Alamitos, head the opposition.

The California Cup Derby is the third race Saturday, the first of the day's stakes.

Later in Race 8, an overflow field is entered in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly And Mare Turf Sprint Stakes Presented by John Deere. There, there top three finishers from last year's race—Leggs Galore , Nardini , and Warren's Showtime —are rematched in a 6 1/2-furlong dash down the Santa Anita hillside turf course.

Multiple graded stakes winner Warren's Showtime, a 5-year-old Clubhouse Ride  mare owned by Sally Warren and breeder Benjamin Warren, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite after a second-place finish to As Time Goes By  in the Bayakoa Stakes (G3) at Los Alamitos last month.

Juan Hernandez will be aboard.

Owned by breeder William Sims, the speedy Leggs Galore (Bayern) races fresh for trainer Phil D'Amato. She last started Aug. 15 at Del Mar, weakening to be fourth in a dead heat in the one-mile Solana Beach Stakes. She is 5-for-6 in turf sprints, only losing in open stakes company. Gonzalez rides.

Other early favorites in Saturday's stakes action at Santa Anita include Indian Peak  in the $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic Stakes Presented by City National Bank, Brickyard Ride  in the $150,000 Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint Stakes, and Professors' Pride  in the $200,000 Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks.