John Henry Quartet Return for Hollywood Turf Cup

Four from the John Henry Turf Classic (G2T) at Santa Anita Park return in the Nov. 24 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2T) at Del Mar. They will take on four others, including a shipper from the East Coast trained by Chad Brown.

Only one horse, John Henry winner Balladeer , comes into the 1 1/2-mile Turf Cup off a Breeders' Cup start. That class-dropping angle already worked at the Del Mar meeting, as The Chosen Vron  ran fifth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and then captured the Nov. 18 Cary Grant Stakes against California-breds.

While the Turf Cup has an international field, Balladeer could be up to the task after his ninth in the 1 1/2-mile Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T). The 4-year-old son of Distorted Humor  led throughout the 1 1/4-mile John Henry to score by a half-length over Masteroffoxhounds , who is not running Friday. Speaking Scout , Planetario , and Yes This Time  finished third, fourth, and sixth, respectively, behind those two and they are back in the Hollywood Turf Cup.

Prior to the John Henry, Balladeer won a 1 5/16-mile allowance/optional claimer on the all-turf course at Kentucky Downs.

"He ran huge at Kentucky Downs, and he came out of the race great," said trainer George Papaprodromou after the John Henry. "I knew my horse, and he had another gear based on the distance of his last race. He was fit enough to take them all the way."

Victor Espinoza piloted Balladeer in the John Henry and Breeders' Cup and returns from post 6.

Speaking Scout has several things to recommend him in addition to his third in the John Henry. Graham Motion, who trains the 4-year-old gelded son of Mr Speaker  , won the Turf Cup in 2011 with Sanagas . While Speaking Scout has spent most of his career in the east with Motion, the trainer sent him to California last fall, and the gelding ran second in the Twilight Derby (G2T) at Santa Anita and then won the Hollywood Derby (G1T) at Del Mar. While Speaking Scout has not won since he finished third in the 2023 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) and Monmouth Stakes (G3T).

Leading Southern California rider Juan Hernandez, who rode Speaking Scout in the Hollywood Derby and Twilight Derby, returns aboard him from the outside post.

Richard Mandella trains Planetario, who has the services of Hector Berrios from post 4. Planetario's last victory came in the June 18 San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T) at about 1 3/4 miles, so the Turf Cup distance should pose no problem. Mandella has won the Turf Cup three times previously.

Any time Brown ships to California, the horse is usually a contender. Though Brown has not won the Turf Cup, he has done well with other races in Del Mar's Turf Festival. For example, Brown has won five of the last six editions of the Matriarch Stakes (G1T).

Francesco Clemente , a 4-year-old son of Dubawi , is Brown's Turf Cup entrant. A three-time winner in Great Britain, including by nine lengths in the 2022 Forexvox Handicap Stakes at Newmarket, Francesco Clemente has started twice at Aqueduct Racetrack, most recently winning a 1 3/8-mile allowance race on the turf.