Chicago Style Makes Amends in Hollywood Turf Cup
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Chicago Style wins the Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar
After a near miss in the 2017 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2T), when he finished second by a neck, Glen Hill Farm's homebred Chicago Style came back to his favorite turf course and won a photo finish a year later.
Back for the 2018 Turf Cup Nov. 23 at Del Mar, where he won his prior two starts before his tight runner-up effort to Manitoulin in the 2017 edition, the Tom Proctor-trained Kitten's Joy gelding was still at the back of the pack turning for home in the 1 1/2-mile turf test, but rallied wide and edged Bigger Picture by a neck at the wire to earn his first stakes win.
Last of seven as Ashleyluvssugar led the field and set fractions of :24.51, :50.65, 1:16.25, and 1:41.79 through a mile, the complexion of the race changed late in the second trip through the backstretch. Can'thelpbelieving split frontrunners Ashleyluvssugar and Marckie's Water and turned the marathon into a sprint to the wire for the final half-mile.
That was just fine for jockey Drayden Van Dyke, who patiently guided Chicago Style to the outside late in the final turn to set up his closing kick, and the pair finished off the distance in 2:28.53.
"I knew they were going slow (early), but my horse relaxed, and I was comfortable with where we were," Van Dyke said. "He's a straightforward horse. You ask him and he gives. When it came time, I tipped him out and he went."
Beach View was blocked on the inside for much of the stretch run, but found a hole late and got up for third. Marckie's Water, Ashleyluvssugar, Ya Gotta Wanna, and Can'thelpbelieving completed the order of finish. Phil D'Amato, who trains Ya Gotta Wanna, lodged an objection against Chicago Style after his charge had to check in the stretch, but the stewards made no change to the order.
It was a sentimental victory for Proctor, who moved past his late father, Willard Proctor, in all-time stakes wins at Del Mar. They came into the Turf Cup tied with 17 stakes wins apiece at the seaside racetrack.
Bred in Kentucky, out of the Mr. Greeley mare You Go West Girl, Chicago Style now has six wins from 11 starts. He won his debut for a $16,000 claiming tag in January of 2017 at Tampa Bay Downs, then returned to win at the same claiming price against winners a month later. He has been off the market since then, and has accumulated $296,328 in earnings.
"He's had his issues, not making it to races until he was 4 and then missing most of this year, (but) all credit to (Proctor)," Glen Hill's Craig Bernick said on Twitter. "He's never changed his ways—always patient and does right by the horse. Sometimes it works out."