Cal Cup XII

CAL CUP XII RESULTS
all Photos Benoit and Associates

$250,000 Wells Fargo Cal Cup Classic -- IRISHEYESAREFLYING

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 3, 2001) - In his first start since winning the Grade III Longacres Mile 2½ months ago, Irisheyesareflying pulled away from Figlio Mio in the stretch Saturday to capture the $250,000 Wells Fargo California Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

The 5-year-old son of Flying Continental, out of the Track Barron mare Sharon's Barron, was bred by Mr. and Mrs. Wes Fitzpatrick and ridden by Kent Desormeaux. Wes Fitzpatrick is president of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

Irisheyesareflying was claimed by Dolan Racing Stables and partners for $50,000 in May, 2000. Since then, he has four wins. For his career, he has seven wins in 31 starts and earnings in excess of $620,000.

In the Classic, Irisheyesareflying stalked the leaders, ranged four wide around the turn, took the lead at mid-stretch and drew off to a 2 ½ length win for the 1 1/8-mile race, which was run in 1:49.14. Figlio Mio took the lead but was passed by Irisheyesareflying, but held on for second, a head in front of 72-1 shot Vixen Storm.

"I think today was the best race of his life, better than the Longacres Mile," said trainer John Dolan. "He ran really great."

Romanceishope, the Del Mar Derby winner, was blocked along the rail for most of the stretch run and finished fourth.

$150,000 Gary Burke/CTT/TOC Cal Cup Matron - CEE DREAMS

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 3, 2001) - Cee Dreams, a 5-year-old daughter of Cee's Tizzy, gave jockey Laffit Pincay his third win on the California Cup card by taking the $150,000 Gary Burke/CTT/TOC Cal Cup Matron Saturday at Santa Anita.

Cee Dreams is out of the Doonesbury mare Dreamsbury and was bred by Ron Gomez. This was her 11th win in 39 starts and pushed her career earnings to nearly $425,000. She is 7-for-17 at the Matron distance of 1 1/16 miles, which she covered this time in 1:43.48.

Cee Dreams moved along the rail down the backside, moved outside around the turn and four wide into the stretch, took the lead in upper stretch and won in a strong hand ride, two lengths better than runner-up Favorite Funtime, with Elaine's Angel another two lengths back. Feverish, who won the race two years ago and finished second by a nose last year, ran her losing streak to seven races with a fifth-place finish.

Jenna's Joy was pulled up in the stretch but walked off.

$175,000 TVG Cal Cup Mile - NATIVE DESERT

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 3, 2001) - Native Desert, the 8-year-old warhorse who came into the California Cup as the richest earner on the card, added to his bankroll Saturday by winning another thrilling duel with Spinelessjellyfish and the $175,000 TVG Cal Cup Mile.

The son of Desert Classic, out of the Princely Native mare Miss C. Native, was bred by Fred Watarida. He waited patiently under jockey Eddie Delahoussaye around the turn, split horses and rallied to hang a head on Spinelessjellyfish.

Those two dead-heated when they last met in the California Turf Championships, which was Native Desert's first win in a year. Ringaskiddy was third in a photo with Lily's Lad, Wolfwithintegrity and Indiahoma.

Native Desert won this race in 1999, was second in 2000 and third in 1998. He has 19 wins in 61 career starts and earnings of nearly $1.6 million. He is 9-for-19 at the mile distance on turf, which he ran in 1:34.97. His current owner, Miguel Rubio, claimed Native Desert for $32,000.

$50,000 Cal Cup Starter Sprint - RIO ORO

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 3, 2001) - Rio Oro, a 6-year-old win machine, wrapped up Saturday's California Cup card by easily taking the $50,000 Cal Cup Starter Sprint at Santa Anita.

The son of Oraibi, out of the Tsunami Slew mare Rio Tejo, was bred by Michael and Rick Arthur. He was claimed out of an eighth-place finish Aug. 24 for $10,000 by trainer Frank Monteleone for owner Bernard Schiappa and has won all three races since. He was claimed three races before that for $4,000.

His paycheck for the Cal Cup Starter Sprint was $30,000, bringing career earnings to just short of $275,000 with 14 wins in 24 lifetime starts, including five of his last seven races. He ran the 5 ½ furlongs in 1:02.45.

Kent Desormeaux had the winning mount immediately following his winning ride in the Cal Cup Classic aboard Irisheyesareflying. Favored Jersey Rebel was second and Simony third.

On-track attendance for Cal Cup was 37,184. The Pick Six pool was $1.2 million and total handle was $13.5 million.

$150,000 Louis R. Rowan Cal Cup Distaff-JEWELED PIRATE

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 3, 2001) - Favored Jeweled Pirate rallied six wide into the stretch and pulled away in mid-stretch to win the $150,000 Louis R. Rowan California Cup Distaff Saturday at Santa Anita.

The daughter of Pirate's Bounty, out of the Nijinsky's Secret mare Jewel Ball, is a hombred of Robert and Betty Irvin's C-Punch Ranch Inc.. Ridden by Chris McCarron, the 9-5 favorite Jeweled Pirate held off the late charge of runner-up Warren's Whistle, who was a neck in front of 118-1 shot Storm Kisu.

Jeweled Pirate, who won the Pro or Con Handicap two races back then had an eight-month break to have bone spurs removed from her knees, has five wins in 11 career starts, including four of her last six. Her three most recent wins are on the turf, but this was the first at the unique about 6½-furlong distance down the hillside course.

The win boosted her career earnings in excess of $300,000. She was clocked in 1:12.72.

$125,000 XTRA 690 AM/FOX 1150 Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies--LADY GEORGE

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 3, 2001) - In a thrilling duel down the stretch, 15-1 shot Lady George beat odds-on favorite Fragrant Cloud by a head Saturday to win the $125,000 XTRA 690/FOX 1150 California Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Lady George is a 2-year-old daughter of Lake George, out of the Kennedy Road mare Metro Link, and was bred by Bedford Stables and Stonehenge Stables. She was a $2,500 purchase at the Barretts Yearling Sale.

This was Lady George's second win in eight lifetime starts. She finished second to Whitewinesipper in the Generous Portion Stakes, but was seventh on the turf in the Hidden Light Stakes last month.

Time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:45.84. Jose Silva rode the winner for trainer Tony Locke.

$150,000 Donald Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint--CEEBAND

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 3, 2001) - Ceeband unleashed his patented late charge and got up in plenty of time to win Saturday's $150,000 Donald Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint at Santa Anita.

Ceeband, the 6-5 favorite, is a 4-year-old son of Chimes Band, out of the Domineau mare Miss Sonrisa, and was bred by the late Cecilia Straub-Rubens, breeder of Breeders Cup Classic repeat champion Tiznow.

Having beaten eventual Breeders Cup sprint champ Squirtle Squirt at seven furlongs in the Triple Bend Handicap at 44-1 earlier in the year, Ceeband showed last month he could get rolling quicker when he won the California Sprint Championship at six furlongs, the same distance as the Cal Cup Sprint.

In the Cal Cup Sprint, he overtook early leader Gibson County in midstretch and drew clear to a two-length victory in 1:08.82. Stormy Jack rallied from last to finish second and Gibson County was third.

Ceeband has seven wins in 27 career starts with earnings surpassing $550,000.

$50,000 B.J. Ridder Cal Cup Starter--AS WE KNOW IT

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 3, 2001) - As We Know It swept past rivals in the last few jumps to take the $50,000 B.J. Ridder California Cup Starter Handicap Saturday at Santa Anita from White Cloud and Bolchina's Prize.

As We Know It is a 5-year-old gelded son of Cutlass Reality, out of the Laugh Aloud mare Giggling Girl, and was bred by Harris Farms. This was his fourth consecutive victory and seventh in 25 career starts, with lifetime earnings now surpassing $150,000.

As We Know It was claimed New Year's Day for $10,000 and has won five of eight races since. Brice Blanc was in the saddle for trainer Nick Hines in the 1 ¼ mile turf race, As We Know It's first in nearly three months.

$125,000 Budweiser/Foothill Beverage Cal Cup Juvenile -- YOUGOTTAWANNA

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 3, 2001) - Yougottawanna followed his victory in the Pinjara Stakes three weeks ago with a shocker Saturday in the Cal Cup Juvenile, outdueling Grade I winner and prohibitive favorite Officer.

Yougottawanna, the son of Candi's Gold, out of the Midway Circle mare Chapel's Sister, was bred by Ted Aroney's Halo Farms, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and ridden by Laffit Pincay, who also won the opener.

Officer was second and Surprized, coupled with Yougottawanna, was third.

Officer, running one week after a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Breeders Cup Juvenile, was well back early. He made up much ground down the backside and swept four wide to take the lead at the top of the lane when tapped on the shoulder by jockey Gary Stevens, who replaced Victor Espinoza for this race.

But Yougottawanna, on the inside of Officer, re-rallied at the eighth pole, when the 2-5 favorite Officer appeared to tire, and went on to the 1 ½-length victory. Yougottawanna was the second choice at 5-2 and ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.98. He has three wins in six lifetime starts and has never been out of the money.

Officer now has two losses in a week after winning his first five races, including the Grade I Champagne Stakes.

$50,000 Cal Cup Distaff Starter - LIL SISTER STICH

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 3, 2001) - Lil Sister Stich, a 4-year-old daughter of Seattle Bound, won the $50,000 California Cup Distaff Starter Handicap, kicking off Saturday's $1.275 million Cal Cup Day at Santa Anita.

Bred by co-owners Gary and Marlene Howard, Lil Sister Stich is out of the Never Tabled mare Never Tarnished. In only four turf starts since being transferred to the northern California barn of Armando Lage, she has three wins and the only loss was by a neck. She was the 4-1 third choice and now has four wins in nine lifetime starts.

Lil Sister Stich broke her maiden two years ago, then had a 20-month layoff that ended July 4.

Super Tuesday finished second in the 1 1/8 mile turf race, 1 ½ lengths behind Lil Sister Stich, and Dazzling Diamonds was third.