Cal-bred News

Cal Cup Opportunities for Juveniles

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 2, 2005) -- Bob Baffert was relatively new to the business of training Thoroughbreds when he won the second running of the California Cup Juvenile in 1991 with Ebonair.

The former quarter-horse conditioner has won the event twice since, in 1995 with Cavonnier --who the following May was the runner-up in the 1996 Kentucky Derby -- and in 1997 with Ex Marks the Cop. He goes into the 16th running of the $125,000, 1 1/16-mile running of the event for 2-year-olds with a good chance for a fourth.

The Cal Cup Juvenile is one of the 10 stakes to be run on Cal Cup Day at Santa Anita on Sunday, closing day of the Oak Tree fall meet. More than 100 runners will be vying for $1,325,000 in purse money.

Baffert-trained Da Stoops, a son of Distorted Humor-Glamorous Lady, by Kingdom of Spain, finished fourth in the Im Smokin Stakes at Del Mar after winning once and running second twice in his first three starts. The colt was bred by Malibu Valley Farms and is owned by Watson and Weitman Performances LLC.

Thelaststarfighter enters the Cal Cup Juvenile as a maiden, but the Old Topper colt, out of Exposee, by Expressman, ran second in two of his first three starts for trainer Lewis Cenicola. He was bred by Palisair Place.

The Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies, like its male counterpart a $125,000 event contested at 1 1/16 miles, features a field of promising young distaffers, including Bless Idbyour name and Fun Logic.

Both already have shown a liking for the main track at Santa Anita. After breaking her maiden at Fairplex Park, Bless Idbyourname finished a close second to Malley Girl -- another candidate for the Cal Cup race -- in Oak Tree’s seven-furlong Cover Gal Stakes.

Trained by Kevin Lewis for her owner-breeder Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, Bless Idbyourname is by Valid Wager, out of Fasahah, a daughter of the late Unbridled, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic in 1990.

Fun Logic ran second in three of her first five starts, including a runner-up finish at Del Mar to eventual Oak Leaf Stakes winner Diamond Omi. The daughter of Miesque’s Son out of Fun Project, by 1994 Horse of the Year Housebuster, reached the winner’s circle the first weekend of the Oak Tree meet.

She was bred and is owned by Bill Currin and Al Eisman and is trained by Currin.
--Larry Bortstein