Cal Cup

Saturday, Oct. 28th Oak Tree at Santa Anita.

McCann’s Mojave Tries Different Course

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 25, 2006) – McCann’s Mojave, upset winner of last year’s California Cup Classic, shifts back to turf to take on Grade I winner Unfurl the Flag and defending champ Drake’s Victory in Saturday’s $175,000 John C. Mabee California Cup Mile at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.

Graded winner McCann’s Mojave is by Memo, out of the Nordic Prince mare Joni U. Bar and was bred by owners Nikki Hunt and Mike Willman. He has seven wins in 19 starts, earnings of $559,955 and is coming off a fourth in the Oct. 1 Blue Jay Way.

El Don is by Cee’s Tizzy, out of the Pretense mare Timed Perfectly, was bred by owners Harris Farms and Don Valpredo. He has seven wins in 23 starts, earnings of $429,691 and is coming off a third in the Sept. 20 Presidio. He has two stakes wins this year, was eighth in the 2004 Cal Cup Sprint and has never won at Santa Anita.

Super Strut is by Lil Tyler, out of the Torsion mare Miss Chez Cheveaux, was bred by Madera Thoroughbreds and is owned by A & R Stables. He has six wins in 24 starts, earnings of $418,917 and is coming off a second in the Sept. 30 Presidio. He was sixth in last year’s Cal Cup Mile.

Running Free is by Soft Gold, out of the Mukaddamah mare Baby Grand and was bred by owner Southern Nevada Racing Stable. He has six wins in 23 starts, earnings of $383,532 and is coming off a third in the Oct. 11 optional claimer. He was third in last year’s Cal Cup Mile.

Drake’s Victory is by Victory Gallop, out of the Slew o’ Gold mare Atocha Queen, was bred by Levy and DeHaven and is owned by Dana Levy. He has four wins in 15 starts, earnings of $288,036 and is coming off a sixth in the Oct. 1 Blue Jay Lane, his first race since winning last year’s Cal Cup Mile.

Sharp Marc is by Sharp Victor, out of the Boitron mare Agirlfromars, was bred by Marciana Associates and is owned by Richard Haggarty. He has two wins in nine starts, earnings of $89,315 and is making his first start since a win in a Dec. 18 optional claimer.

Epic Power is by Epic Honor, out of the Eighty Below Zero mare Petite N Powerful, was bred by Richard Melherz and is owned by La Canada Stable. He has nine wins in 41 starts, earnings of $284,387 and is coming off a nose win in an Oct. 8 $62,500 claimer.

Sea Battle is by Seattle Bound, out of the Meadowlake mare Sweet Ernestine, was bred by Sarah McCarthy & Riders Up Stable LLC and is owned by Roger Featherstone. He has two wins in eight starts, earnings of $98,976 and is coming off a Sept. 30 allowance in which he finished second but was disqualified to seventh.

K C Nite Mayr is by Old Topper, out of the Runaway Groom mare Echoes of Love and was bred by owner A. B. Saroni. He has four wins in 18 starts, earnings of $266,921 and is coming off an Aug. 27 optional claimer win.

Charmvictor is by Flying Victor, out of the Cozzene mare Saddam’s Bride, was bred by David John Spaulding and is owned by Western Milling. He has two wins in eight starts, earnings of $101,317 and is coming off a sixth in the Sept. 2 China Basin.

Mr Playwright is by Vaudeville, out of the Conquistador Cielo mare Irish Carey, was bred by Tommy Town Thoroughbreds and is owned by Crazy Four Stables. He has three wins in 13 starts, earnings of $42,236 and is coming off a fifth in the Paradise Creek.

Unfurl the Flag is by Bertrando, out of the Storm Cat mare Escape the Storm, was bred by Marty and Pam Wygod and is owned by Ailshie, Gaylord, et al. He has seven wins in 26 starts, earnings of $647,934 and is coming off a second in the Oct. 9 War Chant. He was 10th in last year’s Cal Cup Sprint.