Maneater to mow them down.
SHE’S A MANEATER has the handicaps against her but the distance suits the four-year-old Horse of the Year best of the seven runners in this afternoon’s Cal’s Tomato Ketchup Gold Cup.
Touted as a rematch with WILL IN CHARGE, who used handicaps and longspeed pace to dominate the filly in April’s 10-furlong Legal Light Trophy, a match race, the seven-furlong Gold Cup takes the rivalry from two turns to the mile chute, where SHE’S A MANEATER had her most dominant display ever in December’s Diamond Mile.
WILL IN CHARGE might have got away with a seven-pound advantage and experience against tougher horses, especially BIGDADDYKOOL, going 10 furlongs when he floored SHE’S A MANEATER in the Legal Light Trophy.
However, the filly is set to avenge that loss with the Gold Cup conditions being perfect for her running style, sitting behind the sprinters before exploding, coming off the home turn.
Though she was eight pounds lighter than WILL IN CHARGE in the Diamond Mile, her manner of victory, leaving the half-mile 10th in a 15-horse field, and winning by six lengths, proved her to be the best middle-distance horse in the country who uses her class to win sprints and two-turn races.
The Gold Cup is similar to the Diamond Mile, with sprinters such as CHACE THE GREAT and SIEMPRE BUENO expected to try winning the only way they can, making a bid on the lead, which suits SHE’S A MANEATER, who doesn’t mind being led.
The same can’t be said for WILL IN CHARGE, whose forte is dominating going longer distances and outstaying rivals up the lane. Against the likes of CHACE THE GREAT and SIEMPRE BUENO, WILL IN CHARGE will be forced off his bridle too early and lacks the mid-race kick and finishing speed of SHE’S A MANEATER at seven furlongs.
Her last race was telling, blocked a halffurlong out against the rail before being switched, yet still winning, eased down, in 1:10.4 for six furlongs, carrying topweight 126lb.