Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Masochistic sharp for return
ARCADIA, Calif. – Even with the smallest field, the sixrunner California Cup Sprint holds the most significance of any of the four California-bred stakes Saturday at Santa Anita.
That is because the $150,000 Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint includes the longawaited return of Grade 1 winner Masochistic. He has a new trainer, Bob Baffert, and the same lofty reputation as one of the premier sprinters in California.
Masochistic, Grade 1 winner and disqualified runner-up in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Sprint when he was trained by Ron Ellis, is the only Cal Cup Sprint starter to earn a triple-digit Beyer Speed Figure, which he has done seven times.
The question facing the 8-year-old gelding Saturday – can he fire his best shot in his first start since May? Jimmy Barnes, assistant trainer to Baffert, said yes.
“It’s a tough race, but he should run [his best race] first start back. It’s a good spot for him to return.”
Masochistic returns with a string of sizzling works, most with jockey Drayden Van Dyke.
“He gets along with him well,” Barnes said, adding Masochistic “can work very fast if you don’t keep him under control. We’re expecting big things from him this summer.”
Bettors expect big things Saturday against Edwards Going Left, runner-up in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes; Tough Sunday, a Grade 3-placed veteran who reached top form late in his 5-year-old season; stakes winners Solid Wager and B Squared; and Country Road.
The Cal Cup Sprint is race 4. Race 3 is the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint, where late-runner Barbara Beatrice and frontrunner Miss Sunset are the principals.
Race 6 is the $100,000 California Cup Turf Sprint Stakes for 3-year-olds. Debut winner Heck Yeah and two-time stakes winner Bookies Luck are major contenders.
Race 8 is the richest on the card, though the relevance of the $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic diminished when Pee Wee Reese did not enter. Chief entrants in the 1 1/8-mile race are Rye, Smokey Image, and He Will.
First post Saturday is early, 11:45 a.m. Pacific.
KEY CONTENDERS
Masochistic, by Sought After Last 3 Beyers: 70-101-100
◗ Masochistic was transferred to the Baffert stable last year.
“We pretty much knew what his quirks were,” Barnes said. “He’s a very fast horse and can be a little difficult to train at times. Once he fell into our program, he really settled in nice.”
◗ Masochistic, with eight wins and $857,550 from 16 starts, scratched from the Grade 3 Midnight Lute Stakes on Dec. 30.
“This race gives us a couple more weeks. It set up for his racing schedule better,” Barnes said.
Tough Sunday, by Grazen Last 3 Beyers: 97-91-95
◗ Steve Miyadi trains Tough Sunday, a 6-year-old who last year finally began running to works.
“He’s always shown a ton of ability in the morning, that’s why we never ran him for a tag,” Miyadi said. “He’s had some super fast workouts, but he never ran to them.”
◗ He does now. Tough Sunday, 4 for 16, ran the best race of his career last out as runner-up in the Midnight Lute. Joe Talamo takes over; Tyler Baze stays with Edwards Going Left.
◗ Tough Sunday was born deaf, which did not prevent him from modest success in the allowance ranks. What changed last year? “Like a lot of horses, maturity,” Miyadi said.
Edwards Going Left, by Midnight Lute Last 3 Beyers: 98-93-89
◗ Claimed for $50,000 last year by John Sadler, Edwards Going Left dropped to $30,000 to win a maiden race via disqualification. He improved as 2017 unfolded, winning a $100,000 statebred stakes in the fall at Del Mar prior to his runner-up finish in the Malibu.
◗ The challenge for Edwards Going Left is the rail post, though he ran well last out from post 2. His runner-up finish in the Malibu was partly the result of a ground-saving trip.
Solid Wager, by Birdonthewire Last 3 Beyers: 89-92-75
◗ A 7-year-old late-runner trained by Peter Miller, Solid Wager has won eight races and $568,671 from 40 starts.
◗ He is 5 for 18 at Santa Anita; his recent speed figures are not as high as the mid- to upper 90s he was earning a year ago.
◗ Victor Espinoza rides Solid Wager, who probably needs a pace meltdown to win.
B Squared, by Square Eddie Last 3 Beyers: 89-83-98
◗ He shortens from a turf route to a dirt sprint; three starts on dirt at Santa Anita produced a win and two seconds. Doug O’Neill trains; Mario Gutierrez rides.