Absolutely Cool hard to fault in Phoenix Gold Cup
PHOENIX – Absolutely Cool was a 13-1 surprise when he won last year’s $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup, the marquee event at the Turf Paradise meet. On Saturday, it would be no surprise should the 9-year-old Absolutely Cool successfully defend his crown, as he comes into the six-furlong event in possibly the best form of his life.
He’ll need his best race. Among his 10 foes are several who have been nipping at his heels as well as the emerging Masterful Stride.
Absolutely Cool doesn’t have to face any shippers, an unintended benefit of a quarantine implemented here Jan. 28 by the Arizona Department of Agriculture. It installed a 21-day quarantine on the backstretch a day after a horse was euthanized with symptoms consistent with equine herpesvirus, the contagious disease that has shut down Sunland Park.
Owned by Karl Krieg and trained by Valorie Lund, Absolutely Cool has won three straight, all sprint stakes at this meet. When he won this race last year, he was coming off a couple of modest starts.
Masterful Stride, trained by Pedro Hernandez-Sandoval, has hinted at big ability. After a debut third here last March, he was gone eight months and came back to easily beat maidens here Nov. 16. He opened up a big lead in his first try against winners Dec. 29 here but gave way late, finishing third. He again opened up a commanding lead here Jan. 23 but this time extended it, winning by 10 1/2 lengths while posting a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.
Storm Power, trained by Robertino Diodoro, was second to Absolutely Cool in the Hank Mills Sr. Handicap here Jan. 23.
PHOENIX GOLD CUP (race 8)
KEY CONTENDERS
Absolutely Cool, by Absolute Harmony
Last 3 Beyers: 90-95-85
◗ Does his best running late and is likely to get a hotly contested pace, with a number of speedsters here.
◗ His career-top Beyer (95) came in winning the Luke Kruytbosch here Nov. 14. He posted a Beyer of 94 while winning this race last year.
Masterful Stride, by Posse
Last 3 Beyers: 94-59-66
◗ Takes a significant step up in class, but there’s no telling how good he might be off that big Jan. 23 win.
◗ Has tons of speed. In his last three starts, he had leads of 5 1/2 lengths, eight lengths, and eight lengths at the eighth pole.
Storm Power, by Tiz Wonderful
Last 3 Beyers: 88-90-79
◗ Has the speed to get position but isn’t speed crazy, so he can sit off the pace and get first run on Absolutely Cool.
◗ Finished eighth in his Nov. 14 comeback here but has since rattled off three strong outings.