Alert Bay to California Cup Turf Classic next

ARCADIA, Calif. – Alert Bay, who won his fourth consecutive race, all stakes, in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile on turf last Friday at Santa Anita, will make his first start in the statebred division since August in the $250,000 California Cup Turf Classic over 1 1/8 miles on turf on Jan. 24.

Trainer Blaine Wright said the Cal Cup Classic is preferred to a start against open company in a race such as the $200,000 Arcadia Stakes over a mile on turf on Jan. 31.

“We’ve been looking at the race for quite some time,” Wright said of the Cal Cup Turf Classic. “He should fit pretty well in there.”

Alert Bay’s winning streak includes two Grade 3 stakes at Hastings Park in Canada – the British Columbia Derby in September and B.C. Premier’s Handicap in October – and the Zia Park Derby in New Mexico on Nov. 26. The Mathis Brothers Mile for 3-year-olds was Alert Bay’s most prestigious win in 13 starts.

Owned by Peter Redekop, Alert Bay was fifth in the Real Good Deal Stakes over seven furlongs for California-bred 3-year-olds at Del Mar last August, his most recent loss. The Real Good Deal Stakes was also the last time that Alert Bay ran in a one-turn race.

◗ The Arcadia Stakes is likely to be the next start for Kaigun, who won the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar on Nov. 28. Trainer Mark Casse said the Arcadia Stakes could lead to a start in the $400,000 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf on March 7 for Kaigun.

“He had a little bit of a break,” Casse said last weekend. ”He’ll breeze in a couple of days.”