Arklow gets ideal trip in Hollywood Turf Cup

DEL MAR, Calif. – The Brad Cox Conquering Tour of America arrived in California this week, and on Friday at Del Mar added the Grade 2, $203,500 Hollywood Turf Cup to a lengthy list of 2020 stakes victories with a couple of veterans joining forces in Arklow and jockey Joel Rosario.

Arklow was sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf just 20 days earlier at Keeneland, but came out of the race so well he was ready to go anew at 1 1/2 miles on turf Friday, even after a postponed trip here from Kentucky that saw him arriving early Thursday morning. Less than 36 hours later, Rosario – who picks up at his old stomping grounds here like he’s riding a bike – gave Arklow an ideal trip, and they were able to hold off another invader, Laccario, to win by a half-length.

Arklow ($5.80), the favorite, made an early move down the backstretch to go after the loose leader, Acclimate, and that proved the difference. Laccario followed Arklow, but couldn’t quicken and was only gradually cutting into the margin through the lane. Say the Word, 10th early in the 12-horse field, closed fastest of all to be third as Acclimate faded to fourth.

Red King was fifth and was followed, in order, by Oscar Dominguez, Ward ’n Jerry, Another Mystery, Proud Pedro, North County Guy, Gregorian Chant, and Tartini. Fivestar Lynch and Marckie’s Water were scratched.

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Arklow’s final time for 12 furlongs was posted as 2:26.31, which would be .12 of a second shy of the course record set by Talismanic when he won the Breeders’ Cup Turf here in 2017.

Arklow, 6, was making the 31st start of his career, and this was his eighth victory. He put another $120,000 into his bank account, which now reads $2,666,116.

“He was fighting. When he gets to the front he doesn’t want to get beat,” Rosario said.

Arklow’s only previous win this year came in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs in September. The son of Arch has run against the division’s best all year, making appearances in Grade 1 races like the Pegasus World Cup Turf and the United Nations prior to the Breeders’ Cup. He is owned by Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger, and the estate of Peter Coneway.

With Cox occupied at Churchill Downs this weekend, his son Blake saddled Arklow here for the barn’s first Del Mar stakes win.

Laccario, an import from Germany, had finished second to Channel Maker in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in his only prior start in this country. He was the second choice, and was second best on the day.

“The other horse got the jump on me,” said his jockey, Manny Franco. “I hadn’t ridden him before. He takes a little bit to get going, so I know now you have to get him going a little early.”