Bronzo still seeking first U.S. win entering Tokyo City Cup

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bronzo will not face Shared Belief anytime soon.

Their spring campaigns are going in different directions, with Shared Belief bound for the Charles Town Classic in West Virginia on April 18 and Bronzo stretching to a longer distance in Saturday’s $100,000 Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita.

The Tokyo City could be Bronzo’s first win in the United States.

At 1 1/2 miles, the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup is the longest dirt stakes of the winter-spring meeting and will be Bronzo’s fourth start of the year. He was sixth behind Hoppertunity in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 10 and was beaten by Shared Belief in his next two starts – a fourth in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Feb. 7 and a fifth in the $1,001,750 Santa Anita Handicap on March 7.

The Tokyo City Cup will be the longest race of Bronzo’s career. In South America, he was a six-time stakes winner, including a Group 1 race at about 1 3/8 miles in Chile last May. The distance of the Tokyo City is not a concern for trainer Neil Drysdale.

“I think he’ll be fine,” Drysdale said.

The Tokyo City Cup drew a field of eight, none of whom are stakes winners this year. Sky Kingdom won the 2013 Tokyo City Cup. Rousing Sermon has won two stakes for California-breds in his career and was eighth behind I’ll Have Another in the 2012 Kentucky Derby.

KEY CONTENDERS

Bronzo (Last 3 Beyers: 101-94-87)

◗ Bronzo was beaten 6 1/2 lengths by Shared Belief in the Santa Anita Handicap and was two lengths behind runner-up Moreno.

“He was forced to go wide,” Drysdale said.

◗ Tyler Baze rode Bronzo in that race, but Gary Stevens, who was aboard Bronzo for the San Pasqual and San Antonio, regains the mount Saturday. Stevens was aboard Bronzo for a seven-furlong workout in 1:25.60 on March 21, although he said the workout was actually at a mile.

“I was rolling when I hit the wire well before the first turn,” Stevens said.

◗ The recent losses by Bronzo do not deter Stevens.

“He loves the surface,” Stevens said. “He hasn’t disgraced himself at all.”

Sky Kingdom (Last 3 Beyers: 80-64-79)

◗ Sky Kingdom won the minor American Flag Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos last July but lost his next four starts. He was fourth of eight in the Grade 2 Las Vegas Marathon Stakes at 1 3/4 miles here Oct. 31.

“He went off form, so I gave him some time off,” trainer Bob Baffert said.

◗ The 2013 Tokyo City was Sky Kingdom’s first stakes win. He has since been second in the Cougar II Handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Del Mar in each of the last two summers.

Decisive Edge (Last 3 Beyers: 82-88-88)

◗ The Tokyo City Cup will be the stakes debut for Decisive Edge, a Bernardini colt who has one win in 12 starts. Decisive Edge beat maidens in his California debut, and eighth career start, here last October. The 4-year-old colt has been second or third in three optional claimers this year.

“It seems like he wants a longer distance,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. We’ve been running him in the conditions, and he’s not been winning, but he steadily closes ground.”