Cast in Silver set for 2016 debut in Governor's Cup

Cast in Silver ended 2015 with three straight turf routes, but she begins her 2016 season Saturday sprinting six furlongs on dirt in the $50,000 California Governor’s Cup Handicap at the California State Fair in Sacramento. The Governor’s Cup, race 8, is for fillies and mares and drew a field of eight.

For a horse who was competitive in two stakes routing on turf, Cast in Silver is a pretty good sprinter. All three of her wins have come going six furlongs, albeit over the Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields.

Cast in Silver hasn’t raced since finishing second in the Swingtime Stakes on turf at Santa Anita last October. Before that, she ran second in an optional claimer on the Del Mar turf and was fourth in the Luther Burbank on the Santa Rosa turf.

Although trainer Jerry Hollendorfer may be using the Governor’s Cup as a prep for Cast in Silver, she has a history of running well when fresh. A 5-year-old City Zip mare owned by John Carver and Hollendorfer, she won her debut in 2014, took an allowance off a seven-month break later that year, and closed for second while sprinting in her 2015 opener. Perhaps more important, there is plenty of speed in the Governor’s Cup to set up the late charge of Cast in Silver, who will be ridden by Ricardo Gonzalez.

Coniah and Marynetta figure to make things hot on the front end. Coniah, second in an optional-claiming sprint at Santa Anita in January last out, has been in front early in four of her last five main-track starts. Marynetta has been on the lead in her last five races. She tired to third in her last start, an optional-claiming sprint at Golden Gate, beaten by two rivals she faces again Saturday – Toomuchisnotenough and Alwazabridesmaid.

Toomuchisnotenough won that race by 2 1/4 lengths, with Alwazabridesmaid getting up to edge Marynetta by a half-length for second. Toomuchisnotenough is proven in stakes, having finished second in the Camilla Urso at Golden Gate in March. Alwazabridesmaid has never run in a stakes. Both figure to be in the second flight behind the leaders.

Harlington’s Rose, a rallying second in the Spring Fever at Santa Anita on July 4, does her best running in the stretch. The field is completed by Victoriously Jewel and Charlie’s Angel.