Country Grammer outgames Royal Ship in Hollywood Gold Cup
ARCADIA, Calif. - Country Grammer appeared beaten by Royal Ship with a furlong remaining in Monday’s Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita. The two were side-by-side with a quarter-mile remaining before Royal Ship took a half-length lead in the stretch.
Racing to the inside of his rival, Country Grammer caught 3-1 Royal Ship in the final sixteenth to win the $301,000 Gold Cup by a head as the 9-5 favorite.
The Gold Cup was Country Grammer’s first stakes win for trainer Bob Baffert, and a record 17th stakes win of the winter-spring meeting for the Hall of Fame trainer. Baffert surpassed his own mark of 16 stakes wins, set in 1998-99, which he tied when Magic On Tap won Saturday’s Triple Bend Stakes.
:: Enhance your handicapping with DRF’s Santa Anita Clocker Report
Country Grammer ($5.60) ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.23 in his second start for Baffert and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 106. Royal Ship and Country Grammer were first and second in the Grade 2 Californian Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on April 17.
Country Grammer, ridden by Flavien Prat, was always near the front in the Gold Cup, stalking pacesetter Brown Storm through fractions of 22.92 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.16 for a half-mile. Royal Ship, racing three wide, closed from sixth to challenge County Grammer in early stretch.
Jockey Mike Smith thought Royal Ship had made a winning move.
“He’s a big thinker,” Smith said of Royal Ship. “He thinks all the time.
“He hit the front and did this,” Smith said holding his arms to his side. “I reached back and touched him. He pinned his ears and slowed down more.
“He’s never done that before. How can I expect that? The little things get you beat in the big ones.”
Prat had hoped to be outside of Royal Ship in the stretch, but the race did not unfold in that manner.
“I was traveling well,” Prat said. “My horse was very game to win.”
Express Train (2-1) closed from last of seven to finish third, beaten 4 3/4 lengths. Rushie finished fourth, followed by Heywoods Beach, Two Thirty Five and Brown Storm.
Country Grammer, a 4-year-old colt by Tonalist, races for WinStar Farm. At 2 and 3, Country Grammer was trained by Chad Brown. The highlight of the colt’s career in that span was a win in the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes at Saratoga last July.
Country Grammer has won 3 of 8 starts and earned $377,200.
The Gold Cup was Country Grammer’s second appearance in a Grade 1. Last August, Country Grammer was fifth behind Tiz the Law in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga.