Gift Box 'sensational' in six-furlong Gold Cup drill

ARCADIA, Calif. – Gift Box, the winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on April 6, is nearing his second start of 2019 in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 27 in peak form, trainer John Sadler said.

Saturday, Gift Box worked six furlongs in 1:13.60, a workout Sadler described as “sensational.”

Santa Anita’s main track has not produced quick workout times in recent weeks, which left Sadler impressed with Gift Box’s effort.

Owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis, Gift Box is expected to be favored in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, which is run at 1 1/4 miles, the same distance as the Big Cap. Gift Box won the Big Cap by a nose over McKinzie, who returned to win the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes by 4 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs on May 3.

McKinzie is a candidate for the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile at Belmont Park on June 8, trainer Bob Baffert said last week.

Gift Box is unbeaten in two starts since joining Sadler’s stable last year, having won the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 26. Sadler is hopeful the Gold Cup at Santa Anita will lead to additional starts in Grade 1 races in the second half of the year for Gift Box such as the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 17 and the Breeders’ Cup Classic here on Nov. 2.

“I think he’s better for this since the last two,” Sadler said, looking toward the Gold Cup at Santa Anita. “I feel like we’re on a good calendar.”

Last year, Hronis Racing and Sadler swept the Gold Cup at Santa Anita, Pacific Classic, and BC Classic with Accelerate, the champion older male of 2018.

The Gold Cup at Santa Anita is one of three Grade 1 races on the May 27 program, along with the $500,000 Shoemaker Mile on turf and the $500,000 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

The Shoemaker Mile is led by Ohio and Catapult, the first two finishers of the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on March 30. The Gamely Stakes field is expected to include the multiple graded stakes winners Rymska and Vasilika.

Sunday, Vasilika worked six furlongs on the infield training track in 1:17.20 for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Paradise Woods fires bullet

Paradise Woods, the easy winner of the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes on April 27, worked five furlongs in a quick 1:00.60 on Sunday at Santa Anita.

Trainer John Shirreffs said Paradise Woods is a candidate for the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares on June 1.

Paradise Woods was ridden by jockey Mike Smith in Sunday’s workout, the fastest of 42 recorded works at the distance.

“I thought she relaxed really nicely,” Shirreffs said.

Paradise Woods, 5, won the $200,702 Santa Margarita Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles by 10 1/2 lengths under Smith for her first stakes win since September 2017 and first since joining the Shirreffs stable in December. Paradise Woods was previously trained by Richard Mandella.

Owned by Steve Sarkowsky and Marty and Pam Wygod, Paradise Woods has won 4 of 14 starts and earned $945,890.