Gold Rush Futurity lures shippers from five states

There’s a stakes rush Sunday at Arapahoe Park.

Shippers from California, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and New Mexico have descended on the Aurora, Colo., track for its season-ending Gold Rush Futurity. The purse for the six-furlong race for 2-year-olds was boosted from $40,000 to $100,000 last month, helping it draw a diverse field of 12.

The Gold Rush is the lone Thoroughbred stakes on a five-stakes program that also includes the Grade 2, $150,000 Mile High Futurity for Quarter Horses.

There is no shortage of speed in the Gold Rush, with six of its starters having won their last race wire to wire. Catabout was one of them, when he romped by four lengths in an Aug. 3 maiden special weight at Prairie Meadows. He earned a Beyer Figure of 78, which is the best last-race number in the Gold Rush. Catabout drew post 10 and will be ridden by Russell Vicchrilli.

Rivrav won a maiden special weight on the front end at Arlington Park on July 15 with a Beyer of 70. Here I Am Send Me, a filly who wired maidens in her most recent start, invades from California for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

◗ I Cant See Jack will be looking for his second stakes win of the meet in the Mile High Futurity at 400 yards. He won the Grade 3 Rocky Mountain Futurity by 1 1/2 lengths July 18. To win the Mile High, I Cant See Jack will have to turn the tables on Rockin, who edged him in the trials Aug. 6.

◗ Triffle, who won last year’s Mile High Futurity, is back for the Grade 2, $75,000 Mile High Derby for Quarter Horses. She enters the race off a one-length win in her trial Aug. 7. Earlier at the meet, Triffle missed by a neck in the $75,000 Rocky Mountain Derby.

◗ The $35,000 Harvest Cup Futurity for Quarter Horses is led by Special Sign, a stakes winner at the meet who is 3 for 4. There is also a $25,000 stakes for Arabians.