Nun the Less, Sir Anthony would benefit from swift pace in Hanshin Cup

The Grade 3, $100,000 Hanshin Cup on Saturday at Arlington feels like a homecoming.

Illinois-bred Sir Anthony is back in the state of his birth after a winter in Florida that saw him score a considerable upset over Audible at Gulfstream Park. And trainer Cipriano Contreras, for years the prominent assistant to Chicago-based trainer Mike Reavis, is back in town, too. Contreras, who summers mainly at Indiana Grand, won the 2018 Hanshin Cup with Matrooh and has a major player again this year in Nun the Less.

Those two horses are among 11 entered in a deep, interesting edition of the Hanshin, a one-turn Polytrack mile carded as race 7, with a post time of 4:35 Central.

Nun the Less himself once resided on the Arlington backstretch, but last June Contreras and co-owner Crystal Racing Enterprises claimed him for $40,000. The claim initially appeared neutral, at best, and Nun the Less required a drop down for a $25,000 tag to get his first win for his new connections. But since that race last October at Indiana Grand, Nun the Less has taken a sharp turn for the better. He finished second last month in the Grade 3 Ben Ali on Keeneland’s dirt track and over the winter won two Polytrack stakes at Turfway Park, including the $100,000 Kentucky Cup Classic. And while Nun the Less hasn’t started in a one-turn race since September 2017, Contreras believes the Hanshin suits him.

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“I really think seven furlongs or a mile might be his best distance,” Contreras said. “I’ve had a chance to work him a couple times since his last start and he’s doing really good.”

Speaking of works, Sir Anthony turned in a robust one May 4 at Arlington, breaking off about four lengths behind a workmate, swooping by under race rider Mitchell Murrill, and clocking 58.40 for five furlongs over the Arlington Polytrack.

“I was a little easy on him coming into this race, so I was looking for a big work, and that’s what I got,” said trainer Tony Mitchell.

Sir Anthony already was blossoming when Mitchell began racing him without blinkers last Aug. 11, but he’s been a different horse since the equipment change. Last August, Sir Anthony won the $100,000 Bruce D. Memorial, another one-turn Arlington Polytrack mile, at odds of 35-1 in his first start without blinkers, and Dec. 15, in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday at Gulfstream, he was just less than 26-1 when he knocked off odds-on favorite Audible.

“I’d prefer two turns, but we’re taking a shot here because he’s run very well in the one-turn mile on Poly,” Mitchell said.

Nun the Less and Sir Anthony figure to get into the right part of the race flow closing into what looks on paper like a strong pace. Revved Up has ample talent and the right running style but is an unproven horse on synthetics and in one-turn races. Machtree, a longshot, can get a decent enough trip and has performed well on synthetics, but might not be good enough. And those digging deeper still will want to consider including Eckersley.