Phoenix Gold Cup pits strong shippers against top local sprinters

PHOENIX – The theme for Saturday’s $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup at Turf Paradise has a familiar refrain: Can the best of the locals push back the invading horde from Southern California?

That means top local sprinters Castletown, Omar, and defending champion Absolutely Cool must deal with the likes of Pimpernel, Unforgettable U, and Ankeny Hill in the meet’s marquee event. The six-furlong dash drew a competitive field of nine.

Castletown, trained by Robertino Diodoro, rules the roost here in terms of sprinters. The 7-year-old Castletown, who once campaigned well in Southern California, has won four of his last six. Two of those wins came at Canterbury Park. He came here Dec. 7 and romped in an optional claimer. He then gamely beat some of these in the Swift Stakes here Jan. 24. Jorge Carreno, up for his last four starts, is aboard again here with the rail draw.

Pimpernel, trained by Bob Baffert, has hinted at big ability in Southern California. He won two straight sprints at Santa Anita last winter. He shipped to Oaklawn, was a dull ninth in a stakes April 11, and was sidelined. When he returned at Del Mar on Aug. 2, Pimpernel pressed the pace before fading to sixth in a race won by Ankeny Hill.

Pimpernel was freshened again and came back to gamely win a strong sprint at Santa Anita on Oct. 29. The horse he beat back into second was Hoppertunity, who subsequently won the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs in the fall, the Grade 3 San Pasqual at Santa Anita this winter, and most recently was third to superstars Shared Belief and California Chrome in the Grade 2 San Antonio last Saturday. Geovanni Franco rides.

Omar, like Castletown trained by Diodoro, continues his strong form, having won the Caballos del Sol here earlier at this meet.

Absolutely Cool, second in the Caballos del Sol, won the 2014 Gold Cup but hasn’t won since and hasn’t been as sharp of late for trainer Valorie Lund. He was seventh behind Castletown and third-place Omar in the Swift on Jan. 24.

Also on Saturday:

◗ Rock and Glory, Lady Rosberg and Ricspretentiousgal renew their rivalry against seven other fillies and mares in the $35,000 Sun City Handicap (race 4) at a mile on turf.

◗ Storm Power looks for redemption against eight rivals in the $35,000 Turf Paradise Handicap (race 7) at 1 1/16 miles on turf. After three straight stakes wins at this meet, including the Walter R. Cluer on this course, he dueled and faded to fifth in the one-mile Cotton Fitzsimmons here Jan. 17.

Phoenix Gold Cup, race 6

KEY CONTENDERS

Pimpernel (Last 3 Beyers: 73-66-88)

◗ Was highly regarded when he sold for $525,000 as a yearling. His pedigree was the main reason. He’s a son of multiple Grade 2 winner Elusive Quality, the sire of Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones, and he’s out of the champion 3-year-old filly Xtra Heat.

◗ Has ample tactical speed to be forwardly placed from the start.

◗ Has been working lights-out for this first start in almost four months, including four bullet works from his last six drills.

Castletown (Last 3 Beyers: 54-95-91)

◗ Adores this track, where he’s 3 for 3, including a win in the Swift last time out.

◗ Showed enough talent back in 2012 to get a shot at the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, finishing fifth, beaten just 1 3/4 lengths.

Omar (Last 3 Beyers: 92-90-91)

◗ Loves this track, having won three of his four local starts. His lone loss was a narrow head defeat when third to Castletown in the Swift.

◗ Has loads of speed, so he figures in the thick of it from the start, and he showed that he holds his form with a snappy 47.20-second, four-furlong work here Feb. 4.

Unforgettable U (Last 3 Beyers: 63-71-82)

◗ A filly facing males, she has yet to beat winners in three attempts in California but has shown talent.

◗ Comes off a sizzling four-furlong work here in 46:60 on Feb. 9.