Suburban possible next start for Cupid

ARCADIA, Calif. – Cupid, the winner of the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 27 in his first start of 2017, could start in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park on July 8, trainer Bob Baffert said on Friday.

The $750,000 Suburban Handicap is run at 1 1/4 miles on dirt, the same distance as the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita.

“If he’s going good, I’m thinking of the Suburban,” Baffert said.

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Owned by the Coolmore team of Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, and Derrick Smith, Cupid has had one workout since the Gold Cup at Santa Anita. He went a half-mile in 46.80 seconds here on June 11, the fastest of 99 works at the distance that day.

Cupid, 4, has won 5 of 10 starts and earned $1,636,803. The Gold Cup at Santa Anita was Cupid’s fourth stakes win and his first in a Grade 1. Last year at 3, Cupid won three Grade 2 races, including the West Virginia Derby by four lengths last August.

Baffert said after the Gold Cup that he planned to keep Cupid away from stable star Arrogate, who won the $12 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January and the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in March.

Arrogate is in training for an expected start in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar on July 22.