Sunbean, Ide Be Cool rebound candidates in Gold Cup

Sunbean and Ide Be Cool find themselves in an unusual position heading into Saturday night’s $100,000 Gold Cup at Delta Downs. Both horses are looking to get back into the win column. Sunbean, who has gone 10 for 17 in his career, comes off a fifth-place finish in the $175,000 Governor’s Cup at Remington Park, while Ide Be Cool, who is 7 for 9, was fourth last out in the Grade 2, $400,000 Super Derby.

The Gold Cup, run at a mile, is restricted to 3-year-olds and up bred in Louisiana. The race drew a field of six, including stakes winners Heavy On Themister and Louisiana Flyboy. The race figures to produce starters for the Louisiana Champions Day program at Fair Grounds in December.

Sunbean won last year’s Louisiana Champions Day Classic and should start as a strong favorite in the Gold Cup. Ide Be Cool is the reigning Louisiana-bred Horse of the Year and could get an ideal tracking trip off Masters Degree.

Gold Cup (Race 10)

KEY CONTENDERS

Sunbean (Last 3 Beyers: 86-99-95)

◗ He was favored in the Governor’s Cup in his last start Aug. 16 and turned in a rare off-the-board finish when crossing the wire 5 1/4 lengths behind the winner, Code West, who has since run second in the $100,000 Downs at Albuquerque, which went in track-record time in New Mexico.

◗ Sunbean was freshened following the Governor’s Cup, with the Gold Cup a target the horse has long had penciled in, according to trainer Ron Faucheux. The horse won the race a year ago at age 3.

◗ Sunbean, who races for his breeder, Brittlyn Stable, is the most accomplished member from a strong female family. He is a nine-time stakes winner who has earned $700,150, and he has four half-siblings who have won stakes, with earnings ranging from $177,152 to $434,460.

◗ Richard Eramia has the mount on Sunbean, who could get a stalking trip behind Masters Degree and Ide Be Cool.

Ide Be Cool (Last 3 Beyers: 86-68-92)

◗ His pacesetting, fourth-place effort in the Super Derby was a valiant try Sept. 6. He had “caught a quarter” coming out of the gate one start prior, when second in the $100,000 Prelude at Louisiana Downs, and the incident left him with a deep gash, according to his owner and trainer, Ray Dunn.

◗ Ide Be Cool will tote 114 pounds in the Gold Cup, 11 fewer than Sunbean under the conditions of the race. Chris Rosier has the mount from post 5.