Sunbean makes rare road trip for Govenor's Cup

The $175,000 Governor’s Cup at Remington Park on Saturday night is Sunbean’s big adventure. The Louisiana-bred kingpin will be making a rare start outside of his home state in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up that helps usher in the new meet in Oklahoma City. The card also includes the $75,000 David M. Vance Sprint, with Good Lord seeking his fourth straight win against a field that includes Sum of the Parts.

Sunbean will face seven others in the Governor’s Cup, including Right to Vote, the runner-up in the Grade 3 Cornhusker at Prairie Meadows; Code West, who was fifth in the Grade 3 Salvatore Mile last out at Monmouth Park; and For Greater Glory, a recent allowance winner at Churchill Downs.

Sunbean, who is based at the Evangeline Training Center near Lafayette, La., arrived at Remington on Wednesday and got “over the track beautifully,” Thursday morning, said Ron Faucheux, who trains the nine-time stakes winner for Brittlyn Stable. Sunbean last raced June 21, and won the $100,000 Evangeline Downs Mile over multiple Grade 3 winner Grand Contender. Since then, Sunbean has prepped for the Governor’s Cup.

“The timing of the race and the location fit us perfectly,” Faucheux said. “And you know, we feel that he’s really proven himself among statebreds, and in-state, and it’s time to take a little shot outside of the state.”

Governor’s Cup, race 8

KEY CONTENDERS

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

◗ He won his fourth stakes race of the year when he rallied for a 1 1/2-length win over Grand Contender, who was coming off back-to-back Grade 3 wins, in the Evangeline Mile. “Grand Contender was on his game and to beat a horse like that, we were very thrilled,” Faucheux said. “To win his first stakes race in open company, it was an accomplishment. We’re looking to keep that going.”

◗ Richard Eramia, the leading rider at Louisiana Downs, is in to ride Sunbean.

◗ “His style is basically sit off a couple of horses and run them down,” Faucheux said.

Right to Vote (Last 3 Beyers: 95-92-94)

◗ He missed by a neck last out in the Grade 3 Cornhusker at Prairie Meadows on June 28. The winner of the race, Carve, came back in his next start to take the $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s Cup at Mountaineer, while the third-place finisher, Ground Transport, is a leading contender in Saturday’s $100,000 Arapahoe Park Classic.

◗ Right to Vote is a front-runner who will break from post 2 under regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr.

Donoharm (Last 3 Beyers: 60-90-98)

◗ He’s moving back to dirt after a rare start on grass and he’s a multiple stakes winner on the main track.

◗ Earlier this year, Donoharm was second to eventual Grade 1 winner Moonshine Mullin in an allowance race at Oaklawn.

Texas Air (Last 3 Beyers: 94-97-68)

◗ He’s the lone horse in the field eligible for the Global Gaming Triple bonus of $15,000, which he will win if he finishes first, second, or third, according to a racing official. Grand Contender, winner of the first two legs of the triple, the Texas Mile and Lone Star Park Handicap, did not enter the Governor’s Cup and is no longer eligible for the bonus that rewards horses for their finishes in all three of the races run between Lone Star Park and Remington.

Texas Bling (Last 3 Beyers: 95-79-67)

◗ He won the richest race of his career on Remington’s main track in 2012, when he captured the $300,000 Springboard Mile over Will Take Charge.