Too Flash For You favored in All American Gold Cup

Too Flash For You was in peak form on Labor Day weekend in 2014, winning the $1,920,887 All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs for his third and final stakes win of the year.

This year, Too Flash For You has made one start, winning the Zia Handicap for New Mexico-breds July 26 at Ruidoso Downs. The victory has made Too Flash For You the favorite for the $200,000 All American Gold Cup at 440 yards Saturday at Ruidoso Downs, another chance to collect a major prize on Labor Day weekend.

“He’s pretty happy,” trainer Wes Giles said Wednesday. “He came back feeling better after he ran.”

The 4-year-old gelding Too Flash For You has won 7 of 17 starts and earned $999,500 for owners Jose Espinoza and Jim and Michele Laird. Too Flash For You won 5 of 7 starts last year but was sidelined with an injury at the end of the season. Giles said Too Flash For You was rested earlier this year as the result of a “minor procedure.”

In the Grade 1 All American Gold Cup, Too Flash For You will break from the outside post under Adrian Ramos in a field of 10. The post is a slight concern for Giles.

“If he can get out all right, I think he’ll like it out there,” he said.

Too Flash For You is not the richest runner in the Gold Cup field. Houdini has earned $1,140,314. He won the 2014 Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs and was second in the 2013 Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity and the Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park. Houdini is winless in three starts this year, including a fifth as the 3-2 favorite in the Mr Jet Moore Handicap at Ruidoso on Aug. 2.

Streak Hitter is another contender for the Gold Cup. He won the Mr Jet Moore Handicap for his second stakes win this year. Earlier this year, Streak Hitter won the SLM Big Daddy Stakes at 550 yards March 14 at Remington Park but was 10th of 11 in the Grade 1 Remington Park Championship at 440 yards May 30.