Trainer Cross not shocked by Cleopatras Charge's 79-1 upset

Trainer Gary Cross knew the competition would be steep in the $300,000 Sunland Park Oaks last Sunday, but the 80-year-old also knew Cleopatras Charge had reason to move forward off her fifth-place finish in the local prep, the Island Fashion.

It turns out Cleopatras Charge did not disappoint her trainer – at odds of 79-1.

The daughter of Will Take Charge owned by breeder Samuel F. Henderson was making her second start for Cross following the Island Fashion at a mile in February.

“They had just brought her to me,” Cross said. “She broke her maiden in a claiming race. The first race I ran her in, she wasn’t quite as fit as I wanted her to be and she [only] got beat four lengths. I knew she was tight enough this time. I knew she was way fitter.”

Cleopatras Charge stormed home from 15 lengths off the pace in the Sunland Oaks to win by three-quarters of length. The race offered its winner 50 points for the Kentucky Oaks, but Cleopatras Charge is not nominated to the filly classic next month at Churchill Downs.

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“I don’t feel at this time she needs to go to the Kentucky Oaks,” Cross said. “That’s a pretty big step up. I don’t think she’s ready to hook those kind of fillies yet.

“There’s a race at [SunRay Park], where we could get more seasoning in her. Later this year, we’ll probably look at some races at Lone Star or in Oklahoma City. We’ll play it by ear.”

Sunland Park closes Sunday and Cross will move his stable, including Cleopatras Charge, to Ruidoso Downs. Cross is from a racing family and he has trained since the 1960s. Some of his best runners include Mr. Trieste, a nine-time stakes winner who earned more than $600,000, and Gentleman Beau, a Grade 3 winner who earned nearly $700,000.