A terrific field lines up in the Hollywood Gold Cup on Monday, including the likes of Country Grammer, Royal Ship and Rushie.
It’s a top-line field and the online racebook has framed an even betting field, with four runners quoted at +450 or shorter.
Bob Baffert is no stranger to winning Grade 1 races and he saddles up the favorite.
Race Details
When: Monday, May 31, 7:51 p.m, ET.
Where: Santa Anita Park
Distance: 1¼ Miles
Conditions: 3YO+ Open
Stakes: $300,000
Hollywood Gold Cup Pick – Country Grammer
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Post: 2
Odds: +250
The four-year-old colt has form around some of the smartest types going around. He finished second behind Royal Ship in the Californian Stakes, but that was his first run in eight months.
It was a stylish return to racing having finished fifth in the Travers Stakes behind Tiz the Law. It doesn’t get much better than Travers Stakes in terms of form guides for the Hollywood Gold Cup, which is why Country Grammer goes on top.
#KyDerby Horse Profile — Country Grammer 🐴 https://t.co/5hUaodQ0uE
Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) July 24, 2020
He also won the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes at Saratoga in July, so he has been racing against tough company for most of his career.
“If he runs well here (The Californian), he can run in the Gold Cup,” Baffert told BloodHorse earlier this month. “He’s a beautiful horse – he almost looks like a Lipizzaner. We were always very high on him. And then he had some issues over little things.”
The +250 odds for a runner with his race record is good shopping and he should be tough to beat.
Pick: Country Grammer +250
Hollywood Gold Cup Next Best – Royal Ship
Trainer: Richard Mandela
Jockey: Mike Smith
Post: 1
Odds: +275
The quinella in the Californian Stakes could take out the Hollywood Gold Cup. Royal Ship took care of a quality field and it was his first win in the States.
He is a former Brazilian son of Midshipman that took five starts to break through in the United States and he did it in style.
His previous form included a third in the Del Mar Mile and a fifth in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile behind Hit the Road and Smooth Like Strait. It’s a solid form guide and we’re not surprised to see him on the second line of betting.
Royal Ship opened at +350 in horse racing markets, so there has been a solid betting push for the last-start winner.
Pick: Royal Ship +275
Hollywood Gold Cup Best Roughie – Heywoods Beach
Trainer: John Sadler
Jockey: Tyler Baze
Post: 4
Odds: +1400
Value is with Heywoods Beach, which hasn’t performed at a high level to date, but he’s capable of improving.
The John Sadler-trained four-year-old ran third at Santa Anita last start and that followed a seventh in the Mathis Brothers Mile behind Smooth Like Strait.
He will need to improve to beat the favorites, but he does his best racing on this track and that could make the difference.
In five starts at Santa Anita, he owns a win and three placings. We wouldn’t leave him out of calculations at the price.
