The running of the $500.000 CNL Turf Cup (P1)
be this Saturday at Colonial Downs. With just
5 horses trained by 4 owners, can the big man,
Whats Up extend his incredible winning streak?
Australia Wide trained Whats Up has won his last
5 races in a row, and four of those wins have come
in Graded Stakes. With earnings of $5,814.560 and
12 wins from 18 career starts, it would seem that
Whats Up is a shoe in to win.
However the CNL Turf Cup is named so for a reason.
It is on the turf, 1 3/16 on the turf to be exact. And
Whats Up has not raced on the turf in over 2 years,
and then only twice, in sprints. So does this make
Whats Up Vulnerable? Maybe. Could one of the
horses who has been racing exclusively on turf
derail his winning streak? It is possible.
If Whats Up loses, he will have a legitimate excuse.
If he wins, after such a long absence on the grass,
and get his 6th win in a row, it is probably safe to say,
Whats Up may just be one of those elusive Super Horses
that is often spoken of, yet rarely seen.
Good Luck to Whats Up and his trainer Australia Wide,
in their for 6 straight wins!
And good luck to the entire field and their trainers as
they attempt to take down a giant. Whoever emerges
the winner, all should be proud to say they ran in the
Prestigious CNL Turf Cup!
CNL Turf Cup (P1)
3 yr olds and Up
1 3/16 Turf
Purse: $500.000
Colonial Downs, VA
The Field:
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1 Whats Up breaks from the inside post for trainer,
Australia Wide. This 5 yr old AG horse is a son
of HRP-Xaar out of HRP-Salmon Lake. Whats Up
will be making his 14th stakes start, and has 9
graded stakes wins. In 18 career starts, has only
finished out of the money one time.
In his last race, Whats Up won the G3 TX Mile
for the 2nd year in a row and equaled his career
best speed figure of 106. Has won his last five
races in a row, four of those graded stakes by
a combined 16 lengths. Has not raced on the
turf in over two years, since he was a 3 yr old,
when he ran on the grass only twice, and both
were turf sprints. Latest posted work was 7F
over the WO turf, on June 10th, where he ran
the distance in 1:21.36. Not too shabby for a
dirt horse. The turf may not be a problem at
all for him at all.
-If ever Whats Up was vulnerable, it would be here,
not knowing how well he will run on turf after he
has raced exclusively on dirt for so long. However,
he is such a talented horse, and his sharp turf
work recently lead me to believe he will do just
fine switching surfaces. My Top Pick in the race.
2 Bailjumper will break from the 2 post for trainer,
Big Jd Racing. This 5 yr old AG gelding is a son
of HRP-Sainfoin out of HRP-Belle Rose and will
be making his very first stakes start on Saturday.
Comes into the CNL Turf Cup off of a win at this
distance on turf in a $25.000 Optional Claim Race
at GP 5/12/11. In 12 career starts, he has only
been off the board once. Bailjumper had posted
a 1 mile work over the Calder turf on May 29th,
where he ran the distance in 1:36.83.
-Will career start number 13, be a lucky for a
lucky one for Bailjumper, or will the jump up to
stakes company prove too much for him? Not
sure he is ready for the type of competition he
will face in the CNL Turf Cup at this point in his
career, but look for a big effort from the gritty
gelding on Saturday.
3 Dig A Grave In Texas will start from post 3 for
his trainer, Maverick Racing. This 6 yr old AG
gelding by HRP-Ghostly Moves will be making
his 12th stakes start, and has three stakes wins,
two of them graded.
In his last race he won the Grade 2 Elkhorn at
KEE on 4/29/11, which was run at 1 1/2 on turf.
Has never raced at this distance, but has won
races on the turf from 1 mile to 1 1/2 in length,
so the CNL Turf Cup distance should be no
problem for him. The most recent posted turf
work for Dig A Grave In Texas was on May 26th
where he ran 7F over the Calder turf course in
1:23.54.
-One of the more experienced stakes runners in
the field, he has proven he loves the turf, and is
very versatile having won at many different mile
and longer distances over the grass. Will have
to bring his best when facing Whats Up, but
Dig A Grave In Texas has the advantage of turf
experience. One of my top three picks.
4 USC Trojan will be breaking from the 4 hole, next
to his stablemate, the 3 horse, and is the second
horse in the race trained by Maverick Racing. This
4 yr old gelding is a son of Excellent Gigi, and will
be making his first start in a stakes race.
In his last race, USC Trojan finished 5th in a $16.000
Optional Claimer at Calder at 5F on turf. Has only
2 races over a mile in distance, the most recent
March 6th in a 23.00 Allowance race at HOU at
1 1/16 on turf, where he finished 2nd. His last
win was April 16th at GP in an $80.000 Optional
Claimer for state breds at 5F on turf. His most
recent posted work came on May 9th at FG
where he ran 7F over the turf in 1:23.
-With his running style, it looks like the distance
could be a problem for him, and unlike stablemate
Dig A Grave In Texas, he just does not look like he
is ready to face stakes competition of this caliber.
USC Trojan always tries hard, so look for him to
run big, just not sure it will be enough to take down
some of the horses in this field.
5 Ten Years After will break from the outside post 5,
for his trainer, YME Stable. This 5 yr old horse by
Ten Years Gone, will be making his 8th stakes start
and he has 2 Graded Stakes wins. In his 14 lifetime
starts, he has only finished out of the money once.
He comes into the race after finishing 3rd last time
out in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Handicap 5/26/11
at the Fair Grounds, which was run at 1 1/16 on turf.
The CNL Turf Cup will only be the third start this year
for Ten Years Gone, and his last win was Jan 27th
of this year when he won a $65.000 Allowance race at
Santa Anita, run at 1 mile over the turf. Worked a mile
over the Hollywood turf on 5/30 in a very impressive
time of 1:34.94.
-Has never raced at the distance of the CNL Turf Cup,
however looking at his past turf races, it does not look
like the distance should pose a problem for him. His
recent sharp one mile work and previous stakes wins
make him one of my top 3 picks in the race.
Cyns Picks: 1-5-3
