His foray into the 2013 Triple Crown season behind him, Goldencents gets back to work in the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (gr. I), a six-furlong sprint at Del Mar in which he will face older horses for the first time.
The Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner has not been out since finishing a distant fifth behind Oxbow in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) May 18, but he has been training superbly for his return with three bullet works in the past month. His most recent drill was a three-furlong sparkler clocked in :34 1/5 from the gate over Del Mar's Polytrack. It was the best of 21 on the morning of July 24.
Goldencents is no stranger to sprinting nor to Del Mar, though it has been awhile. The Doug O'Neill trainee began his career there last Sept. 2, winning a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight dash by 7 1/4 lengths in 1:02.79.
His next start was a runner-up finish to Shanghai Bobby in the one-mile Foxwoods Champagne Stakes (gr. I) around one turn at Belmont Park, and he has been routing since.
In the Bing Crosby, which is a Breeders' Cup Win & You're In event for the BC Sprint (gr. I), the son of Into Mischief will add blinkers for the first time while facing five opponents led by Comma to the Top and Jimmy Creed . The race is the eighth on Del Mar's Sunday program with a 5:40 p.m. PDT scheduled post time.
Goldencents concluded his 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the Delta Downs Jackpot (gr. III). His sophomore season included a win in the Sham Stakes (gr. III) as well as the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), which he won in a 13-2 upset by 1 1/4 lengths over favored Flashback.
He next ran in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), in which he was eased home 17th after chasing a wicked pace set by Palace Malice on a sloppy track. He fared better in the Preakness before weakening in the homestretch to split the field.
Campaigned by W. C. Racing, Dave Kenney, and Rick Pitino's RAP Racing, the bay colt breaks from post 2 with Kevin Krigger aboard. Goldencents has won four of eight starts while banking $1.28 million.
That total is second best in the field, behind the veteran campaigner Comma to the Top, who has earned $1,343,406 while winning 14 of 32 races for trainer Peter Miller and owners Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, and Kevin Tsujihara.
The 5-year-old Bwana Charlie gelding was fourth in last year's Bing Crosby after setting the pace, six lengths behind the victorious Amazombie. Comma to the Top is coming off a runner-up finish in the seven-furlong Triple Bend Handicap (gr. I) at Betfair Hollywood Park, wilting in the final furlong after leading under pressure to that point.
Edwin Maldonado has the return mount on Comma to the Top, who has three wins from seven starts this year. They break from post 4.
The 123-pound high weight is Spendthrift Farm's Jimmy Creed . The Malibu Stakes (gr. I) winner Dec. 26 gives the rest of the field a four-pound break. Jimmy Creed won the Potrero Grande (gr. II) in April in his first start of the year but had a bad start in the Triple Bend and wound up fading to finish last of eight as the 3-2 favorite.
Hall of Fame conditioner Richard Mandella trains the 4-year-old Distorted Humor colt, who gets a new rider in Rafael Bejarano.
Grade III winner Majestic City was runner-up to comebacking Paynter in an allowance/optional claimer last time at Hollywood June 14, beaten by 4 1/2 lengths by the 2012 Haskell Invitational (gr. I) winner. David Flores rides the 4-year-old City Zip colt for Bloom Racing and trainer Ron Ellis.
Coach Bob, runner-up in the Casual Lies Handicap at Pleasanton July 4, and Points Offthebench, a four-time winner from six starts making his stakes debut, complete the field.
$300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (gr. I, Race 8, 5:40 p.m.), 3 & Up, 6 Furlongs (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Coach Bob (CA), M Stortz, 119, R E Gonzalez
2. Goldencents (KY), K Krigger, 119, D F O'Neill
3. Majestic City (KY), D R Flores, 119, R W Ellis
4. Comma to the Top (FL), E A Maldonado, 119, P Miller
5. Jimmy Creed (KY), R Bejarano, 123, R E Mandella
6. Points Offthebench (CA), M E Smith, 119, T Yakteen
Blinkers On: Goldencents
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