SANTA ANITA STAKES PREVIEW: CALIFORNIA CUP DERBY

By Mike Willman —-

ANN ARBOR EDDIE & CALIFORNIA DIAMOND SQUARE OFF AGAIN IN $250,000 CALIFORNIA CUP DERBY AT SANTA ANITA; RACE WHICH HELPED TO CATAPULT CALIFORNIA CHROME TO STARDOM WILL BE CONTESTED AT 1 1/16 MILES
CAL CUP DERBY IS ONE OF FIVE RACES FOR GOLDEN STATE SERIES-ELIGIBLE HORSES ON SUNSHINE MILLIONS/CAL CUP DAY AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 25, 2017)—Rivals Ann Arbor Eddie and California Diamond will renew acquaintances on Saturday at Santa Anita as they head a field of seven going a mile and a sixteenth in the $250,000 California Cup Derby. Part of the Golden State Series, the Cal Cup Derby is for California-bred or sired three year olds. Along with the top two, impressive first-out maiden sprint winner Coils Gold looms dangerously for Bob Baffert.

ANN ARBOR EDDIE: Owned and bred by Reddam Racing, LLC, this chestnut gelding by top California-based stallion Square Eddie defeated California Diamond by 1 ¼ lengths in the one mile King Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos Dec. 18, as he pressed the early pace and proved best at 5-2. Trained by Doug O’Neill, “Eddie” was a sharp third behind top Kentucky Derby Prospect Mastery and California Diamond two starts back in the Grade III, seven furlong Bob Hope Stakes on Nov. 19 at Del Mar. With two wins from three starts, Ann Arbor Eddie will try to establish himself as a contender for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby with a big performance here on Saturday.

CALIFORNIA DIAMOND: Based at San Luis Rey Downs Training Center, he was sold privately following his win in the 5 ½ furlong Santa Anita Juvenile on July 9 and he’s been a gem of consistency in seven subsequent starts for Rockingham Ranch and trainer Peter Miller. A four-time stakes winner, the dark bay or brown colt by Harbor the Gold is 9-5-4-0 overall with earnings of $417,780. Despite his impressive resume, distance remains a question, as he tired a bit late when second to Ann Arbor Eddie in his only try at two turns, the King Glorious Stakes on Dec. 18.

COILS GOLD: Owned and bred by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, he marched to an impressive 5 ½ length first-out maiden win versus state-breds going six furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 13. From the first crop of top sprinter, Coil, Coils Gold will certainly ensure a lively Derby pace on Saturday as he runs in the bi-coastal shadow of his Breeders’ Cup Classic Champion stablemate, Arrogate, who takes on California Chrome in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park.

THE CALIFORNIA CUP DERBY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 9 of 10 Approximate post time 4:15 p.m. PST

1. Tribal Storm—Drayden Van Dyke–123
2. Ann Arbor Eddie—Mario Gutierrez—123
3. Mr. Hinx—Norberto Arroyo, Jr.—119
4. Hot Smoke—Joe Talamo—119
5. California Diamond—Kent Desormeaux—123
6. Six Point Rack—Stewart Elliot—119
7. Coils Gold—Martin Garcia–119

There will be a special early first post time on Saturday at Santa Anita of 11:45 a.m. Admission gates open at 10 a.m. For scratches, changes and complete morning line information, please visit santaanita.com.
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About Us
Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.