Eagle, Scuba Headline Field for Hawthorne Gold Cup

By Jim Miller —-

STICKNEY, IL – Saturday marks the 80th running of the most historic race on Hawthorne’s calendar as the $150,000, Grade 3 Hawthorne Gold Cup returns. To be contested at 1 ¼ miles over the Hawthorne main track, a field of eight has assembled with a mix of locals and out of towners. A trio of graded stakes winners in Eagle, Scuba, and Hay Dakota lead the way in the Gold Cup.

The 8-5 morning line favorite in the Hawthorne Gold Cup is Eagle, from the barn of trainer Neil Howard. The 2016 winner of the Grade 3 Ben Ali at Keeneland and second-place finisher of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill last year, Eagle has raced with mixed results during his 2017 campaign. He opened the season with a pair of fourth-placed efforts in the Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap and Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds. He returned to Keeneland in April, finishing second in this year’s edition of the Grade 3 Ben Ali before a flat effort in the Pimlico Special in May. He got back on track though, winning the Michael Schaefer Memorial at Indiana Grand before running a good second in the Grade 3 Iselin at Monmouth in August. He enters the Gold Cup off a fifth-place performance in the Grade 3 Lukas Classic at Churchill in his most recent start. Ty Kennedy gets the call aboard Eagle on Saturday.

The 9-5 second-choice in the Gold Cup is the Brendan Walsh trained Scuba. The multiple graded stakes winning gelding posted a big 2016 campaign, finding the board in all eight of his starts last year. His season closed with a bang, as he rattled off victories in the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup at Parx, the Temperence Hill Invitational at Belmont, and capped his season by winning the Grade 2 Marathon on Breeders’ Cup day. Receiving a break after his Marathon win, Scuba began his 2017 season with sixth and fifth-place efforts respectively in the Ben Ali and Flat Out Stakes. After running fourth in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine, he finished second in the Birdstone at Saratoga on August 3. Scuba enters the Gold Cup off a pair of sixth-place efforts in the Greenwood Cup and Temperence Hill but figures to be the pace of the race on Saturday. Alonso Quinonez gets the call on Saturday to ride.

The field for the Hawthorne Gold Cup:

PP Horse Trainer Jockey M/L

1 Hay Dakota J. Berndt C. Roman 12-1
2 Futile C. Hartman R. Prescott 6-1
3 Side Pocket J. Smith, Jr. V. Santiago 15-1
4 Volgograd H. Rodriguez E. Perez 20-1
5 Eagle N. Howard T. Kennedy 8-5
6 Van Damme R. Gorham T.D. Houghton 8-1
7 Empirestrikesagain A. Mitchell S. Sanjur 15-1
8 Scuba B. Walsh A. Quinonez 9-5

Pair of State-bred Sprints on Saturday Undercard

The top sprinters in the state will also be on the track on Saturday as part of the Gold Cup day undercard. Race four on Saturday is the $100,000 Powerless Stakes for Illinois-bred fillies and mares to be contested at six furlongs. Race eight is the Lightning Jet Handicap as the state-bred boys sprint for $100,000.

Puntsville has been installed as the even-money favorite in the Powerless Handicap for trainer Michelle Boyce. A winner of 10 of 20 career starts, Puntsville has won three of four races in 2017, including the Hoist Her Flag Stakes at Canterbury and the Richie Scherer Memorial at Arlington Park. Regular rider Victor Santiago gets the call on Puntsville.

The Lightning Jet Handicap is a rematch of the top two finishers from the state-bred Buck’s Boy Handicap earlier this month at Hawthorne. The winner of that race, Goneghost, is the 2-1 morning line favorite as one of a pair for trainer Scott Becker in the race that also includes the speedy D’Rapper (5-2). Trainer Michele Boyce with saddle talented three-year-old Devileye, who faced the first defeat of his career in the Buck’s Boy, finishing second to Goneghost.

The fields for the Powerless and Lightning Jet Handicaps:

Powerless Handicap

PP Horse Trainer Jockey M/L

1 Kalispell J. Johns O. Hernandez 10-1
2 Dr Winn Kyi S. Manley R. Prescott 8-1
3 Puntsville M. Boyce V. Santiago 1-1
4 Darlin Rosie R. Dobbs, Jr. C. Roman 12-1
5 Jolee A. Mitchell S. Sanjur 9-2
6 Ima Little Kitten R. Lindsay J. Molina, Jr. 12-1
7 Church Road S. Manley C. Ulloa 6-1
8 Shar Ran M. Tomlinson E. Perez 10-1

Lightning Jet Handicap

PP Horse Trainer Jockey M/L

1 Goneghost S Becker V. Santiago 2-1
2 Mexico Memories L. Hellman A. Quinonez 20-1
3 Reigning Catfish J. Smith, Jr. C. Roman 8-1
4 Devileye M. Boyce S. Sanjur 7-2
5 D’Rapper S. Becker V. Bailon 5-2
6 Cashel Rock D. Matthews J. Lopez 10-1
7 Armando’s Star M. Cristel R. Prescott 5-1

ABOUT HAWTHORNE RACE COURSE
Founded in 1891, Hawthorne Race Course is the 4th oldest racetrack in the nation and the oldest sporting venue in Illinois. Located in Stickney, Illinois on the edge of Chicago’s city limits, the 126 year old facility hosts thoroughbred racing in March and April and again in October through Dec. Standardbred harness racing is conducted in May through September. The family-owned and operated business has been an innovator in horseracing for more than 100 years and features the nation’s most rewarding players program. For additional information: www.HawthorneRaceCourse.com | Facebook.com/ClubHawthorne