Recent Team Valor purchase Crimson China headed to CashCall
Futurity
CRIMSON CHINA (Giant’s Causeway), a recent acquisition by Team Valor International, will be
flown to California from England to run in the $750,000 CashCall Futurity (G1)
at Hollywood Park on December 18.
“He will be coming on the 16th,” Team Valor president Barry Irwin confirmed
Sunday from Lexington, Kentucky. “We just bought him last weekend.
“He has run two times, both on all-weather tracks in England,” Irwin
said of
the colt trained by Brian Meehan. “He came flying in his first race at one mile
at Kempton and got beat a nose.
Then he won easily in his second start at a mile and a sixteenth at Wolverhampton.
“He’s well-bred, by Giant’s Causeway out of a stakes-winning Mr. Greeley
mare, Parisian Affair,” Irwin continued. “We’re hoping he’s a Kentucky
Derby (G1)-type of horse, and if he could finish first or second in this race, that
would give him a lot of earnings for the Derby and take some of the stress off
needing more earnings next spring.
“It looks like there is a lot of speed in the race,” said Irwin, indicating
that would be to the benefit of the closer. Crimson China will be ridden by
Garrett Gomez, who has won the last two runnings of the CashCall Futurity aboard Pioneerof the Nile and
Lookin at Lucky.
“Crimson China will go to Graham Motion at Palm Meadows in Florida after the
race,” added Irwin, hoping to continue Team Valor’s recent success.
“We won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) with Pluck (More Than Ready), then the Matriarch
(G1) with
Gypsy’s Warning (SAf) (Mogok) and Saturday the top three-year-old filly race in South Africa
(Cape Fillies Guineas [SAf-G1]) with
Ebony Flyer (Jet Master).”
Two other invaders, both from Florida, are also expected for the CashCall Futurity,
which will be run at 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track.
Calder-based trainer Steve
Standridge is considering GOURMET DINNER (Trippi), who scored his fourth victory in five
starts in the rich Delta Downs Jackpot S. (G3) on November 20 with Sebastian
Madrid. Trainer Rick Dutrow, based at Gulfstream Park, could possibly send RUSTLER
HUSTLER (Ecton Park),
winner of stakes in his last two respective starts at Monmouth and Belmont.
The trio will be joined by locally-based COMMA TO THE TOP (Bwana Charlie),
hero of the Generous S. (G3) and Real Quiet S.; J P’S GUSTO (Successful Appeal),
victor of the
Del Mar Futurity (G1) and Hollywood Juvenile Championship (G3); the Bob
Baffert-trained duo of Hollywood Prevue S. (G3) third AWESOME PATRIOT (Awesome
Again) and Real Quiet runner-up PRAYER FOR RELIEF (Jump Start); the Doug O’Neill-conditioned pair of
Generous fifth-placer BOXEUR DES RUES (Smart Strike) and Hollywood Prevue fifth
HIGH LEVEL JEFF (Vindication); INDUSTRY LEADER (Cherokee Run), second in the
Hollywood Prevue; Delta Downs Jackpot third CLUBHOUSE RIDE (Candy Ride [Arg]);
and multiple Grade 1-placed RIVETING REASON (Fusaichi Pegasus).
California Cup Juvenile winner SLAMMER TIME (Grand Slam) heads a list of
possibles for the CashCall Futurity.