ARCADIA, Calif.— Proven at the distance, John Sadler’s long-fused Heywoods Beach, a 5-year-old horse by Eclipse Champion Sprinter Speightstown, looms the horse to beat among a field of eight three-year-olds and up in Sunday’s marathon mile and one half, Grade III, $100,000 Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita.
Although he was never a threat going a mile and three-eighths on turf in the Grade II Del Mar Handicap Sept. 3, Heywoods Beach attended the pace and registered a one-length win on the main track in the Grade III Cougar II Stakes going a mile and one half two starts back on July 24.
Owned by Hronis Racing, LLC, Heywoods Beach has two wins and as many thirds from five tries on dirt and is 19-4-2-3 overall. He’ll be ridden for the third consecutive time by Ramon Vazquez.
A close fourth in the Del Mar Handicap, Richard Mandella’s Tizamagician showed the way in the Cougar Stakes but couldn’t hold off Heywoods Beach late, finishing second, beaten one length. Owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, LLC, all of Tizamagician’s five wins have come on dirt. With an overall mark of 23-5-10-0, he has two wins and three seconds from five tries at the Tokyo City distance.
THE GRADE III TOKYO CITY CUP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 10 – Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT
- Tizamagician – Mike Smith – 126
- Newgrange – Ricardo Gonzalez – 122
- Heywoods Beach – Ramon Vazquez – 126
- Extra Hope – Tyler Baze – 126
- Win the Day – Umberto Rispoli -118
- Avenue – Juan Hernandez – 122
- Storm the Court – Edwin Maldonado – 126
- Govenor’s Party – Kyle Frey – 122
First post time for a 10-race card that will include three other stakes on Sunday is at 1 p.m.
Santa Anita Press Release
Photo: Heywoods Beach (Benoit Photo)
For information on Past The Wire’s annual Breeders’ Cup Seminar, the very best in the game CLICK HERE
