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  • Canadian Frontier sire of Golden Frontier 1st Alw (May 24, 3rd CD). Owner, George Fister; Breeder, Brereton C. Jones...
  • Flower Alley sire of Bouquet Booth 1st Alw (May 24, 7th CD). Owner, Right Time Racing LLC; Breeder, Brookdale & Dr. Ted Folkerth...
  • Posse sire of Parody 1st Alw (May 23, 4th PEN). Owner, Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc.; Breeder, Don Mattox & Pam Mattox...
  • Chapel Royal sire of Mr Rodriguez 1st Mdn (May 24, 2nd BEL). Owner, Imperio, Michael and Loftus, Elizabeth; Breeder, Jill Imperio & Daniella Corian...
  • Successful Appeal sire of Warning Song 1st Alw (May 24, 6th PRM). Owner, Maggi Moss; Breeder, Bloodstock Holdings LLC...
  • Arch sire of Wiki 1st Alw (May 24, 2nd PID). Owner, Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc.; Breeder, Stuart S. Janney, III LLC....
  • First Samurai sire of Nakano 1st Alw (May 24, 8th CRC). Owner, Thoroughbred Futures Racing; Breeder, Hubert Vester...
  • Petionville sire of Wups 1st Thoroughbred Maiden Derby (May 23, 9th BOI). Owner, Paul Treasure; Breeder, Michael Iavarone...
  • Proud Citizen sire of Citizen Kat 1st Alw (May 23, 7th PEN). Owner, Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc.; Breeder, Mark Reid & Charles Zacney...
  • Smoke Glacken sire of Walker Bay 1st Alw (May 24, 8th CD). Owner, Hammersmith, Dennis L. and Paden Racing, Inc.; Breeder, Brian O'Rourke & Derry Meeting Farm...
  • Benchmark sire of Planet Sunshine 1st Alw (May 24, 5th GG). Owner, Thomas A. Shapiro; Breeder, Thomas Shapiro...
  • Strut the Stage sire of Head Honcho 1st Alw (May 23, 7th WO). Owner, Annecchini and D'Alimonte Holdings Inc. and Kingfield Farm; Breeder, William D. Graham...
  • Medaglia d'Oro sire of Dealer 1st Alw (May 23, 8th CT). Owner, Coleswood Farm, Inc.; Breeder, Family Broodmare, LLC...
  • Philanthropist sire of Rob the Cradle 1st Alw (May 23, 2nd WO). Owner, Andrews, Denny and Paradox Farms Inc.; Breeder, Gardiner Farms Limited...
  • Tribal Rule sire of Italian Rules 1st Alw (May 24, 7th BHP). Owner, Barber, Gary and Cecil; Breeder, Nick Cafarchia...
  • Luftikus sire of Joyful Kiss 1st Alw (May 23, 7th CT). Owner, Winfred L. Hess, Jr.; Breeder, Ann M. Casey...
  • Wando sire of Deb's Girly Girl 1st Alw (May 24, 6th RD). Owner, Deborah F. Metz; Breeder, Deborah F. Metz...
  • Latent Heat sire of Heated Troubles 1st Mdn (May 24, 5th RD). Owner, Ashleigh Stud; Breeder, Ashleigh Stud, Frank Ramos & JackieRamos...
  • Holy Bull sire of Catalan 1st Alw (May 24, 8th BEL). Owner, Elizabeth Loftus; Breeder, B. P. Walden & Dr. S. Marcum...

NEWS

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Sunriver snags first Grade 1 in Hollywood Turf Cup

Posted: Saturday, December 08, 2007 7:33 PM

SUNRIVER

Benoit & Associates photo

by Mike Curry

Multiple Grade 2 winner Sunriver set an uncontested pace through leisurely fractions and cruised to his first Grade 1 win with a 2 3/4-length score in the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

The four-year-old Saint Ballado colt, a full brother to two-time champion Ashado, spurted clear on the final turn in the 1 1/2-mile race and opened a commanding advantage. Sunriver was not seriously threatened in the lane and coasted to the wire in 2:27.07 on good turf.

“With a horse like this, and the major stallion prospect he is and the pedigree he has, we were focused on getting him his first Grade 1, so it was a big step for him,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He will be racing again next year, and he'll be staying in California.”

Pletcher earned his 56th graded stakes win of the season. Pletcher moved within one graded stakes victory of equaling his own record of 57 set in 2006.

Sunriver entered off a sixth-place finish in the Pattison Canadian International Stakes (Can-G1) on October 21 at Woodbine. In the Hollywood Turf Cup, Sunriver was unchallenged on the lead through an easy opening quarter in :25.92 and a half-mile in :50.20 as the 2-to-1 second choice in the seven-horse field.

Heroi Do Bafra (Brz) stalked Sunriver from second followed by Chief Running Bear and Obrigado (Fr), while 1.70-to-1 favorite Champs Elysees (GB) and Spring House were rated in fifth and sixth, respectively. The field tightened up behind the pacesetter on the final turn and began to cut into his advantage, but Sunriver surged clear when shaken up by Gomez and surged powerfully clear entering the stretch.

A full brother to champions Banks Hill (GB) and Intercontinental (GB), Group 2 winner and leading sire Dansili (GB), and multiple Grade 1 winner Cacique (Ire), Champs Elysees finished willingly to take second but never threatened Sunriver.

Third-place finisher Spring House was 2 1/4 lengths behind Champs Elysees

An Aaron and Marie Jones homebred, Sunriver improved to six wins in 17 career starts and boosted his earnings to $816,414. Kentucky-bred Sunriver is out of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Goulash, by Mari’s Book.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times daily news editor

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