Harty confident in Robador entering California Cup Classic

Trainer Eoin Harty likes Robador's chances in the $250,000 California Cup Classic Handicap, the most lucrative of ten stakes races for California-breds that will be contested during Cal Cup XVII on Saturday at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park.
The races feature a combined purse value of more than $1.3-million.
Robador, the winner of the 2005 Cal National Snow Chief Stakes, earned consecutive wins in allowance/optional claiming races at Del Mar in his first two starts this season. The Robannier colt enters the 1 1/8-mile Classic off a third-place finish in an allowance/optional claiming race on September 27 at Santa Anita.
"He's training very, very well," Harty said. "He's fit, he's ready, and he ought to run the race of his life."
A career-best effort is what Robador may need to outrun eight foes, including graded stakes-placers Texcess, Top This and That, Cheroot, and Iced Out.
Top This and That, the 5-to-2 morning-line favorite, finished second, 2 1/2 lengths behind Southern Africa, in his previous start in the Ralph M. Hinds Invitational Handicap on September 24 at Fairplex Park. Dan Hendricks trains the Old Topper gelding who was also the runner-up in the Strub Stakes (G2) on February 4 at Santa Anita.
"It's a competitive field," Hendricks said. "But he should fit well with the speed in the race."
Texcess's 16-race winless streak dates back to 2004, when the In Excess (Ire) gelding closed his juvenile campaign by winning the Delta Jackpot Stakes at Delta Downs. Texcess finished second in the Tokyo City Handicap (G3) on April 1 at Santa Anita and the Lone Star Park Handicap (G3) on May 29.
Victor Espinoza will ride Texcess, who will start from the ninth spot in the starting gate.
"It keeps him in the clear," trainer Mike Mitchell said. "He's a big horse with a big stride, and I don't want him to get stopped."
Three-year-olds and older will contest eight of the Cal Cup races. Two $125,000 races for juveniles—the California Cup Juvenile Stakes and the California Cup Juvenile Fillies Stakes—will both be run over 1 1/16 miles.
Fillies and mares will contest the $150,000 California Cup Matron Handicap over 1 1/16 miles, the $150,000 California Cup Distaff Handicap, a 6 1/2-furlong race that will be run over the downhill turf course, and the $100,000 California Cup Distance Handicap, a 1 1/4-mile turf race.
Grade 3 winner Areyoutalkintome and Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner Da Stoops will clash in the $150,000 California Cup Sprint Handicap, a six-furlong race that drew a field of eight. Grade 1 winner Unfurl the Flag and Grade 2 winner McCann's Mojave are both entered in the $175,000 California Cup Mile Handicap.
Source: www.thoroughbredtimes.com