Five-time graded stakes winner Finnegans Wake, who won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (gr. I) on Kentucky Derby day, will give dirt a try when he starts in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita (gr. I).
Trained by Dale Romans for owner Donegal Racing, the son of Powerscourt has spent the majority of his career racing on turf, the surface over which all of his major victories have been achieved. In his last start on dirt, he finished sixth in the 2013 Clark Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill Downs, beaten four lengths by the talented pair of Will Take Charge and Game On Dude. But although he doesn’t often race on dirt, Finnesgans Wake does regularly train on that surface, most recently breezing five furlongs in 1:01 flat on June 20th at the San Luis Rey Training Center.
According to the Santa Anita Stable Notes for June 21st, Finnegans Wake is expected to be one of eight starters in the Gold Cup. His rivals will include grade I winners Hoppertunity and Moreno, as well as Big Cazanova, Catch a Flight, Hard Aces, Majestic City, and Motown Men. Entries for the race will be drawn on June 24th.
