Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes 2015 at Del Mar

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes comes our way from Del Mar in the great state of California this Thanksgiving Thursday, November 26. Horses three years old and upward will be featured when they saddle up and go 1 1/2 miles for a purse of $250,000.

A full filed of 14 plus 2 Alternate Entries have been confirmed for the Hollywood Turf Cup - race 9 on Del Mar's Holiday Thursday card. Post time is 2:00 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 16 possible combatants for this Grade 2 stakes.

2015 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes Race Favorites

The Pizza Man 5/2 - impressive Roger Brueggemann trained gelding has 15 wins in 25 career starts to go along with two seconds and two third place finishes - one of those thirds coming in last year's edition of this race. He enters off a slightly disappointing fifth in the Breeders' Cup Turf which followed a second in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile in October and three straight wins - the Grade 1 Arlington Millions in August, the Grade 3 Stars and Stripes Stakes in July (a race he won two years in a row) and the minor Opening Verse Stakes in May. He has been very good this year and will be looking to bounce back from an uncharacteristic effort from gate 6. Mike Smith ride the 126 pound co-highweight and morning line favorite for the first time.

Big John B 3-1 - was on fire this past summer for trainer Phil D'Amato with three straight wins including the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap in July and the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap (a race he's now won two straight years) but didn't look great last time out - finishing tenth in the Breeders' Cup Turf. Big John B now has 35 career starts with 14 wins, five seconds and four third place finishes and has won three of five starts this year. He has won all four appearances at Del Mar and is three-for-three on this turf track as well. He's a bit tough to figure out as he leaves from the outside post 14 with Rafael Bejarano aboard as The Pizza Man's biggest threat.

Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Up With the Birds 4-1 - Canada's 2013 Horse of the Year, Graham Motion trained multiple graded stakes winner looks for his first win since the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes at Woodbine in July, 2014. He has been OK this year - five starts with a second and two third place finishes. Last time out was a good second in the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International October 18 after consecutive fourths - the Grade 2 Commonwealth Cup in September and the Grade 1 Arlington Millions in August. Before that were two straight thirds in graded stakes company. Up With the Birds hasn't shied away from top company and has been in the mix almost every time out. She hopes to snap an eight race losing streak from gate 2 with Drayden Van Dyke aboard.

Ganesh 8-1 - Brazilian bred Richard Mandella trainee had 20 starts at home with seven wins, two seconds and a third place finish. He won four straight at home before shipping including a Group 1 race in September, 2014 and two Group 2 races. He has been OK in five starts in North America - a fourth last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming here October 30 followed a respectable third in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on this track in August, a second in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes in May and a second in the Grade 3 Last Tycoon Stales in April. Ganesh has been knocking on the door but is still in search of his first North American graded stakes score. Alex Solis has been tabbed to accomplish that goal Thursday from post 7.

Bet Del Mar online with OffTrackBetting.com

Texas Ryano 10-1 - has 10 career starts for trainer Carla Gaines with four wins, second and two third place finishes. He makes his graded stakes debut off a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming here October 30 and two straight wins - the minor King Pellinore Stakes September 27 and an Allowance Optional Claiming September 5. He steps up in company having placed in five of his last six starts from post 9 with James Graham guiding him.

Power Ped 20-1 - Neil Drysdale trained gelding has four wins, seven seconds and three third place finishes in 24 career starts. He won the minor Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile at Turf Paradise in January - the last time he tasted victory. Last time out was an eighth in the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International October 18 after a second in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup in September, a fourth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap in August and a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track in July. Power Ped looks for his first graded stakes score and enters in so-so for. Mario Gutierrez gets the mount from gate 8.

Danas Best 20-1 - Australian bred Phil D'Amato trained gelding had 20 starts at home with seven wins, two seconds and a third place finish including a win in his last start at home in January. He has failed to place in three North American starts however - a sixth last time out in the minor King Pellinore Stakes at Santa Anita September 27 followed a fifth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap in August and a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming start in July. Danas Best looks for a breakthrough performance Thursday when he leaves from post 3 with Victor Espinoza in the saddle.

Procurement 20-1 - Tom Proctor trained gelding has five wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 21 career starts but has placed in just one of six graded stakes tries - a second in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes at Santa Anita in December. He enters off an Allowance Optional Claiming score October 22 after failing to place in his previous two races. He looks for his first graded stakes score Thursday when he departs from post 5 with Corey Nakatani in the irons.

Power Foot 20-1 - Neil Drysdale trained gelding has just four wins and five third place finishes in 23 career starts. He started his year with an Allowance Optional Claiming score and went on to consecutive respectable runner-up finishes - the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes in February and the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes in March. He enters off an ugly eighth in an Allowance Optional Claiming here October 30 after a fourth in the Grade 3 Last Tycoon Stakes in April. Power Foot has placed in four of his last six starts overall and looks to bounce back from his worst performance in a while. Tiago Josue Pereira gets the call from gate 12.

Southern Freedom 20-1 - Jerry Hollendorfer trained colt has 17 career starts with six wins, two seconds and three third place finishes and steps into graded stakes company for the first time Thursday. He enters off an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita October 22 after a fifth in the minor King Pellinore Stakes in September, a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming in August and another Allowance Optional Claiming score in July. He steps up in so-so form and will have Martin Garcia guiding him from post 11.

Class Leader 20-1 - John Sadler trained colt has three wins, two seconds and three third place finishes in 15 career starts. He won the minor Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico in May, 2014 but has failed to post victory since. Last time out was a decent second in the minor King Pellinore Stakes at Santa Anita September 27 after a seventh in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic here August 22 and a respectable third in the minor Michael G. Schaefer Memorial in July. He has placed in three of his last four starts overall but looks to hit the board for the first time in graded stakes company (in his fourth try). Santiago Gonzalez rides from the rail.

Wanstead Gardens 20-1 - makes his stakes debut Thursday for trainer Neil French having posted three wins, three seconds and a third place finish in 13 career starts. He enters off a sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita October 22 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score in this track in August and another sixth - here in July. Wanstead Gardens has been just OK but could be in over his head Thursday from post 13 with Gary Stevens in the saddle.

Generoso 30-1 - Uruguayan trained gelding has 18 starts at home with four wins, seven seconds and two third place finishes including two stakes wins last winter. He was thirteenth in his last start at home - the Group 1 Grand Premio Longines Asociacion Latinoamericana in March and finished eighth in his North American debut in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita October 12. Generoso looks for a huge breakthrough on North American soil although not a whole lot is expected. Martin Pedroza gates the call from gate 10.

Quick Casablanca 30-1 - Chilean bred Ronald McAnally was terrific at home placing in all 11 starts including a win in the Group 1 Asociacion Latinoamericana in 2012. He was OK once he arrived in North America - a win in the Grade 3 Last Tycoon Stakes in April, 2014 and a second in the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Stakes two months later being the best results. He has failed to place in four start in 2015 however - a fifth last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming October 22 followed an eighth in the minor King Pellinore Stakes September 27, a fifth in the 2015 Last Tycoon Stakes and an eighth in the minor Thunder Road Stakes in April. Quick Casablanca has four wins, seven seconds and five third place finishes in 23 career starts and looks to get over an unflattering stretch - from gate 4 with Tyler Baze in the reins.

Flamboyant - Alternate Entry French bred Peter Gallagher trained gelding has placed in just one of his last eight starts - that being a third last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita October 22. He has lined up in graded stakes company five times and has placed just once - a third in the 2014 Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational.

Big E House - Alternate Entry Michael Pender trained gelding has four wins in 16 career starts. He may make his stakes debut off a fourth in a Starter Allowance here November 8, a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita October 12 and a win in a Starter Allowance in August.

2015 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 7 on Del Mar's Thursday card with a Post Time of 5:00 PM.