Tokyo City Cup 2016 at Santa Anita Park

OffTrackBetting.com - Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California will play host to the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup on Sunday, April 3. A purse of $100,000 will be up for grabs for horses four years old and upward willing to go 1 1/2 miles on Santa Anita's dirt track.

Seven older entries will take to the track in the Tokyo City Cup - race 8 on Santa Anita's Sunday schedule. Post time is 4:00 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all seven combatants for this Grade 3 stakes.

2016 Tokyo City Cup Race Preview

Big John B - was on fire last 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 has been inconsistent lately - a tenth in the Breeders' Cup Turf was followed by a respectable second to The Pizza Man in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup in November, an eighth in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes here January 2, an OK third in the Grade 3 John B Connally Turf Cup January 30 and a disappointing seventh last time out in the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes on this track March 13. Big John B now has 39 career starts with 14 wins, six seconds and five third place finishes - he won his only previous starts on dirt. He is a bit difficult to figure out ahead of this weekend, tries to snap a five game losing streak and departs from the rail with Rafael Bejarano in the reins of one of the likely favorites.

Blingo - John Sherreffs trained gelding enters off an eighth place finish in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes here February 6 which followed consecutive fifth place finishes - the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on this track January 9 and an Allowance Optional Claiming November 21. Before that was a ninth in the Grade 3 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park October 10 and nearly 20 months away. Prior to the layoff were a third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in March, 2014 and a good win in the 2014 San Antonio Stakes a month before that. He has failed to place in his only four starts in the last two years and has just four wins and a third place finish in 16 career starts. Alex Solis tries to change all of that on the only other graded stakes winner in the field - from gate 6.

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Class Leader - John Sadler trainee has three wins, two seconds and four third place finishes in 19 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 sixth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap here March 12 after a fourth in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes here February 6, a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track January 8 and a tenth in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup in November. He also had a decent second in the minor King Pellinore Stakes at Santa Anita September 27 and a respectable third in the minor Michael G. Schaefer Memorial in July. He hasn't been all that impressive lately and hopes to snap a lengthy slump from the gate 2 Saturday. Victor Espinoza gets the call.

Ike Walker - Doug O'Neill trained gelding has 21 career starts with six wins, three seconds and two third place finishes. Last time out was a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming here March 6 which followed a third in a similar race on this track February 5 and a nice three race win streak - all Starter Allowance races at different tracks in California. He has placed in seven of his last nine races ahead of this and hopes for his first stakes score Saturday. Edwin Maldonado has been tabbed to ride from post 3.

Lieutenant Colonel - Jerry Hollendorfer trained gelding has three wins in six career starts. He enters on the heels of a two race win streak - both Allowance Optional Claiming races on this track. He didn't look great before that however - a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming in January followed a seventh in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial last April and a tenth in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes in March, 2015. Lieutenant Colonel arrives in career best form as he chases his first stakes win from the outside post 7. Mike Smith rides.

China Girl Lover - Dan Hendricks trained gelding has five wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 19 career starts. He makes his graded stakes debut off a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming here March 3 and two straight wins, including a Starter Stakes on this track February 7. China Girl Lover has placed in six of his last seven starts overall and steps in decent form. Drayden Van Dyke has the mount from post 5.

John's Success - Phil D'Amato trainee makes his stakes debut Saturday having posted two wins, a second and four third place finishes in 10 career starts. Last time out was a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming here March 5 after a win in a Starter Allowance February 4, a second in a similar race January 9 and consecutive thirds in Claiming races to end his 2015 campaign. John's Success steps up in so-so form from gate 4 with Tyler Baze aboard.

2016 Tokyo City Cup Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Santa Anita's Sunday card with a Post Time of 7:00 PM.