Chicago Style © Benoit Photo
Glen Hill Farm’s 9-5 favored Chicago Style, under a well-timed ride by jockey Drayden Van Dyke, rallied powerfully in the stretch to forge ahead in the final strides and win the featured Grade II $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup Friday at Del Mar.
Outrun in the early stages of the mile and one-half test over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course, Chicago Style unleashed a devastating closing kick which propelled him to a neck victory over solidly-supported Bigger Picture, the 5-2 second choice handled by jockey Mike Smith.
Third in the field seven older grass runners was Beach View, a length and one-quarter farther back and a neck in front of fourth-place Marckie’s Water. Withdrawn was Krewe Chief.
Chicago Style, a five-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy trained by Tom Proctor, was timed in 2:28.53 and returned $5.80, $3 and $2.40 while earning first money of $120,000 with his sixth win in eleven starts. His total bankroll is $196,328. He was second to Manitoulin in the 2017 renewal of the Hollywood Turf Cup.
Runner-up Bigger Picture returned $3.40 and $3, while Beach View paid $4.40 to show.
With a carryover of $52,114 and “new” money of $238,926, Friday’s total Pick Six pool was $291,040. There were 21 perfect tickets and each paid $8,559.80. The single ticket Jackpot now is $121,867.
DRAYDEN VAN DYKE (Chicago Style, winner) – “I knew they were going slow, but my horse was relaxed and I was comfortable with where we were. He’s a straightforward horse; you ask him and he gives. When it came time, I tipped him out and he went. It’s sure fun to ride ones like him.”
MIKE SMITH (Bigger Picture, second) – “Aw, he ran dynamite. He ran too good to lose!”
RAFAEL BEJARANO (Beach View, third) – “He put in a good late run. I didn’t want to go around, so I waited until there was a spot on the rail. Then he gave me a push.”
TYLER BAZE (Ashleyluvssugar, fifth) – “This is a really nice horse. He gave it a big, big try today.”
Trainer Tom Proctor went ahead of his late father Willard Proctor in Del Mar stakes wins with the victory by Chicago Style. Willard Proctor had 17 stakes wins at the shore; Tom Proctor now has 18.
Chicago Style ran second in this race last year, beaten a neck.
FRACTIONS: :24.51 :50.65 1:16.25 1:41.79 2:05.17 2:28.53
The stakes win was the third of the meet for rider Van Dyke, but his first in the Hollywood Turf Cup. He now has 25 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Proctor and his first in the Hollywood Turf Cup. He now has 18 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owner is Craig Bernick of Glen Hill Farm. He calls home Lexington, KY.