$100,000 Donald Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint COST OF FREEDOM

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Oct. 30, 2010) – Odds-on favorite Cost of Freedom, who skipped next week’s Breeders’ Cup, ran the fastest six furlongs of the meet while breezing to victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint, the opening race in Cal Cup XXI at Oak Tree at Hollywood Park.

Cost of Freedom is a 7-year-old gelding by Cee’s Tizzy, out of the Moscow Ballet mare Freedom Dance, was bred by Harris Farms, is owned by Gary and Cecil Barber and trained by John Sadler. He was claimed by his current owners in 2008 for $50,000.

“With him coming down in class we were worried about him not winning,” said assistant trainer Larry Benevidez. “We kind of envisioned a race like this. Perfect trip. He broke a little inward, but pretty impressive. It’s amazing when you run against a little lesser quality of horses how a good horse like him can put on a performance like this.”

He ran the six furlongs in 1:08.58 and won by 6 ¼ lengths under a hand ride from jockey Joe Talamo at odds of 3-5. Runaway Bandido, the longest shot on the board, was second and A Lil Dumaani third in the field of five.

“He’s such a classy horse,” said Talamo. “He broke real good, relaxed and kicked home like it was a workout. I didn’t have to do anything but steer him in the right direction.”

For Cost of Freedom’s pedigree, click http://www.pedigreequery.com/cost+of+freedom