From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, CA (Jan. 13, 2024) — With blinkers added, Mici’s Express turned the tables on even-money favorite Last Call London and won Saturday’s $200,000 California Chrome Cal Cup Derby for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.
Mici’s Express is by Slew’s Tiznow, out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Harlan Express, was bred by Eagle Ridge Racing & Rancho San Miguel, is owned by Thomas Halasz and trained by Steve Knapp.
“I’m on cloud nine, I love it!” said Halasz. “To just think about it, you win the California Chrome Cal Cup Derby, now that’s one of my favorite horses of all time and I won the race. I love it. All of my horses are Cal-bred, I have 35 Cal-breds in the Cal-bred program, it is great, it is the perfect place to run, the purses are great, the fields are good. I love being with Steve Knapp and honestly, we are having more fun than we can stand.”
Mici’s Express has two wins in 11 starts, earnings of $248,530 and was coming off a third in the King Glorious Stakes, which was won by Last Call London.
Named for the winner of the 2014 Santa Anita and Kentucky Derbies, the California Chrome Cal Cup Derby is part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for registered California-bred or sired horses.
Mici’s Express ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.75 and won by 1 ½ lengths over Stolen Treasure with Last Call London third. Mici’s Express went off at odds of 5-1 in a field of five.
Unhurried in the early going, jockey Umberto Rispoli was intent on keeping his mount covered up into and around the first turn and was able to hug the fence to the quarter pole. A joint third, about 2 ½ lengths off of eventual third place finisher Last Call London, Mici’s Express tipped three-deep turning for home and drew away as much the best late.
“This horse could turn out to be a good one,” said Rispoli.
Second to mid-stretch, Stolen Treasure, ridden by Mario Gutierrez, finished second and paid $4.60 and $2.40 while off at 7-2.
Finishing third, 1 ¾ lengths behind Stolen Treasure, Last Call London, the even money favorite with Juan Hernandez, paid $2.10 to show.
Fractions on the race were 24.62, 49.33, 1:13.99 and 1:40.27.