The opening round of the inaugural Calumet Cup took place on the Newturf virtual racetrack today and championship sponsor, Calumet Farm, demonstrated he intends to keep as much of that sponsorship cash in his own pocket by netting no less than three of the six opening round races.
The first round of the competition is restricted to horses nominated for the Breeders’ Cup and Calumet Farm posted his intentions there too by achieving his first ever grand finalist with hurdler, J’y Vole, the eighth fastest qualifier overall.
Star of the show on this occasion was undoubtedly Calumet Farm’s Tom Can You Hear Me. The son of Arbinger secured a guaranteed place in the final for both the 1000m and 1600m events by winning both of today’s flat race qualifiers.
Sister of Gibraltar also scored for Calumet Farm in the 1000m trot although Max Dynamic’s Only In Jamaica later gained her revenge when taking the 1600m race.
Over hurdles, Calumet Farm almost pulled off another coup when his J’y Vole gave favorite, Rising Star, a fright in the 1000m sprint, pushing all the way to the line while Barnes Stable scored an altogether more comfortable success in the mile when his Torrential led a stable one-two from Tethered.
Standings after round one:
Flat 1000m
Tom Can You Hear Me (Calumet Farm) – Qualified for final, Melody Bleu – 5 points, Zefka d’Arbinger II – 4 points, Ivory Flake – 3 points, Fast And Furious – 2 points, China White – 1 point, Disco To Disco – 0 points
Flat 1600m
Tom Can You Hear Me (Calumet Farm) – Qualified for final, Melody Bleu – 8 points, Zefka d’Arbinger II – 7 points, Ivory Flake – 6 points, Why Not Me – 5 points, China White – 4 points, Queen de Kiez – 3 points, ma desparte – 2 points, Fantastique Jackpot – 1 point, El Gran Senor – 0 points
Hurdles 1000m
Rising Star (Barnes Stable) – Qualified for final, J’y Vole – 1 point, Mudhutter – 0 points
Hurdles 1600m
Torrential (Barnes Stable) – Qualified for final, Tethered – 2 points, Feathard Lady – 1 point, Mudhutter – 0 points
Trotting 1000m
Sister of Gibraltar (Calumet Farm) – Qualified for final, Only In Jamaica – 5 points, Helsinki – 4 points, Grooverider – 3 points, Rampling – 2 points, Legend Inda – 1 point, Cool Runnings – 0 points
Trotting 1600m
Only In Jamaica (Max Dynamic) – Qualified for final, Helsinki – 4 points, Grooverider – 3 points, Rampling – 2 points, Sister of Gibraltar – 1 point, Cool Runnings – 0 points.