RACING Cadiz Settled Any Doubts Held About His Class

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30190, 23 July 1963, Page 4

RACING Cadiz Settled Any Doubts Held About His Class

[Spacially written for "The Press" by XDDIK READ, of the Del Mar Turf Club, California.] DEL MAR, July 19. Any doubts that Cadiz, the gelded son of Tarqui, bred in the South Island by Alex Newman, is not a first class race horse were emphatically dispelled in California last Saturday (July 13).

Performing just as he did a year ago when he won the 100,000 dollar Californian, Cadiz galloped to a length and a half victory in the twenty-fourth running of the 162,100 dollar gross Hollywood Gold Cup—the richest event for older handicap horses at Los Angeles’ popular Hollywood Park racetrack. Cadiz was the longest-priced winner (24 to 1) ever to win the Gold Cup.

It was an amazing performance for a horse that many thought had lost his form completely. Tried earlier in the Hollywood Park meeting against stakes company, Cadiz was found wanting. Then his owner, Victor Graber, switched trainers, from Nick Hartley to Rob Wheeler, one of the most successful conditioners in America.

Graber had remembered Wheeler’s success with Dotted Swiss for C. V. Whitney, one of the most prominent thoroughbred owners and breeders in the United States.

He evidently could see a marked similarity in the way Dotted Swiss and Cadiz trained and raced. He turned Cadiz over to Wheeler with the happiest of results. Cadiz showed a return to form almost immediately under Wheeler’s tutelage. He finished fourth -tn his first essay behind Hex Ellsworth’s Dr. Kacy, one of the Gold Cup favourites. Then, in a Tuesday handicap, at a mile and a sixteenth, just four days before the big one, he defeated a formidable band of runners in 1:42 3-5. Modestly Weighted

In the Gold Cup, Cadiz was modestly weighted at 1111 b, 14 less than the highweighted, odds-on favourite. Crimson King Farm's Crimson Satan, which had been flown out from the east coast especially for the Gold Cup Riding the New Zealander for the first time was Eddie Burns, a Western riding veteran, who had won the Hollywood Derby with the longshot Y Flash just a week before.

Bums got a position early in the mile and a quarter contest, which attracted 10 starters, content to stay in sixth place for the first half as the pace-setters carved out the first six furlongs in 1:09. Turning into the straight. Bums moved to fourth as Native Diver, Olympiad King (the latter a three-year-old) and Aidershot battled head and head.

As they straightened away, Cadiz had only Native Diver to beat, and he was dog-tired from his pace efforts. He moved into the lead and had no difficulty winning, as Aidershot passed the other two for second money, two lengths in front of Olympiad King, with Native Diver a tiring fourth. Crimson Satan never could handle his weight •nd finished last in the field, with the highly-regarded Dr. Kacy unable to reach contention and winding up ninth. Cadiz blazed the 10 furlongs in 1:59 3-5, and he might" have bettered that •mazing time if he had been pressed.

Victory was worth 102,100 dollars to Mr Graber, who

ha* cashed in handsomely since buying the gelding for 24.000 dollars. Hi* other purchase. Braganza, also was a recent Hollywood Park winner. but was . claimed from Mr Graber.

Wheeler and Mr Graber indicated Cadiz will next try the 75,000 dollars Sunset Handicap. the mile and five fur-

longs closing day feature at Hollywood Park on July 23. Then it is highly probable the gelding will be campaigned at the Del Mar summer meeting immediately following.

Not Rushed

And what of Rapido? The chances are that he will be in action un the final week at Hollywood Park. It Will be remembered he raced on the second day of the meeting last May. He has not been in competition since for a number of reasons. First, it was the decision of the owner, Mr W R. Hawn, and trainer, Wally

Dunn, to give the colt much more time and then find an easy spot for him. Then, just as he was about to go, he contracted a virus ’flu, that has swept the thoroughbred tracks in America for the last several months. So rather than take a chance and rush him too soon they carefully brought Rapido along. Rapido, unquestionably, will be at his best for the Del Mar meeting. And this is per-, fectly all right with Mr Hawn, who is the chairman of the board at the track 100 miles south of Los Angeles. It would not be surprising to see Rapido and Cadiz hooking up as the stars of the handicap division at the Del Mar meeting. Commanding, although he won a mediocre race recently at Hollywood, has not quite measured up to the hopes held for him by his owner Mr Rex Ellsworth. However. Commanding still might show his true mettle. In any event, he is likely to enter the stud at Ellsworth's farm in January.