Claimed out of his past three starts on turf, 5-year-old gelding Cupid's Claws tried dirt for the first time Sept. 27 as he waltzed to a 7 1/4-length win in the marathon $101,000 Tokyo City Cup Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park. Ridden by Flavien Prat, who collected his second stakes win of the day, he got 1 1/2 miles in 2:30.12.
With the starting gate set at about the half-mile pole, Cupid's Claws was unhurried in the initial run to the far turn and was fourth, about two lengths off pacesetter Tizamagician as the field crossed under the wire for the first time. From there, Prat was able to save ground while close to the pace and shifted three wide outside of Tizamagician and Combatant with a quarter-mile to run.
Full of run at the top of the lane, Cupid's Claws gained the advantage a furlong out and darted clear late as much the best.
Claimed out of a third-place finish for $50,000 going 1 1/8 miles on turf Sept. 5, Cupid's Claws was trying stakes company for the first time and paid $17.00, $6.20, and $3.00.
Owned by Flawless Racing, Masino Racing Stable, Brian Flanagan, and Michael Jarvis, Cupid's Claws, a son of Kitten's Joy, picked up $60,000 and boosted his earnings to $172,296. A winner of two turf starts and one race on Tapeta, Cupid's Claws is 18-4-2-3 overall.
Tizamagician, who was ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, was the narrow second choice at 2-1 and outfinished Combatant by 1 1/4 lengths, returning $3.40 and $2.60.
With $39,101 bet to win on Combatant, he was the actual favorite by just five dollars at 2-1 and paid $2.40 to show with Umberto Rispoli up.
Fractions on the race were 25.22, 49.72, 1:14.82, 1:39.75, and 2:04.52.
Cupid's Claws was bred in Kentucky by Robert and Lawana Low out of the Affirmed mare Primetimevalentine. He was purchased by Blinkers On Racing Stable for $90,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training from the consignment of Tom McCrocklin.
