Giant Oak, Rule face off in Hawthorne Gold Cup

Reigning Illinois-bred Horse of the Year and multiple Grade 1 winner

Giant Oak heads a field of 10 for the 75th running of the Grade 2,

$500,000

Hawthorne Gold Cup on Saturday.

Owned and bred by recently named National Small Breeder of the Year,

Rudy and Virginia Tarra (Virginia H. Tarra Turst), Giant Oak has gained

a massive following locally along with nationwide. Trained by Chris

Block, the son of Giant's Causeway has posted five victories from 29

starts for more than $1.4 million in earnings.

Giant Oak's biggest scores came back-to-back in the Grade 1 Clark

Handicap at Churchill last fall and the Grade 1 Donn Handicap at

Gulfstream this past February. With regular rider Shaun Bridgmohan out

due to injury, Jesus Castanon picks up the call on the five-year-old

chestnut in this 1 1/4-miles contest on Hawthorne's main track.

Recently third to top mare Havre de Grace in the Grade 1 Woodward,

Rule looks to provide stiff competition for Giant Oak. Trainer Todd

Pletcher has had tons of past success at Hawthorne, winning the Gold Cup

in 2008 with Fairbanks along with three Illinois Derby wins at

Hawthorne.

Rule was on the path to stardom with wins in the Grade 3 Delta Jackpot and

Grade 3 Sam F Davis before placing third in the Grade 1 Florida Derby in 2010.

After some time away, he has returned to form, winning the Birdstone Stakes at

Saratoga before finishing third in the Woodward. Corey Laneri will get a leg up

on the son of Roman Rule for the first time here.