Hawthorne Gold Cup attracts seven

Saturday's $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup H. (G2) features a contentious cast of

seven, with Grade 3 winners KID GRINDSTONE (Grindstone) and FLAMETHROWINTEXAN

(Way West [Fr]) leading the way. Based in Chicago with trainer Mike Campbell,

Kid Grindstone exits a win in the Minneapolis S. at Canterbury Park and captured

the Dr. Fager S. at Arlington three starts back. Flamethrowintexan, last seen

winning the Longacres Mile H. (G3) in wire-to-wire fashion at Emerald Downs, has

shipped in from Washington for conditioner Jim Penney. The five-year-old gelding

owns a winning attitude, taking four of his last six attempts and 14 of 23

starts in his career.

The well-traveled PAPI CHULLO (Comeonmom) finished second, only a neck back,

in the Longacres Mile and recorded a fourth in the Woodward S. (G1) most

recently. Trained by Buenaventura Vargas, Papi Chullo will be seeking his

first career stakes win on Saturday. Todd Pletcher has shipped in A. P. ARROW (A.P.

Indy) for the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup. An allowance winner at Saratoga in his 2006

debut last out, the four-year-old colt ended 2005 on a strong note, finishing a

close second in his next-to-last start, the Super Derby (G2), and A. P. Arrow

may continue to show more with a tightener under his belt.

NOLAN'S CAT (Catienus), the third-place finisher in the 2005 Belmont S. (G1),

has turned in some encouraging efforts this season, and stakes winner SUMMER

BOOK (Notebook), a good second in the National Jockey Club H. (G3) earlier this

year at Hawthorne, is also in the line-up. IT'S NO JOKE (Distorted Humor) has

the class to challenge, but he is cross-entered to Saturday's Kentucky Cup

Classic (G2) at Turfway Park.

Summer Book will break from the rail under a 111-pound impost that includes

Jose Ferrer. Next comes It's No Joke, Eusebio Razo Jr., 113; Papi Chullo, Robby

Albarado, 114; A. P. Arrow, John Velazquez, 112; Kid Grindstone, Jesse Campbell,

113; Nolan's Cat, Mark Guidry, 112; and Flamethrowintexan, Ricky Frazier, 115.

Two other stakes will be offered on the undercard. The

$150,000

Robert F. Carey Memorial H. (G3) drew nine contestants for eight furlongs on

the turf, including multiple stakes winners THERECOMESATIGER (Tiger Ridge) and FORT PRADO

(El Prado [Ire]), the one-two finishers, respectively, in the recent Sea o'Erin

Breeders' Cup Mile H. at Arlington. Therecomesatiger shipped to Canada to face a

much deeper field in the Woodbine Mile (Can-G1) last time, and the Tom

Proctor-trained gelding rallied well through the stretch for sixth, beaten only

3 1/2 lengths. Multiple Grade 3 victor Fort Prado also owns the class to claim

top honors. The Chris Block charge missed by only a neck when second in last

year's Carey.

Multiple Grade 3 queen RICH IN SPIRIT (Repriced) headlines a group of 12

distaffers entered for the

$100,000

Indian Maid Breeders' Cup H. over 1 1/16 grassy miles. Fifth to leading

American turf female Gorella (Fr) (Grape Tree Road [GB]) in the Beverly D. S.

(G1) last out, Rich in Spirit rolled to a smart 1 1/2-length triumph in the

Locust Grove H. (G3) at Churchill Downs two starts back. STORMINA (Gulch) and

STRETCHING (Red Ransom) are part of a dangerous entry, and Grade 3 winner ROYAL

COPENHAGEN (Fr) (Inchinor [GB]) could make her presence felt.