Recent Team Valor purchase Crimson China headed to CashCall Futurity

Recent Team Valor purchase Crimson China headed to CashCall

Futurity

CRIMSON CHINA (Giant's Causeway), a recent acquisition by Team Valor International, will be

flown to California from England to run in the $750,000 CashCall Futurity (G1)

at Hollywood Park on December 18.

"He will be coming on the 16th," Team Valor president Barry Irwin confirmed

Sunday from Lexington, Kentucky. "We just bought him last weekend.

"He has run two times, both on all-weather tracks in England," Irwin

said of

the colt trained by Brian Meehan. "He came flying in his first race at one mile

at Kempton and got beat a nose.

Then he won easily in his second start at a mile and a sixteenth at Wolverhampton.

"He's well-bred, by Giant's Causeway out of a stakes-winning Mr. Greeley

mare, Parisian Affair," Irwin continued. "We're hoping he's a Kentucky

Derby (G1)-type of horse, and if he could finish first or second in this race, that

would give him a lot of earnings for the Derby and take some of the stress off

needing more earnings next spring.

"It looks like there is a lot of speed in the race," said Irwin, indicating

that would be to the benefit of the closer. Crimson China will be ridden by

Garrett Gomez, who has won the last two runnings of the CashCall Futurity aboard Pioneerof the Nile and

Lookin at Lucky.

"Crimson China will go to Graham Motion at Palm Meadows in Florida after the

race," added Irwin, hoping to continue Team Valor's recent success.

"We won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) with Pluck (More Than Ready), then the Matriarch

(G1) with

Gypsy's Warning (SAf) (Mogok) and Saturday the top three-year-old filly race in South Africa

(Cape Fillies Guineas [SAf-G1]) with

Ebony Flyer (Jet Master)."

Two other invaders, both from Florida, are also expected for the CashCall Futurity,

which will be run at 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track.

Calder-based trainer Steve

Standridge is considering GOURMET DINNER (Trippi), who scored his fourth victory in five

starts in the rich Delta Downs Jackpot S. (G3) on November 20 with Sebastian

Madrid. Trainer Rick Dutrow, based at Gulfstream Park, could possibly send RUSTLER

HUSTLER (Ecton Park),

winner of stakes in his last two respective starts at Monmouth and Belmont.

The trio will be joined by locally-based COMMA TO THE TOP (Bwana Charlie),

hero of the Generous S. (G3) and Real Quiet S.; J P'S GUSTO (Successful Appeal),

victor of the

Del Mar Futurity (G1) and Hollywood Juvenile Championship (G3); the Bob

Baffert-trained duo of Hollywood Prevue S. (G3) third AWESOME PATRIOT (Awesome

Again) and Real Quiet runner-up PRAYER FOR RELIEF (Jump Start); the Doug O'Neill-conditioned pair of

Generous fifth-placer BOXEUR DES RUES (Smart Strike) and Hollywood Prevue fifth

HIGH LEVEL JEFF (Vindication); INDUSTRY LEADER (Cherokee Run), second in the

Hollywood Prevue; Delta Downs Jackpot third CLUBHOUSE RIDE (Candy Ride [Arg]);

and multiple Grade 1-placed RIVETING REASON (Fusaichi Pegasus).

California Cup Juvenile winner SLAMMER TIME (Grand Slam) heads a list of

possibles for the CashCall Futurity.