Treat Gently ships in for Hollywood Turf Cup

TREAT GENTLY (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]), a five-year-old mare who is a

Grade/Group 2 winner on two continents, will seek to become the second female to

win the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (G1), which will be run for the 28th time

Saturday.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott confirmed Sunday that the Juddmonte Farms

homebred will be flown to California Monday afternoon with assistant Leana

Williford. Patrick Valenzuela has the call in the 1 1/2-mile grass test.

"It's a Grade 1, and we wanted to give her an opportunity there," Mott said

of the decision to target the Turf Cup. "A mile and a half is her trip."

Treat Gently comes off a fourth-place finish against males in the Joe Hirsch

Turf Classic Invitational (G1) at 12 furlongs on a yielding Belmont Park course

October 2. Three-wide on both turns, she was beaten by 2 3/4 lengths and

finished behind Winchester (Theatrical [Ire]), Paddy O'Prado (El Prado [Ire])

and Grassy (El Prado [Ire]).

Treat Gently began her career in France with Andre Fabre and won the Prix de

Malleret (Fr-G2) at Saint-Cloud in 2008. She was shipped to the United States in

2009 and started twice for Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel before his death

last November.

The mare has been with Mott all year, capturing the Sheepshead Bay S. (G2) at

Belmont and the Robert G. Dick Memorial S. (G3) at Delaware Park.

The only female to win the Hollywood Turf Cup was champion Miss Alleged as a

four-year-old for Hall of Fame trainer Charlie Whittingham and eight-time Turf

Cup winner Chris McCarron in 1991.

Three other females finished second: Queen to Conquer in 1981, Zalataia (Fr)

in 1983 and Megahertz (GB) in 2004. In the 2008 running, females Black Mamba

(NZ) and High Heel Sneakers (GB) finished fourth and seventh, respectively.

Mott and Valenzuela share some history in the race with Fraise. The horse

crossed the wire first in 1992 but was disqualified and placed second behind

Bien Bien for interference. In 1993 Mott returned to send out Fraise to a record

six-length victory under McCarron.

Juddmonte seeks its third Turf Cup victory. Prince Khalid Abdullah's stable

won previously with Alphabatim in 1986 and Champs Elysees (GB) in 2008.

A field of at least seven is shaping up: Treat Gently; the Neil Drysdale-trained

duo of BOURBON BAY (Sligo Bay [Ire]) and MARLANG (Langfuhr), to be ridden by

Rafael Bejarano and Joel Rosario, respectively; TEMPLE CITY (Dynaformer) with

Joe Talamo; WHERE'S THE REMOTE (Unbridled Native) with Mike Smith; BUENOS DIAS

(Ire) (Peintre Celebre) with Brice Blanc; and UNUSUAL SUSPECT (Unusual Heat).

Possibles include WORTH REPEATING (Giant's Causeway), BIG SHOT SYD (Chapel

Royal) and ALLEGRE (Orientate).

Bourbon Bay and Marlang both worked seven furlongs on Hollywood's firm turf

Sunday under exercise rider Umberto Gomez. Marlang worked alone in 1:26 1/5

while Bourbon Bay was timed in 1:27 2/5 in company with Prince Rexy (Aus) (,Redoute's

Choice), who finished up in 1:28 1/5.

Hall of Famer Drysdale was happy with the way both of his runners are coming

up the race at a distance over which both are proven. Bourbon Bay is undefeated

in three starts at 12 furlongs, including the San Luis Obispo H. (G2) and San

Luis Rey H. (G2) last winter. Marlang led all the way to win the Sunset H. (G3)

over the Hollywood Park turf in July.

Temple City worked five furlongs on Cushion Track in 1:00 2/5, while Big Shot

Syd was clocked in 1:00 4/5 for the same distance.