Giant Oak and Mister Marti Gras increase trainer Chris Block’s chances of winning the Hawthorne Gold Cup
The signature race of the Hawthorne season, the Grade 2 $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup, will commence on 8 October, 2011, and it will be run over a distance of 1 ¼ miles, approximately 10 furlongs, over the dirt course of Hawthorne race course.
The Hawthorne Gold Cup trophy has always been made of solid gold, and trainer Chris Block has set his eyes on the golden trophy, doubling his chances by sending out his two experienced horses.
The 4-year-old gelding, Mister Marti Gras, will be accompanied by the 5-year-old Giant Oak, as they bid for a win in the 1 ¼ mile dirt race.
The son of Giant’s Causeway, out of Crafty Oak by Crafty Prospector, Giant Oak will be seeking his first win since he nailed his season starter, Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park on 5 February, 2011, over a distance of 1 1/8 miles.
Since then, the Virginia H. Tara Trust owned horse has competed in five races and he has finished on the money twice, with a single third place finish and 3 times he has finished fifth.
On the other hand, the son of Belong to Me, out of Miss Marta by Cure the Blues, Mister Marti Gras is coming off a win in the Grade 3 Washington Park Handicap over the Arlington Park’s synthetic surface at about 1 3/16 miles on 3 September, 2011.
Mister Marti Gras, comparatively, has had a better season than his counterpart, as he has gone on to win thrice out of his six starts in the 2011 season, with twice finishing on the money with a second and a third place finish.
The race will become more intriguing with the inclusion of the talented Apart and Awesome Gem, who are the main threat for the Chris Block duo.
Trainer Chris Block is of the view that Giant Oak needs someone up front who can pave the way for the older horse, and when the time is right, Giant Oak would give it his all in the final stretch, and that is where Mister Marti Gras comes in.
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