Silver Cup Shines in 3rd Stakes Win

Round Table holds the record for most stakes wins during Santa Anita’s winter-spring meet, taking five for trainer Bill Molter in the 1957-58 season.

Silver Cup isn’t going to match that, but the Irish-bred filly has done everything asked of her this year.

The daughter of Almutawakel won her third graded stakes of 2006 on Sunday, beating favored Argentina and seven others in the $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap. The Grade II victory in Arcadia followed earlier scores in the San Gorgonio and Buena Vista handicaps.

Owned by Martin Schwartz and trained by Patrick Biancone, Silver Cup, the 5-2 second choice, won by half a length under jockey Victor Espinoza. In winning for the eighth time in 12 outings, Silver Cup completed the 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.13.

Espinoza, who had ridden the day before on the Dubai World Cup card, almost didn’t get back in time to keep his date with Silver Cup.

“My flight arrived at 2,” he said. “I barely made it. I got here 15 minutes before I had to check in [for the race]. I’m glad I made it. I think I was more tired than her.”

Making her first start in the U.S. for Wildenstein Stable and trainer Bobby Frankel, Argentina, the 13-10 choice, finished a nose in front of 7-1 shot Beautyandthebeast. She has been first or second in all seven of her races.

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Getting ready for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 8, Brother Derek worked six furlongs in 1:11 under jockey Alex Solis on Sunday morning at Santa Anita.

The work was termed breezing by clockers.

Owned by Cecil Peacock and trained by Dan Hendricks, the 3-year-old son of Benchmark will be looking for his third stakes win of 2006 in the Grade I Derby at 1 1/8 miles. He already has victories in the San Rafael and Santa Catalina.

Hendricks said Brother Derek would probably work six furlongs again this weekend.

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On his final day in California before he begins riding at Aqueduct on Wednesday, jockey Kent Desormeaux rode two winners for trainer Neil Drysdale.

He won the first with Macduff while subbing for Patrick Valenzuela, who was off his mounts again Sunday because of neck pain, and replaced Espinoza, who hadn’t yet arrived at Santa Anita, on 12-1 shot Grafton in the fifth.