Florida-bred See Tobe has been installed as the 9-2 favorite in the very evenly contested Laurel Turf Cup to be run today at Laurel Park in Baltimore. The $150,000 Turf Cup has drawn a full field of 14, with two on the also eligible list, that will go 1 ½ miles on the turf course with long shot Manchurian High also carrying the Florida flag in the overflow group of contestants.
See Tobe will certainly like returning to Laurel where he has won his only race there, taking the $102,000 Japan Racing Assoc. Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on their turf course two races back on Sept. 8. Since then, the Gary Capuano trainee went to New York where he finished second to Boisterous in the Grade 3 Knickerbocker Stakes over Belmont Park’s outer turf course going 1 1/8 on Oct. 13.
Bred by Wiest – Heathers 07, See Tobe now races for Non Stop Stable who has collected $200,461 in career earnings by the 5-year-old gelding. By Concerto out of the Kris S. mare Melegant, See Tobe has two other wins from a busy 2012 with nine races this year already. He won a $33,000 allowance race at Pimlico near Baltimore in late April and a $25,000 optional claiming race at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa., in early July. See Tobe is the kind of horse that gives it his all in nearly every start it seems, as he has run worse than third in only three of his career 13 starts.
See Tobe’s regular rider Julian Pimentel will be in the irons and they will break from post eight.
Manchurian High has had a much lighter schedule this year as the Laurel Turf Cup is but his fourth start. Trained by John Secor for No Palla Stables, the son of The Daddy and out of Corredor’s Wind by El Corredor has since had two starts, finishing fifth on May 16 at Pimlico then a troubled sixth on Sept. 27 at Laurel, both against $32,000 optional claimers.
Bred in Florida by Greg Norman of Jamul, Calif., Manchurian High is also a graduate of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company 2009 August Yearling Sale where he sold for $1,000. His career earnings are now $99,130.
Jockey James Joyce has been assigned to ride Manchurian High who will break from post position 11.
The two Florida-breds will most likely receive competition from Slip and Drive, who is 4-1 in the morning line. In his last race, the McLean Robertson-trained Slip and Drive was third in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland behind Horse of the Year candidate Wise Dan on Oct. 6.
Slip and Drive breaks from post position nine and will have the riding services of Alex Cintron.
Another sure to garner support through the mutual windows is Lake Drop, a Group 3 winner in Italy before coming to the United States where he has been fourth in the American St. Leger Stakes at Arlington Park in August and fifth, beaten just more than two lengths in the Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 15.
Ramon Dominquez has the riding assignment of Lake Drop who has drawn the far outside post 14.
Photo by McCue
