Known Danger back to defend Winter Cup against 13 others

Known Danger is going to fight all-comers for his Winter Cup Crown this Saturday.

Here’s a few previous winners of the Winter Cup.

YEAR	WINNER	OWNER	SPEED FIGURE	TIME
2015	Barzalona	Coolk	112	2.44.01
2016	Taporis	Tenpoint	115	2.43.04
2017	How They Shine	Dixiedotco	115	2.43.63
2018	King Leo	Mightyforego	114	2.43.68
2019	Mihali The Great	Lawdro	117	2.43.13
2020	Golden Cloud	Stoners	114	2.43.77
2021	Sometimes Evil	Kingranch	121	2.42.47
2022	Known Danger	SuperTaffy	118	2.42.87

Who will join this terrific list of Champions?

SuperTaffy has the reigning, defending, undisputed, Winter Cup Champion, Known Danger (#6, 11-1) back for another trip around the Japanese turf. The four-year-old Bricks and Mortar colt was in All-World form last season when winning the Winter Cup with a 118 speed figure. Sandwiched around the win was Grade 1 victories in the Saint Legend and New Zealand Darby. The latter being accomplished with a top speed of 120. The brown colt usually wins by setting or attending the pace and this brilliant speed has been lacking from his last few efforts. With plenty of training miles under his belt since the Millwood we expect to see some early pace from Danger this Saturday.

Flagdown’s All in a Dream (#5, 8-1) comes in off a hard-charging second in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf. This son of Galileo had previously placed in the Ark so class and quality run deep through this bay colt. A Grade 1 winner at three, All in a Dream then flew home in the Ackland Cup to win by daylight. Even though it remains the only win on his card, this year, All in a Dream brings some of the best current form in the field.

Another son of Galileo to meet the starter is Tulloch’s Kiama Tyomeo (#13, 11-1). The bay colt out of the Sea the Stars, Grade 2 winning mare Henty Omeo, earned a new speed badge of 119 in the Sand Castle Golden Turf back in March. Since then he’s kept high company in marathon races. His lone Graded score came in May when he ran away with the Yorkshire Plate. Two back was a good second in the Longchamp Marathon and last time was an even 5^th in the Millwood Cup. Generally speaking his best races have been at 14 panels and fewer so the cutback in distance should suit him very well here.

Stockswami has a son of Galileo primed for a big run on Saturday. King Kam Galileo (#12, 7-1) has competed in two of the biggest races on our calendar. In both the Breeders’ Bowl Turf and the Ark de ComicDog he split the field in gallant efforts. After winning the Sword Swallower with a new speed badge of 122 he looked like he’d found a new gear. Nothing comes easy here as he faces a star-studded field in the Winter Cup. He’s a very accomplished runner who is proven over this surface and distance.

*A special IronMike moment*

This matters only to me but the Hall-of-Fame dam of King Kam Galileo, Queen Kam, won for the final time in the Grade 2 Santa Ana. In that race she beat Iron Jelly by 6 lengths. Iron Jelly is my best and most beloved race mare. It also proves I’ve been sending horrible stallions to my beloved mare. Clearly I need to do better. LOL.

The final offspring from the geat Galileo in our field this Saturday is Mightyforego’s Deep Inmyfeelings (#14, 15-1). These connections know what it takes to win this race as they took down the 2018 Winter Cup with King Leo. We covered this bay filly in her last start the Singapore Cup. We said …

In this year’s edition of the Singapore Cup we find a very interesting lightly raced filly from Mightyforego. Deep inmyfeelings (#7, 17-1) is a 4-year-old filly by Galileo making just start number nine of her young career. She was unraced at two. She raced twice and obviously wanted nothing to do with those short wimpy distances. Because when sent 11 panels or more she’s thrived. During this campaign she’s never missed the board while winning four races including last time out in the Sidewinder Too. She loves the distance and has the pedigree (Galileo x Deep Impact) of a champion. Her speed badge of 117 which she hit 42 days ago puts her right in the mix with this talented group. To me she’s the value in the race at 17’s.

I can’t add much more. This beautifully bred four-year-old is being handled to perfection with 5 wins from just 9 career starts. She’s had plenty of time to recover off her breakout performance last time, her speed badge of 119 makes her a player and maybe most of all, she should love the extra distance.

Frankster sends out Megaforma (#7, 23-1) fresh from a second place run in the Japan Classic over this surface. Last summer these connections who win at a lofty 23.8% rate, must’ve been very concerned with Megaforma as the colt kept firing and kept finishing second. Late in 2022, the son of American Pharoah figured it out and took back-to-back scores in Allowance company. This year the colt has seen the starter a horse-friendly-load-management four times. The colt has a Grade 1 winning dam who is giving him loads of class and it’s now showing. This season Megaforma has banked over $1m in purses on the back of a Stakes victory and the terrific run in the rich Japan Classic. He was moving like a runaway freight train going downhill last time out and another furlong could make all the difference for this very likable longshot.

One colt all eyes will be focused on this weekend is Willyam’s Babylon Has Fallen (#8, 6-1). Last season the Sea the Stars colt had a very consistent 2-2-2 record from 7 starts. His breakout performance came in Canada when he finished second in the Canada Turf while running a 118 speed figure. This season he ran second twice in very important Grade 1 events. This included a race two back in the Expensive Jalopy in which he ran past Known Danger in the stretch but couldn’t hold off the closing power of Balon D’or late. He took a new speed badge of 120 that day and it set him up perfectly for his career defining score in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf. On that day he was rolling late and ran away from the field to score by over 3 lengths. The rock star field included many he sees here for the Winter Cup. He’s an obvious contender trying to cap a terrific season.

A top three-year-old will meet the Winter Cup starter this Saturday. Chilimac’s Shady Sticks (#11, 24-1) a winner of the Derby de English back in June. Earlier this season the gelded son of Waldgeist stepped up to Grade 1 company and finished a very good second in the Sydney Derby. The race down under set him up perfectly to win the very important Derby in Surrey. On that day he drew off like a special horse and won with a 111 speed figure. Last time out in the Vicky Derby the gelding roared home but ran out of ground when second beaten by Good Beer. Known Danger won last year’s edition of the Winter Cup as a three-year-old and with the same type of racecard. Shady Sticks should not be ignored.

While not a horse who wins Graded races in bunches, Mano’s Takavacho (#4, 7-1) could be sitting on another big score. This gelded son of Brian Boru was terrific at three zooming through Allowance conditions and then earning Graded Stakes wins in the Hanging Chad and King Kong Vase. He’s also been a very dangerous foe this season but his wins have been spaced out throughout the year. In February he was dominate in Victoria earning a great 119 speed figure. After a loss, he ran away from them in Brazil when taking a new speed badge of 120. In the summer he was competitive but losing in tough spots until October in Italy when he toyed with his opponents in the Jockey’s Weapon. Last time out in an extremely difficult Breeders’ Bowl Turf he rallyed late for third. He was beaten by Babylon Has Fallen and All in a Dream so he’ll need to turn the tables on them. He’s a four-time Grade 1 Stakes winner who can be very salty after losing. He’s another very playable runner in a stacked event.

How much would you pay to go back in time and claim Bigrick’s Balon D’or (#2, 6-1). In late March of this year he was dropped in for a tag in Kentucky and won the race in style with a 109 speed figure. It wasn’t an easy race as Balon D’or needed to defeat former Graded Stakes winner Shady Pond. With Bigrick calling the shots the gelded son of Kitten’s Joy has won 5 of 7 starts and was a close second in the Sword Swallower behind King Kam Galileo. His best form came two and three starts back when winning back-to-back Grade 1 races by open lengths. His speed badge of 122 is tops in the field and its easy to forgive his 6^th place finish last time in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf. He did show lots of late energy in the BB Turf.

Most punters will skim past Lenny’s Secondcity Redux (#1, 10-1) and move onto more shiny and favored runners. This could be mistake. The son of I Am Invincible brings lots to the table and further enhances this race as one of the toughest fields assembled. The bay colt hails from a high percentage barn and is Graded placed three times. But what I find most enticing about Redux is his current improving form. He’s won back-to-back Stakes races in terrific come-from-behind-run-away style. His speed figures are getting better and he took a new speed badge of 116 in his latest.

Lenny’s second entrant is the speed of this race, Gnarled Shadows (#9, 8-1). The gelded son of Kitten’s Joy used the UAE as his base and was allowed to dominant Allowance company until the end of last season. The speedy roan has been tabbed in Stakes and Graded Stakes races this season often using his natural speed to bottom out the field. After earning a new speed badge of 116 it could’ve been predicted he might be ready to improve and he did. Winning the Irish Cup by four and then the Kergolay by seven. These set up for the perfect jumping off point to Grade 1 company. In both the Coalminer Cup and Breeders’ Bowl Turf he used his run-and-gun style and was just one length from winning the Coalminer. Last time out in the BB Turf he was fourth but had several rivals he faces today behind him.

Vyz’s Outback Embers (#3, 25-1) is the longest shot in the field by the Track Handicapper. The son of Dubawi has 6 wins going long on turf. He placed in two Graded marathon races one of which included a new speed badge of 107. Last time out he actually ran his race in the Millwood Cup but could only finish 9^th. He’s been stuck in the 103-107 speed range for over a year now. Something needs to change for him to challenge this field. He’s been off training and preparing for over seven weeks. Maybe that can fuel him to top this field.

Neonshadow’s Newhook (#10, 10-1) comes into this event as one of six who are looking for their first Grade 1 win. The son of Kingman was looking like a very good prospect last year. He was progressing so well he took down a Stakes race last October with a speed figure of 115. Expectations were high and everything looked very promising after an early Allowance win with a new speed badge of 117. It wasn’t until mid-summer that Newhook dispatched the Dutchland field and won a Graded race for the first time. He seems to be a stronger horse now as evidenced by two placings in Grade 1 company. He did compete over this course and distance in March finishing a dull fourth. A few mixed signals coming from Newhook. A high percentage barn adds confidence though.

Fastest Speed Badge	Fastest Speed LTO	Graded Stakes Earnings	Earnings	Wins 13f +
Balon Dor	Shady Sticks	Known Danger	Known Danger	Outback Embers
King Kam Galileo	Deep inmyfeelings	Shady Sticks	Shady Sticks	King Kam Galileo
Known Danger	Megaforma	All in a Dream	All in a Dream	Gnarled Shadows
All in a Dream	Babylon Has Fallen	Takavacho	Takavacho	All in a Dream
Takavacho	Secondcity Redux	Balon Dor	Balon Dor	Kiama Tyomeo
Babylon Has Fallen	Newhook	Babylon Has Fallen	Babylon Has Fallen	Megaforma