Garrett Gomez to ride Carano in Cal Cup Classic

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (Sports Network) - Shoemaker Award-winning jockey Garrett Gomez, fresh off his two-win performance in the Breeders' Cup, will be aboard longshot Carano in Sunday's $250,000 California Cup Classic.

The Classic is the featured race on the day at Santa Anita Park that highlights California-bred thoroughbreds.

Gomez won the Bill Shoemaker Award after he rode two winners last Saturday in the 22nd Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. He won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with Stevie Wonderboy and then captured the Breeders' Cup Mile on Artie Schiller. The Shoemaker Award is presented annually to the outstanding jockey in the Breeders' Cup.

In the 1 1/8 mile California Cup Classic, Gomez will ride Carano from the outside post in the eight-horse field. Carano will be making his stakes debut for owners Al and Sandee Kirk and trainer Craig Lewis. The four-year-old gelding has won two of five career starts for $81,160.

Desert Boom, with jockey Roberto Gonzalez, is coming off a pair of third-place finishes in the Longacres Mile and the Hawthorne Gold Cup. The five-year-old gelding has earned $594,420 in his career and is owned by Robert D. Bone and trained by Art Sherman. Desert Boom will break from post four.

Former Triple Crown hopeful, Texcess, will start from post six with Victor Espinoza in the saddle. Texcess was third in the San Rafael Stakes early this year at Santa Anita. He followed that effort with a second-place finish in the San Mateo Mile at Bay Meadows back in February.

A ninth-place finish in the Lane's End Stakes knocked him out of Kentucky Derby contention. Texcess is owned and trained by Paul Aguirre. The three- year-old has won three of nine career starts for $770,625.

Completing the field for the California Cup Classic are Devil Badgett, McCann's Mojave, Cheroot, Deputy Doc Renzi and Mr. Joe C.