2023 Tokyo City Cup Preview | Baffert’s Azul Coast Returns To Dirt For Santa Anita Park Marathon

                Well beaten on turf in his most recent start, Bob Baffert’s Azul Coast returns to the main track on Sunday and heads a field of five 3-year-olds and up going a marathon mile and one half in the Grade III, $100,000 Tokyo City Cup.

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                A well beaten 11^th at a mile and three eighths on grass in the Grade II Del Mar Handicap Sept. 2, Azul Coast was second on dirt in the mile and one half Grade III Cougar II Stakes July 23 with Juan Hernandez, who rides back on Sunday.

                A 6-year-old full horse by Super Saver, Azul Coast is owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. 

                A winner of the Grade III Native Diver Stakes in November of 2021, he seeks his second stakes victory and third overall stakes win.  With an overall mark of 16-4-3-1, he has earnings of $282,580.

                Although distanced at a mile and one quarter in the Grade I Pacific Classic Sept. 2, Order and Law proved he was still plenty competitive two starts back when he rolled to a 2 ¼ length score under Kent Desormeaux at odds of 14-1 in the Grade III Cougar on July 23 at Del Mar.

                Trained by Bob Hess, Jr., Order and Law, a 7-year-old ridgling by Violence, will be making his 44^th career start in the Tokyo City Cup and will be ridden for the second time in-a-row by Edwin Maldonado.

                Owned by Larry Buckendorf, Jeffrey Lambert, Lawrence Rodriguez, et al, Order and Law will be seeking his second graded stakes win and his third overall added money win dating back to victory in the ungraded Laurel Futurity in August of his 2-year-old year. 

THE GRADE III TOKYO CITY CUP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 9 | Approximate post time 3:30 p.m.

1. Missed the Cut—Umberto Rispoli—124
2. Kiss Today Goodbye—Hector Berrios—126
3. Donner Lake—John Velazquez–122
4. Order and Law—Edwin Maldonado—126
5. Azul Coast—Juan Hernandez–126

                First post time for a nine-race card which will include three other stakes on Sunday is at 1 p.m.  Admission gates open at 11 a.m.