Sibling Revelry Is Possible in Cal Cup

The 16th California Cup, to be run Sunday at Santa Anita, could prove memorable for owner-breeders Al and Sandee Kirkwood and trainer Craig Lewis.

They will be represented by full siblings in two of the races restricted to California-breds. Valentine Dancer will run in the $150,000 Distaff at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf. Carano, her younger brother, will be one of eight starters in the day’s richest event, the $250,000 Classic at 1 1/8 miles.

Winner of eight of 27 starts while earning more than $1.14 million, Valentine Dancer has won two of four on the Santa Anita grass, but the Distaff will be her first try down the hillside.

“She’s coming up to this really well and I’ve always wanted to try her down the hill,” Lewis said. “Hopefully, she’ll get a clean trip and we’ll see what she can do.”

A daughter of In Excess out of the Mr. Prospector mare Gilded Dancer, Valentine Dancer will be trying to end a five-race losing streak. She last won in the Fran’s Valentine on April 24 at Hollywood Park.

Carano, a 4-year-old gelding, has won half of his six starts, including two in succession. He won on the Del Mar turf Aug. 20 before getting a dead-heat victory with Gray Black N White on Sept. 30 at Santa Anita.

Garrett Gomez, Oak Tree’s leading rider, will be aboard Carano, who will break from the outside in the field of eight. He is the co-fourth choice at 6-1 on Jeff Tufts’ morning line.

“I think he’ll run all day,” Lewis said. “How fast he’ll run, I’m not saying. We didn’t make our decision to go into the Classic until Wednesday. We had been torn between the Classic and the [$175,000] Mile [on turf].”

Desert Boom, who has won five of nine in 2005 and 14 of 35 overall, is the 2-1 favorite in the Classic.

A 5-year-old son of Boomerang owned by Bob Bone and trained by Art Sherman, Desert Boom has been worse than third only once this year, running at six tracks. Regular jockey Roberto Gonzalez will ride the gelding.

Besides the Classic, Distaff and Mile, the other Cal Cup races are the $50,000 Starter Handicap, the $125,000 Juvenile Fillies, the $125,000 Juvenile, the $100,000 Distance Handicap, the $150,000 Sprint and the $150,000 Matron.

Dream Of Summer, who edged favored Yearly Report a year ago, is back to defend her title in the Matron, and Areyoutalkintome will be seeking consecutive wins in the Sprint.

Belle’s Flag is the only previous two-time winner of the Matron, having won in 1996 and 1998. No horse has won the Sprint twice.

Texcess, the 9-2 third choice in the Classic, will be trying to become the first horse to win both the Juvenile and the Classic. He beat Generalist by six lengths a year ago for co-owner and trainer Paul Aguirre.