With his dominating 3¼-length victory in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, Cupid became the 21st Grade or Group 1 winner by Gainesway’s three-time leading sire Tapit.
Cupid, who is campaigned by Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith, broke from post 5 in the field of seven older runners for the 10-furlong Gold Cup. He settled into a comfortable fourth under jockey Rafael Bejarano as American Freedom set a reasonable pace through six furlongs.
With a quarter-mile remaining, Bejarano moved the Bob Baffert trainee into second behind Midnight Storm, who had wrested the lead and was putting in a short-lived bid. Cupid quickly opened up by two lengths in the stretch and was easily best, crossing the wire in 2:00.89 on the fast track. Follow Me Crev closed for second, 2¾ lengths ahead of 2015 Gold Cup winner Hard Aces.
Cupid earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory.
JKG Thoroughbreds bred the Gold Cup winner in Kentucky and M.V. Magnier purchased the handsome gray for $900,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale, where the youngster was the fifth-costliest Tapit at the sale.
Cupid is out of the Beau Genius mare Pretty ’n Smart, a Grade 2 stakes-placed runner who is inbred 3×2 to full brothers and leading Canadian sires Viceregal and Vice Regent.