Monday, September 22, 2008

GET FUNKY EYES MORVICH REPEAT AS OAK TREE OPENS WEDNESDAY

ARCADIA, Calif. (Sept. 21, 2008) – Defending champion Get Funky, seeking an assured Breeders’ Cup berth, heads 12 entrants in Wednesday’s Grade III, $100,000 Morvich Handicap as the Oak Tree Racing Association launches its 40th season at Santa Anita with two of the 26 racing dates comprising Breeders’ Cup XXV on Oct. 24 and 25.

The 35th Morvich, at 6 ½ furlongs over Santa Anita’s hillside turf course, is part of the Breeders’ Cup’s innovative “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series with the winner to secure a starting spot in this year’s inaugural $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.


First post for Wednesday’s nine-race card is at 1 p.m. with Oak Tree offering its popular commemorative stein giveaway for the 22nd consecutive year. This year’s stein, free with a paid admission, celebrates Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella’s unprecedented four Breeders’ Cup victories at Oak Tree in 2003.

Get Funky, a 5-year-old Florida-bred trained by John Sadler for Keith Abrahams, is unbeaten in two starts over Santa Anita’s downhill grass layout. He drew post position No. 4 and carries high weight of 121 pounds. Regular rider Jose Valdivia Jr. will be aboard.

The complete field, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Rebellion, Rafael Bejarano, 120; Siren Lure, Alex Solis, 117; Soul City Slew, Martin Garcia, 115; Get Funky, Jose Valdivia Jr., 121; Ten Meropa, Tyler Baze, 114; Easy On The Eye, Corey Nakatani, 113; Five Star Thief, Joel Rosario, 114; One Union, Victor Espinoza, 117; California Flag, Joseph Talamo, 114; Tropic Storm, Aaron Gryder, 117; Matto Mondo, Mike Smith, 116, and Desert Code, Garrett Gomez, 117.

The winner of last year’s Morvich by a neck, Get Funky could become the third horse to win back-to-back runnings of the event while joining El Cielo, 2000-01, and Impressive Luck, 1977-78.

The son of Straight Man, who has earned $604,757 from seven wins in 16 starts, will be seeking his third straight stakes victory after taking Hollywood Park’s Robert K. Kerlan Memorial Handicap and the Green Fish Handicap at Del Mar.

Get Funky will have to contend with British-bred Rebellion, a multiple-stakes winner in the East, who will be making his first start over Santa Anita’s unique downhill turf course.

With Rafael Bejarano to ride for trainer Graham Motion, Rebellion is coming off a fast-finishing second to Lewis Michael in the Grade II Pat O’Brien Handicap at seven furlongs over Del Mar’s synthetic surface on Aug. 24.

The Hickory Tree Stable runner has posted a 7-3-4 record in 18 career starts for earnings of $533,367. Rebellion has won three of nine starts on grass. He was assigned second high weight of 120 pounds.

On Saturday, Oak Tree will present six Grade I stakes races, which will constitute a guaranteed $1 million Pick Six and serve as final preps for the Breeders’ Cup. Three additional graded stakes, potential Breeders’ Cup preps, will be staged on Sunday.

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