Hawthorne Gold Cup Entries: Seven entered in deep, competitive race

Alternation, 5-for-6 this year with victories in the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) and Pimlico Special Stakes (gr. III), is the morning line favorite for the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. II), to be run on Saturday at Hawthorne Park.

Trained by Donnie Von Hemel, the four-year-old son of Distorted Humor has been competing against -- and beating -- some of the finest horses in the country, including Ron the Greek, Fort Larned, Hymn Book, and Nehro. He will be ridden on Saturday by regular rider Luis Quinonez.

Other contenders include three time graded stakes winner Nates Mineshaft, Woodward Stakes (gr. I) third-place finisher Cease, and 2011 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) winner Pool Play.

Post Positions

PP	Horse	Weight	Jockey	Trainer	M. L. Odds
1	Alternation	121	Luis Quinonez	Donnie Von Hemel	5-2
2	Eldaafer	114	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	Diane Alvarado	6-1
3	Mister Marti Gras	115	Eduardo E. Perez	Chris Block	5-1
4	Pool Play	114	Miguel Mena	Mark Casse	6-1
5	Cease	116	Jesse Campbell	Al Stall, Jr.	7-2
6	Fly Lexis Fly	112	Francisco Torres	Neil Drysdale	8-1
7	Nates Mineshaft	117	E. T. Baird	Austin Smith	4-1

-Keelerman