The Grade I Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes is considered the wrap-up event of the season, usually pulling in a solid field of Breeders’ Cup entrants. This past Saturday’s $250,000 event was a little different. The 17-10 favorite, Champs Elysees, was making his first start in the United States. And the winner, 4-year-old Sunriver, was not part of the festivities at Monmouth Park.

You may recall Sunriver as one of the longer shots on the 2006 Triple Crown trail. The Todd Pletcher-trained colt finished third at the Belmont before making the switch to turf this spring. The move has paid off; Sunriver now has three wins in six attempts, including July’s Bowling Green Handicap. He paid $6.00 to win the Turf Cup.

Champs Elysees ($3.20) was 2-3/4 lengths behind Sunriver in second, followed by Spring House ($2.40) in third. Rounding out the field were Obrigado, Tissy Fit, Chief Running Bear and Heroi Do Bafra. Sudan was a scratch.

The long wait is nearly over. The most anticipated event on the horse racing calendar, the Breeders’ Cup, goes this Friday and Saturday at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. The field and post positions for each race will be determined on Tuesday.

Sunday was a busy day of prep work, as several Cup contenders wrapped up their final workouts at nearby Belmont Park. Among the horses who looked especially good were , Discreet Cat (Dirt Mile), Indian Blessing (Juvenile Fillies) and In Summation (Sprint).

The Belmont Park turf appeared a bit soft, which didn’t suit Wait a While (Filly and Mare Turf) nearly as much as it did English Channel. Water may be the running theme at this year’s Cup; the weather forecast for the Jersey shore calls for a chance of showers almost all through the week and into the weekend. The turf conditions at Monmouth Park should be part of every horseplayer’s homework.

Before next month’s Breeders’ Cup, there’s a key date for horse players at Belmont Park: Sept. 30. The venerable Long Island “Championship Track” will host four Grade I stakes races, headlined by the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup. This year, those races have added importance thanks to their inclusion in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge.

The 1 1/2-mile dirt track, which first opened in 1905, is most famous for the Belmont Stakes. The New York Racing Association has promoted the final leg of the Triple Crown heavily over the past decade, turning the June race into a “Festival” with the requisite parades and food fairs.

Big Sandy, as the track is called, also hosts the prestigious New York Handicap Triple in May. The feature event of the three is the Metropolitan Handicap, also known as the Met Mile. This year’s winner was Corinthian, who picked up a cool $450,000 and upset Lawyer Ron in the process.