Chief Cicatriz Wins 12th Career Stakes in Phoenix Gold Cup
Munnings’ consistent multiple stakes winner Chief Cicatriz (8g Munnings x Super Buggy, by Grand Slam) recorded his 12th stakes victory on Friday in the Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap.
Racing at Turf Paradise, the gelding was looking for his third win in the six furlong stakes after winning it in 2018 and 2019 with a third place finish last year.
Breaking from the two-hole, Chief Cicatriz raced in third a few lengths off a dueling pair of leaders. Chief Cicatriz was angled wide around the turn to take over the lead in the stretch where he opened up on most of the field. There was only one rival left with him in the final sixteenth as the stakes winning Raagheb closed in to challenge for the win. Chief Cicatriz wasn’t going to let that horse by however, finding another burst of energy to win by a neck.
It was the 16th victory in 26 starts for Roy Gene Evans’ homebred gelding, whose biggest moment came when winning the 2018 Grade III Aristides Stakes. Trained by Shawn H. Davis, Chief Cicatriz has finished on the board in 19 of his 26 starts for over $600,000 in earnings.
The first foal for his two-time winning dam Super Buggy, he is a half-brother to two others from two to race. Super Buggy is a half-sister to the dam of Argentina champion Suggestive Boy and Group III winner Subtlety with Grade I Kentucky Derby winner Orb and Grade II winner Mesabi Maiden under Chief Cicatriz’s third dam.
Super Buggy returned to Munnings last year for a full sibling to the 16-time winner.
The sire of five stakes winners and 10 stakes horses in 2021, Munnings is tied with Medaglia d’Oro in the fourth spot on the General Sires List by the number of stakes winners and is tied in fourth with Tapit by number of stakes horses.
One of the most in-demand sires in Kentucky, Munnings is booked full in 2021.