Hard Aces wins $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita (The Associated Press)

Hard Aces charged up the rail to win the $500,000 Gold Cup by a nose over Hoppertunity on Saturday at Santa Anita under Triple Crown-winning jockey Victor Espinoza. Earlier in the day, Espinoza appeared in the winner’s circle with Triple Crown champion American Pharoah and then denied Bob Baffert, who trains Hoppertunity and Amercian Pharoah, the day’s biggest prize in front of 21,528. ”I lost a little ground at the start from being bumped by Batti Man, he took me out of the race a little,” said Espinoza, who was last in a field of 11 turning down the backside.