DEL MAR LEADERS
(Through Sunday)
Jockeys / Wins
Umberto Rispoli / 5
Juan Hernandez / 4
Kyle Frey / 3
Hector Berrios / 2
(7 tied) / 1
Trainers / Wins
Bob Baffert / 3
Michael McCarthy / 3
Mark Glatt / 3
Doug O’Neill / 3
John Shirreffs / 2
John Sadler / 2
(5 tied) / 1
WEEKEND STAKES
DEL MAR
Friday
• $150,000 Fleet Treat Stakes, California-bred 3-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs
Saturday
• $400,000, Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes, 3-year-olds and up, 6 furlongs
• $300,000, Grade II San Diego Handicap, 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles
• $100,000 Daisycutter Handicap, fillies and mares, 3 and up, 5 furlongs on turf
Sunday
• $250,000, Grade II Eddie Read Stakes, 3 and up, 1 1/8 miles on turf
LOS ALAMITOS
Saturday
• $400,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity, Cal-bred 2-year-old quarter horses, 350 yards
• $225,000 Governor’s Cup Derby, Cal-bred 3-year-old quarter horses, 400 yards
• Six other Cal-bred stakes
DOWN THE STRETCH
• Grand Slam Smile tries to avenge a defeat in her only start at Del Mar when she runs in the Fleet Treat Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies on Friday. The field of 11 includes Pushiness, who led from gate to wire to beat Grand Slam Smile by 1 3/4 lengths in the CTBA Stakes in August. Since then, Pushiness is 0 for 2 at Del Mar and Los Alamitos and Grand Slam Smile is 3 for 4 in stakes at Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields. The two will have their regular riders, Frank Alvarado for Steve Specht-trained Grand Slam Smile, Umberto Rispoli for Michael McCarthy-trained Pushiness.
• Arabian Knight (Juan Hernandez riding), the 2023 Pacific Classic winner, runs for the first time since his fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic when he faces Newgrange, Subsanador, Dr. Venkman, Express Train and Katonah in the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on Saturday.
• Horses with early speed ruled opening weekend at Del Mar. Horses running first or second early went on to win the first nine main-track races Saturday and Sunday, including 33-1, front-running winner Schwarzmeier in a maiden race. Look for closers who disappointed to run better next time.
• Nationally, the race of the weekend is the $500,000, Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga on Saturday. The field of six includes Preakness winner Seize the Grey (Jaime Torres riding), Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone (Flavien Prat) and Derby beaten favorite Fierceness (John Velazquez).
• Mike Smith, who won the Wickerr Stakes with First Peace for trainer Mark Glatt at Del Mar on Sunday, went to Saratoga and rode Spirit Wind to a 5-1 upset for Saffie Joseph Jr. in the Grade II Honorable Miss Handicap on Wednesday. It was Smith’s first mount at Saratoga since 2021 and the Hall of Famer’s first win there since 2019.
Related Articles
Del Mar horse racing consensus picks for Thursday, July 25, 2024
Richard Baltas shines on Day 2 of Del Mar racing
Jockeys Umberto Rispoli, Hector Berrios shine on Del Mar’s opening day
Del Mar horse racing consensus picks for Sunday, July 21, 2024
Del Mar horse racing consensus picks for Opening Day, Saturday, July 20, 2024
• California Breeders Champions Night at Los Alamitos on Saturday features eight stakes for Cal-bred quarter horses. The Governor’s Cup Futurity’s fastest qualifier is Favorite Jesshawk (jockey Ricardo Ramirez, trainer Jesus Nunez). The Governor’s Cup Derby’s fastest trial winner is Winner’s Share (Jose Nicasio riding), one of three trained by Mike Casselman, who enjoyed this night last year by winning the Futurity with You Can See That.
• Saturday’s Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot are “win and you’re in” races for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 2. The race in England includes Rebel’s Romance and Auguste Rodin, winners of the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2022 and 2023.
— Kevin Modesti
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