DEL MAR NOTES

OAKS FAVORITE PRIZE EXHIBIT PROVES A GEM FOR CASSIDY

A few weeks before the Breeders’ Cup  last fall at Santa Anita, Deron Pearson purchased a 2-year-old, English bred and raced filly named Prize Exhibit.

“No. 1, it was an opportunity to run in the Breeders’ Cup,” Pearson said Friday morning at trainer Jim Cassidy’s stable office. “And she already had black type (third in a Group III race at Newmarket) on her record.”

Prize Exhibit ran in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf in the name of English trainer Jamie Osborne and finished fourth, beaten 5 ½ lengths by Lady Eli. Accounting for $51,000 of the $90,475 earnings for the daughter of Showcasing in 2014.

Rested until January, Prize Exhibit has had a sterling 2015 campaign for Pearson and Cassidy, winning half of her six starts for earnings of $241,575. She comes into Saturday’s $300,000 Grade I Del Mar Oaks off successive victories in the Grade III Seniorita at Santa Anita on June 27 and the Grade II San Clemente here on July 19 and is the 5-2 favorite in a field of eight on oddsmaker Russ Hudak’s morning line.

“She’s done very well and she’s coming into this race as well as any,” Cassidy said.

Handicappers will note that two of Prized Exhibit’s three losses this year were at 1 1/8 miles (her recent wins at a mile). They’ll also note that the San Clemente was run over a turf course listed as “good” on a rare rainy day at Del Mar.

“There was some discussion that maybe a mile was her best distance, but the way she’s been running we think that she’ll be able to get the mile and an eighth with no trouble,” Cassidy said. “The turf will be firm this time, but she’s run on firm turf at Santa Anita and handled that pretty well.”

The field for the Oaks from the rail: Majestic Heat (Corey Nakatani, 15-1), Paulina’s Love (Tyler Baze, 12-1), Rattataptap  (Mike Smith, 12-1), Sharla Rae (James Graham, 6-1), Her Emmynency (Rafael Bejarano, 4-1), Prize Exhibit (Santiago Gonzalez, 5-2), Zipessa (Flavien Prat, 4-1) and Sunset Glow (Gary Stevens, 3-1).


PACIFIC CLASSIC NOMINATIONS CLOSE; 13 IN THE MIX

Midnight Thursday was the deadline for nominations for the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic on August 22 and forms for 13 horses  were  placed in the box.

Eleven had been submitted by Thursday morning – Beholder, Catch a Flight, Red Vine, Hard Aces, Class Leader, Midnight Storm, Big John B, Imperative, Coach Inge, Bailoutbobby and Effinex.

Two that were expected from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Bayern and Hoppertunity, were submitted later in the day on Thursday.

Trainer  Phil D’Amato, who nominated both Midnight Storm and Big John B, said Midnight Storm will go in the Classic, with Tyler Baze to ride, and Big John B in the Grade II $250,000 Del Mar Handicap on turf earlier on the Pacific Classic Day program.

Supplemental entries can still be submitted, at a cost of $10,000, before the close of entries on Wednesday, August 19. The Pacific Classic post position draw, specifically  targeted for media, will be conducted at 10:30 that morning in the  Plaza de Mexico behind the track grandstand.


SCRATCH OF ZIPESSA OPENS UP SANDY BLUE

The scratch of morning line 2-1 favorite Zipessa to run in Saturday’s Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Oaks leaves a field of five for today’s featured $80,000 Sandy Blue Handicap.

Richard Mandella-trained Spirit of Xian, fourth under Joe Talamo in the Grade II  $200,000 San Clemente Handicap on July 19, assumed the 5-2 favorite’s role on oddsmaker Russ Hudak’s revised line. Talamo will again be in the irons.

The Sandy Blue goes as the third on an eight-race card with an approximate post time of 5 p.m. First post is 4 p.m.

The field for the Sandy Blue from the rail: Havanna Belle (Tyler Baze, 6-1), Princess Charm (Victor Espinoza, 3-1), Curlin’s Fox (Mike Smith, 4-1), Singing Kitty (Aaron Gryder, 12-1) and Spirit of Xian (Joe Talamo, 5-2).


WHAT’S IN A NAME – SANDY BLUE HANDICAP

The Sandy Blue Handicap is named for the 1973 winner of the Del Mar Oaks. Sandy Blue was owned by Circle C Ranch and Witt and trained by Tommy Doyle.


COMEBACKING TARIS TOPS RANCHO BERNARDO

Taris, a 4-year-old daughter of Flatter returning to the races after a nearly eight-month layoff, will take on six rivals as the 2-1 morning line choice in Sunday’s 44th running of the Grade III $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at 6 ½ furlongs.

Trained by Simon Callaghan and to be ridden by Gary Stevens, Taris’ last competitive effort came in the Grade I La Brea on December 26, Opening Day of the Santa Anita winter meeting. In that race, Taris finished second to Sam’s Sister, the 5-2 second choice in the Rancho Bernardo.

The Rancho Bernardo will go as the fourth on a 10-race card with an approximate post of 3:30 p.m.

The field for the Rancho Bernardo Handicap  from the rail:  Tesalina (Mike Smith, 8-1), Oscar Party (Santiago Gonzalez, 15-1), Wasted At Midnight (Martin Garcia, 10-1), Taris (Gary Stevens, 2-1), Baruta (Flavien Prat, 3-1), Uzziel (Kent Desomeaux, 8-1) and Sam’s Sister (Rafael Bejarano, 5-2).


SMOOVE IT HAS CONNECTIONS FOR SOLANA BEACH SCORE

The combination of meet-leading trainer Doug O’Neill and meet-leading owner J. Paul Reddam will look to add to their numbers when they send out favored Smoove It in Sunday’s $150,000 Solana Beach Handicap, a one-mile turf run for older fillies and mares.

Smoove It, a 4-year-old daughter of Square Eddie, has been rested since being last of 10 in the Grade I Gamely Stakes on May 25 at Santa Anita. That effort came one month after a nose defeat to Blingismything in the Grade III Wilshire.

The Solana Beach will go as the ninth on a 10-race card with an approximate post of 6 p.m.

The field for the Solana Beach Handicap from the rail: Shysheisnot (Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1), Smoove It (Mario Gutierrez, 5-2), Mangita (Aaron Gryder, 12-1), Journey On (Gary Stevens, 12-1), Chati’s On Top (Santiago Gonzalez, 7-2), Heat Du Jour (Kent Desormeaux, 6-1), Kathleen Rose (Tyler Baze, 6-1), Chaulk O Lattey (Rafael Bejarano, 5-1), Majestic Heat (Fernando Perez, 8-1) and She’s Flush (Corey Nakatani, 20-1).


MITCHELL, PUYPE GUEST FOR WEEKEND HANDICAPPING SEMINARS

Clocker Thom Mitchell and trainer Mike Puype will be the guest experts on the weekend handicapping seminars.

Mitchell will offer his insights and selections on the Saturday program. Puype, a  winner of nine Del Mar stakes, will join host Millie Ball on Sunday.

The seminars commence at 12:45 and go to 1:30 p.m both days and are held at the  Seaside Terrace near the top of the stretch.


CLOSERS – Apprentice jockey Cassidy Clerisse, who won the fourth race Thursday on I Buy Gold ($63.00) is the 20-year-old daughter of veteran Quarter Horse rider Kenny Clerisse. Thursday’s win was her first on a Thoroughbred. She won an 870 –yard Quarter Horse race last weekend at Los Alamitos, where she had started galloping horses last winter… Victor Espinoza will receive the Laffit Pincay, Jr. Award in the winner’s circle after the third race Sunday …  Ship And Win eligible horses on Friday’s card are: Princess Charm (3rd, John Sadler, trainer), Where Y’At Joe Joe (6th, Keith Desormeaux), Dirt In Your Face (8th, Tim Yakteen) and I’ll Play My Hand (8th, Phil D’Amato) … Selected workouts from 120 officially clocked Friday: Dream Team (6f, 1:12.20), Arethusa (4f, 4f, :49.80) …Retired Hall of Fame jockey Don Pierce was called in Friday to bolster the group of clockers. The early morning call didn’t prevent Pierce from making a regular, several times a week, tee time at Rancho Santa Fe GC, where he’s working on bringing a 13 handicap back down to its usual 10 from the back tees.


DEL MAR STATISTICS

Jockey Standings
(Current Through Thursday, August 13, 2015 Inclusive)
Jockey Mts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% Money Won
Rafael Bejarano 109 22 18 17 20% $1,242,472
Tyler Baze 121 18 21 18 15% $1,131,380
Joseph Talamo 104 16 10 9 15% $911,420
Flavien Prat 98 14 10 16 14% $1,038,502
Santiago Gonzalez 92 12 9 8 13% $679,396
Mario Gutierrez 62 12 9 4 19% $721,876
Corey Nakatani 50 9 6 4 18% $445,806
Kent Desormeaux 55 9 5 9 16% $511,364
Martin Garcia 75 8 8 10 11% $639,580
Fernando Perez 78 7 13 12 9% $408,018

Trainer Standings
(Current Through Thursday, August 13, 2015 Inclusive)
Trainer Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% Money Won
Doug F. O'Neill 58 12 11 6 21% $759,320
Jerry Hollendorfer 47 10 5 6 21% $692,242
Peter Miller 72 9 11 10 13% $647,006
Philip D'Amato 43 8 7 6 19% $546,390
Richard Baltas 40 8 5 10 20% $408,432
John W. Sadler 28 8 2 4 29% $397,310
Mike Puype 41 7 3 7 17% $383,200
Adam Kitchingman 17 5 5 1 29% $131,890
Bob Baffert 29 5 3 6 17% $478,940
Jeff Mullins 18 5 2 2 28% $445,882

Winning Favorites Report
(Current Through Thursday, August 13, 2015 Inclusive)
Winning favorites 53 184 28.80%
Winning favorites on dirt 39 128 30.47%
Winning favorites on turf 14 56 25.00%
Winning odds-on favorites 12 21 57.14%
In-the-Money favorites 107 184 58.15%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites 20 21 95.24%