SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HORSE RACING NEWS
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and wire reports
Sky Cape Returns To Lead Field Of Nine In Del Mar Derby
La Jolla Handicap winner Sky Cape will be back to tackle a field of eight 3-year-old foes in Sunday’s 64th running of the historic Grade II, $350,000 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
The colt trained, bred and co-owned by Kristin Mulhall will have his work cut for him with the appearance in the race of Gio Ponti, winner of the Grade II Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs. The Christophe Clement-trained son of Tale of the Cat is on a two-race win streak, while Sky Cape has won three straight. Gio Ponti will have Garrett Gomez in the saddle, Joel Rosario will ride Sky Cape.
Three others entered in the Derby come in from the La Jolla: Tangled Tango, who was second for trainer Julio Canani; Madeo, who was fourth for trainer John Shirreffs, and the Richard Mandella-trained Tiz West, 10th. Tangled Tango gets Tyler Baze in the irons, Madeo has Mike Smith and Tiz West gets Victor Espinoza.
Kilderry was the winner of one division of the Oceanside Stakes for Mike Mitchell and retains Rafael Bejarano in the saddle.
The unknown factor in the race is Blue Chagall, making his first start in this country. The French-bred, trained by Canani, has run in four straight Group races in France, including the Group I Criterium International as a 2-year-old and the Group I French 2000 Guineas in his most recent outing May 11. He’ll be ridden by French-born Brice Blanc.
The others are Captain Roy, with Michael Baze aboard for trainer Bob Hess Jr., and Spinning Sound with Alex Solis for trainer Patrick Gallagher.
Eleven Entered In Grade II Palomar Handicap
Multiple graded stakes winner Vacare will lead a field of fillies and mares in quest of Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Palomar Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
The Christophe Clement-trained Vacare is high-weighted at 119 pounds, including jockey Garrett Gomez. The 5-year-old daughter of Lear Fan, owned by Rancho Santa Fe residents Jon and Sarah Kelly, was fourth in her most recent start, the Grade I Diana Handicap at Saratoga July 26.
Vacare’s resume includes victories in the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup and the Grade III Pucker Up, both in 2006, and the Grade II First Lady in 2007. The Palomar start will be her third of 2008.
Expected to offer plenty of competition are the Barry Abrams-trained duo of America’s Friend, winner of Del Mar’s Solana Beach Handicap, and Bel Air Sizzle, second in the Grade I Del Mar Oaks; and Zardana, winner of Del Mar’s Osunitas Handicap July 19. America’s Friend will be ridden again by Alex Solis, Bel Air Sizzle gets Clinton Potts back, and Aaron Gryder has the call on Zardana.
The rest of the field: Ainamaa, with Victor Espinoza; Forest Melody, Tyler Baze; Gotta Have Her, Richard Migliore; Gula Gold, Joel Rosario; Kris’ Sis, Rafael Bejarano; Live Life, Jose Valdivia Jr.; Moujane, David Flores, and Ransom Captive, Michael Baze.
The field will be limited to 10.
Nine Fillies Head For The Gate In Sunday's Torrey Pines Handicap
The return of multiple graded stakes runner Golden Doc A headlines Sunday’s $100,000 Torrey Pines Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at one mile on the main track.
It serves as a supporting stakes on the card headed by the Del Mar Derby. Golden Doc A, the top runner in the loaded Barry Abrams barn, has had some time off after finishing fourth in the Kentucky Oaks and Acorn Stakes, both Grade I races. Prior to that she was second in the Grade II Santa Ynez Stakes, first in the Grade I Las Virgenes Stakes and second in the Grade I Santa Anita Oaks, all at Santa Anita, and second in the Grade II Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland just prior to the Kentucky Oaks. Stepping up to take on Golden Doc A, who will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano, will be Briecat, with Jon Court aboard; Cry and Catch Me, winner of Santa Anita’s Grade I Oak Leaf Stakes last year, with Mike Smith; Czechers, David Flores; Dawn Before Dawn, Garrett Gomez; Distant Victory, Victor Espinoza; Foxy Danseur, Tyler Baze; Miss Singhsix, Alex Solis, and Yasinisi, no rider named. |
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 Curlin works in preparation for Woodward at Saratoga Race Course. Photo credit: Bill Roberts/Horsephotos.com |
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Brandon O'Bryan And Alonso Quinonez Make A Grade I Team
Alonso Quinonez hasn’t been a journeyman jockey for even a year yet, and he’s won three Grade I races. Few riders can make that claim.
Brandon O’Bryan, his agent and a third-generation in the game, has been in the business about three years, and he shares that Grade I record with his rider. Not many young agents can say that, either.
For all practical purposes, O’Bryan, who celebrated his 21st birthday during this meet, has been in the agent business for most of his life, beginning with days at age 8 or 9 when he followed his father, Craig, around Southern California backstretches.
“Ever since I was a little guy, I would come out to the track,” Brandon said. “My dad would go out and leave in the morning at 5:30, and if I woke up and he had left, I was upset that he had left me at home. I didn’t get up, but I knew I wanted to be out there with him.
“When I was 8 or 9 I got my own condition book and I’d mark the same races he’d mark. That’s the way I started to learn.”
A question about what he might have learned from his grandfather, George, brought a chuckle from the young man. “They called him ‘Black Heart,’” he said, without expanding. He did add, however, “It’s a little different nowadays. If I did some of the things I’ve heard that he did, I probably wouldn’t last as long as he did. Things were different then.”
Brandon’s plan for his post-high school days included a stint in college, but that went out the window during the summer of 2005. “I got a call from Octavio Vergara and I came to work for him the last week of Del Mar. We had some luck after that and won some races, and I was hooked. I’ve been an agent ever since.”
Of Quinonez, Brandon says, “He’s a really good finisher and he likes to work. He likes people, too. And that makes him a likeable guy.”
And the fact, Quinonez has two older brothers in the sport, has been a big help, Brandon said. “His brothers told him not to start until he thinks he’s ready. A lot of apprentices get excited about riding, but they really aren’t ready.
“Alonso is 24 and he made sure he was ready before he started. That’s been good for him. He lost his bug last November so he hasn’t been a journeyman even a year yet and he’s already won three Grade I races.” All three have come while riding Intangaroo for trainer Gary Sherlock.
Brandon enjoys the competition of Thoroughbred racing and he believes one of his assets is an ability to watch races and have a clear understanding of which horses had trouble, which ran well and which will be better the next time. “I think that’s one of my better qualities. I can watch a race really well.”
Ten Churros Takes Down Generous Portion Stakes on Wednesday
Jockey Clinton Potts celebrated his 37th birthday in style Wednesday with a convincing victory aboard Ten Churros in the featured $108,200 Generous Portion Stakes for California-bred two-year-old fillies.
Ten Churros, a daughter of High Brite owned by Patti and Hal Earnhardt and trained by Bob Baffert, outran Tammy’s Luck in the stretch to win by 2 ½ lengths in 1:11.61 for the six furlongs over Del Mar’s Polytrack surface.
Trash Master was third, three-quarters of a length behind the runner-up and 4 ½ lengths in front of fourth-place Atka in the field of seven fillies. Streamin Heat, 8-5 favorite, faded to last.
Ten Churros was third choice at 7-2 of the crowd of 10,531 and returned $9.80, $5.40 and $3.80 while earning $64,920. Her career earnings totals $85,567. Her record is two wins in four starts.
Tammy’s Luck paid $9.40 and $4.80, while Trash Master returned $5.20 to show.
With no perfect tickets for the second day in the Pick Six, a carryover of $473,943 will be added to the pool for Thursday’s Pick Six. Posttime for the first race is 2 p.m., with the Pick Six spanning races three through eight.
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