With Del Mar kicking off on Saturday this year, rather than a weekday, the traditional opening-day feature, the $100,000 Oceanside S., now serves as an appetizer for the $200,000 San Clemente (G2). Each one-mile turf stakes showcases aspirants for the seaside track’s marquee races in the three-year-old turf division, the Del Mar Derby (G2) and Del Mar Oaks (G1), respectively.
San Clemente (G2) – Race 9 (6 p.m. ET)
Undefeated Medoro aims to extend her sequence to five against a full field on Saturday. The Peter Eurton pupil signaled above-average ability to get up over an inadequate five furlongs in her debut here last summer. As a daughter of Honor Code and the stakes-placed English Channel mare Achira, Medoro promised to excel when stepping up in trip, and she promptly rattled off three straight stakes wins. Up in time in the Blue Norther S., and most emphatic with stronger pace support in the China Doll S., she just scraped home in the Providencia (G3).
Phil D’Amato counters with a trio led by unbeaten stakes debutante Iscreamuscream, an amusingly-named daughter of Twirling Candy and the Grade 3-winning Cozzene mare Silver Screamer. She’s 2-for-2 so far in turf sprints, but her pedigree suggests that she’ll have even more to offer over a route. Her form also ties into stakes, as the runner-up in her allowance victory, Rascality, was previously second in the Senorita (G3). The other D’Amato entrants are Zona Verde and Loterie, both with course-and-distance stakes form. Zona Verde is winless since wiring last December’s Jimmy Durante (G3), while Loterie was a troubled second to Eurton’s Flattery in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Rascality is joined by her stablemate from the Richard Mandella barn, Alluring, who must improve from a seventh in the Senorita. Perhaps taking the blinkers off will help, considering that Mandella strikes at 27% with that equipment change.
Leonard Powell’s Sakura Blossom outperformed her 28-1 odds when runner-up in the Honeymoon (G3), and British import Invincible Molly stretches out from a turf sprint score for Jeff Mullins. Antifona has regressed, though, since her 10-1 upset of the Sweet Life S. back in February. East Coast transplant Omaha Girl, now with George Papaprodromou, hopes to prosper on the circuit switch. Sea Dancer has yet to show the talent of her half-brother, Shoemaker Mile (G1) hero Johannes.
Oceanside S. – Race 7 (8 p.m. ET)
A restricted stakes for aspiring turf sophomores, the Oceanside has drawn a typically competitive cast of 11. D’Amato relies on King of Gosford, a perfect 3-for-3 since venturing stateside from Ireland. The son of Zoustar has captured two straight stakes on Santa Anita’s downhill turf, the John Shear S. and Desert Code S., and should adapt to the mile here.
The last horse to beat King of Gosford, Simplexity, now makes his U.S. debut for Dan Blacker. But he hasn’t raced since that October nursery at Dundalk. Also resurfacing for the first time as a three-year-old is Rothschild, who came within a head of taking the Cecil B. DeMille (G3) when last seen trying turf.
The John Sadler-trained Scatify reverts to turf following a distant second to Parenting in the Affirmed S. Although previously edged by stablemate Island Cruiser in a turf sprint allowance, Scatify has a license to fare better in their rematch going two turns.
Michael McCarthy is responsible for three contenders – Formidable Man, who nearly pulled off a 24-1 coup in the American Turf (G2) two back on Kentucky Derby Day; Cinema S. runner-up Blue Eyed George; and We’re in Trouble, who takes a class and distance test after winning both starts sprinting.
Guy Named Joe, third to King of Gosford and All That Glory in the Desert Code, is likely to appreciate going back up in distance here. Earlier this campaign, the Doug O’Neill trainee missed narrowly in the Pasadena S. and placed third in the El Camino Real Derby. Charge for Gold similarly appears better suited to a mile, especially if he can dictate in his comfort zone up front.
