DEL MAR DAILY NOTEBOOK
MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2005
by Brian P. Turner
A mere field of five went to the gate for Monday’s 2ND race, an optional
claiming event for three-year-olds and up going eight furlongs on the grass. ST
AVERIL (Saint Ballado) was sent to the post as the favorite and went to the
front out of the gate, leading the field through dawdling early fractions of :24
2/5 and :48 3/5 as no one in the field seemed to really want the lead. Once the
field approached the stretch, it turned into an all out sprint for the wire as
less than four lengths separated the field.
St Averil rewarded the chalk players by continuing on gamely to the finish,
crossing the wire a head in front. Spencer’s Magic (Unusual Heat) had been right
with St Averil the whole way, even poking his head in front at one point in the
race, and held on for the place. It was another two lengths back to the Jeff
Mullins-trained Touch The Wire (Birdonthewire) in third.
This was St Averil’s first try on the grass but, given the European-style
early pace scenario, it is a bit difficult to determine if he has found a new
specialty or was fortunate enough to find an easy spot to make his debut.
There were three sprints contested on the main track today and horses on or
near the pace won two of them. As for the two routes, both were won by horses on
or near the lead. In addition to the second race, there was one other turf route
and one turf sprint with the route being won by a horse coming from off the pace
while the sprint was won by a front runner.
Victor Espinoza went winless on the day but still has the lead in the jockey
standings with 36 for the meet. Garrett Gomez picked up a win and is firmly in
second with 33. Patrick Valenzuela also picked up a win to maintain a tight hold
on the third spot with 27 winners to date.
As for the trainers, Jeff Mullins had a winner on the day which once more
moves him ahead of Bob Baffert in the standings by a score of 15 to 14. Doug
O’Neill went winless and remains in third having saddled 13 winners.
Horses to Watch
4TH – ROYAL FUPEG (Fusaichi Pegasus) was just asked to do too much in her
grass debut as jockey Gomez had her at the back of the pack early, some 20
lengths off the lead. Though she hit the stretch full of run and made up
ground it was too little to late as she crossed the finish line in fourth, less
than two lengths behind the winner, but was moved up to third via
disqualification. A better-timed ride next out could yield better results.
6TH – SPEED ROUSER (Flying Continental) had a very solid performance for new
trainer Jeff Mullins. The chestnut unleashed an entirely new dimension to his
game by going to the lead, where as in the past he had rallied from off the pace,
and guided the field through early fractions of :23 and :47 1/5 before digging
in gamely through the stretch drive to hit the finish line a head in front.
Outlook for Wednesday, August 24
A field of seven is scheduled to go to the gate for Wednesday’s 7TH race, an
optional claiming event for three-year-olds and up going 5 1/2 furlongs on the
main track, and the event has attracted three who have had success at the graded
stakes level in the past. HASTY KRIS (Kissin Kris) was the winner of the San
Carlos H. (G2) at Santa Anita back in February and recent winner of an optional
claiming event right here over the Del Mar strip.
Also scheduled to compete is CAPTAIN SQUIRE (Flying Chevron), who will be
returning after a lay off of well over a year. The bay has been working steadily
for his return to racing, though, including his latest clocking of :47 1/5 here at
Del Mar. SIPHONIZER (Siphon [Brz]) was the winner of the 2003 Del Mar Futurity
(G2) but has never seemed to progress much from that point as he has only been
to the winner’s circle one time since.
Wednesday’s forecast calls for partly sunny skies and highs in the low 70s.
Wednesday’s Best Plays
4TH – TRESOR LA VIE (Tresor Du Mesnil [Fr]) has fired back-to-back bullets in
the morning since being claimed out of his career debut, including his latest
clocking of :57 4/5, the fastest of 61 that worked over the Del Mar strip that
day. The chestnut will be making his first start for trainer Frank Monteleone,
who wins 25 percent of the time in the “1st After Claim” trainer category and
Valenzuela, who has combined with the trainer for a 50 percent win rate over the
last 60 days, has been enlisted for the ride. Tresor La Vie will be taking a bit
of a class jump but Monteleone is also a solid 23 percent in the “Up One Class”
category. All in all, there are a lot of things to like at what should be a
square price.