Del Mar’s Saturday stakes feature the distaff set, with the $250,000 Yellow Ribbon H. (G2) for turfistes and the $200,000 Sorrento (G2) for juvenile fillies.
Yellow Ribbon H. (G2) – Race 6 (7:34 p.m. ET)
Last year’s Del Mar Oaks (G1) heroine, Going Global, rates as the 6-5 favorite in the Yellow Ribbon. Sporting a 7-for-9 record on the turf stateside, the Phil D’Amato trainee aims to regain her winning habit following a third in the Gamely (G1). Going Global’s status is reflected by her 125-pound impost, so she’ll concede from five to seven pounds to her rivals.
Kentucky shipper Flippant is now a three-time stakes winner, after a dead-heat decision in the July 9 Indiana General Assembly Distaff at this 1 1/16-mile trip. The Vicki Oliver pupil was a course record-setter in Colonial’s Virginia Oaks last season, and Joe Bravo picks up the mount on the deep closer.
The John Sadler-trained Park Avenue is 2-for-2 on turf, both in front-running fashion, including the Ouija Board Distaff at Lone Star. Ouija Board runner-up Avenue de France has since come back to capture the Osunitas S. on this course, leaving Rocking Redhead back in third. Going Global’s stablemate, Autumn Miss (G3) scorer Burgoo Alley, has not raced since her sixth in the Jan. 29 Megahertz (G3). Frequent stakes bridesmaid Javanica, who was second to Going Global earlier this spring in the Royal Heroine (G2), rounds out the cast.
Sorrento (G2) – Race 9 (9:04 p.m. ET)
Trainer Doug O’Neill has three of the six remaining runners in the Sorrento, but Michael McCarthy has the favorite in this six-furlong stepping stone to the Sept. 10 Del Mar Debutante (G1).
McCarthy sends out Procrastination, 8-5 on the morning line in light of her eight-length wire job on debut at Los Alamitos. Ricky Gonzalez stays aboard the daughter of Not This Time, who will play catch-me-if-you-can on the rail.
O’Neill’s trio is led by the 9-5 Absolutely Zero, a Nyquist filly who beat males in the Fasig Tipton Futurity at Santa Anita. Mario Gutierrez sticks with the undefeated Reddam Racing homebred. Stablemate Vegas Magic likewise remains perfect from two starts, having gotten up in time in the Everett Nevin S. at Pleasanton. The 6-1 chance reunites with Abel Cedillo, her pilot for her Santa Anita maiden score. O’Neill’s 5-1 hope, Satin Doll, sprang a 31-1 surprise in her Del Mar unveiling, and now gets Ramon Vazquez.
Dazzlingdominika makes her first start since joining D’Amato. A Churchill Downs maiden winner on May 13, the Ghostzapper filly was subsequently sold for $120,000 in Fasig-Tipton Digital’s Ready Made Racing Flash Sale.
Classydemoiselle has her work cut out for her as a thrice-raced maiden, while Infinite Diamond scratched.
