Wishing Gate impresses in San Clemente

"It sure is great to be winning at the highest level," Stevens said. "That's why I came back.

To win one at Del Mar is special. And I know this track is special for Mr.

(Leonard) Lavin (owner of Glen Hill Farm). I know he's somewhere today --

probably Chicago -- watching this and I'm sure it made him happy."

"That ride was perfect," Proctor said. "You couldn't ask for a better trip.

It's a pretty fair turf course. I didn't think about the pace. I don't think a

whole lot. I just hope for the best."

Unusual Way finished second by 1 1/4 lengths from Iotapa, who ran evenly in

third. Charlie Em reported home fourth, and Judy in Disguise, Lilbourne Eliza,

Disko Dasko, Miss Empire and Kyriaki concluded the order of finish. Foxy Boss,

one of a trio of James Cassidy entrants along with Lilbourne Eliza and Disko

Dasko, was withdrawn. The also-eligible Broken Sword was already scratched.

Wishing Gate rewarded her backers with a $12 win mutuel, and nearly doubled

her own bankroll to $185,344 from her 8-3-2-0 record. The bay filly had taken

the same Chicago-to-Del Mar route a year ago. After a rallying fourth in her

debut sprinting five furlongs over Arlington Park's Polytrack, Wishing Gate

shipped to Del Mar for her aforementioned maiden score. She was a troubled

eighth next time in the Oak Tree Juvenile Fillies Turf, but bounced back with a

runner-up effort in the Surfer Girl at Santa Anita in October.

Making her sophomore debut in an April 21 Keeneland allowance, Wishing Gate

had to check in traffic when trying to close off a tepid pace, and ended up

eighth. Stevens said that he "butchered" that first ride aboard the filly, and

was glad to have the opportunity to set things right on Sunday.

"This gets me right -- this redeems me," Stevens said. "I rode this filly in

an allowance race at Keeneland this spring and I absolutely butchered her. Cost

her the race, for sure. So to win this one today on her helps make up for that

one. She's a good filly and she's progressing."

Wishing Gate raced twice in the interim, both at Arlington. A late-running

second on May 18, she profited from stalking tactics to capture an entry-level

allowance last time out on June 23.

The Florida-bred scored the Del Mar graded win that had eluded her dam. Rich

in Spirit was fifth in the 2005 Del Mar Oaks in her only appearance where the

turf meets the surf, and Wishing Gate is now a prime contender for that same

Grade 1 affair on August 17.

"Now you'd have to think about the Oaks," Proctor noted.

Rich in Spirit won stakes in three straight seasons, taking the 2004 John

Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf before earning Grade 3 laurels in the 2005 Regret

and 2006 Locust Grove. The daughter of Repriced placed in seven other stakes,

including the Mint Julep, Modesty and Virginia Oaks, and retired with a mark of

26-7-5-3, $606,066.

Wishing Gate's fourth dam, 1987 Beverly D. heroine Dancing on a Cloud, is a

half-sister to Canadian champion Kamar, Grade 1 star Love Smitten and Grade 3

winner Stellarette, all influential matrons. Kamar, the 1990 Broodmare of the

Year, is responsible for Canadian champion Key to the Moon, multiple Grade 1

queen Gorgeous and Grade 1 winner Seaside Attraction, and her extended tribe

includes such champions as Fantastic Light and Golden Attraction. Love Smitten

produced multiple highweight Swain, while Stellarette is the ancestress of

successful sire Northern Afleet.

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