Saturday, August 02, 2008

Del Mar Stable Notes 8/1/8

JOEL ROSARIO IS TURNING UP THE HEAT IN JOCKEYS' RACE

Patience is a virtue, they say, and perhaps it's no more evident than on the racetrack.

Right now, that seems to be what's working best for young rider Joel Rosario, who has put together two consecutive three-win days to vault into second place in the jockey standings, just two victories behind season-long leader Rafael Bejarano's 16. Rosario's two triples give him six for the week and pushed him ahead of Tyler Baze 14-13.


Of his fast start, Rosario, a 23-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, said, "I'm very happy with this very good start. I feel good on this surface [Polytrack] and the horses I ride like it, too."

Trainers John Sadler and Jack Carava, for whom he rode winners Thursday, praised his skills and his patience. Said Sadler: "He's a very good young rider on his way up. I spotted him while he was riding up north [at Golden Gate Fields] and he did well for me on some horses. He definitely has the right way about him, although he still has room to improve. That's encouraging."

Carava is equally impressed with the rider, saying, "I think the patience he shows is his attribute. You can see it when he rides. If horses pass him on the backstretch he doesn't get anxious and send his horse after them. He just stays patient and makes his run. He seems to fit the artificial surface, too.

"He gets horses to finish well and that helps him get the wins. He's a happy kid, too, and he's going to get better."

ZENYATTA ODDS-ON TO CAPTURE HER SEVENTH IN A ROW

The undefeated Zenyatta is the 3-5 morning-line favorite to win her seventh race in a row and to keep her record clean in Saturday's Grade II, $300,00 Clement L. Hirsch Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Zenyatta, with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in the saddle, heads a prospective field of nine.

Here are the other morning-line odds: Tough Tiz's Sis, Aaron Gryder, 4-1; Romance Is Diane, Rafael Bejarano, and West Coast Swing, Tyler Baze, 10-1; Dawn After Dawn, Victor Espinoza, 15-1; Silver Z, Joe Talamo, 20-1; Placid Lake, Alonso Quinonez, and Model, Michael Baze, 30-1.

HOT SADLER BARN CATCHES TRAINING LEADER MIKE MITCHELL

John Sadler's one victory Thursday pulled him into a tie with Mike Mitchell atop the trainer standings. Each has saddled eight winners.

Coming on the heels of two Sadler wins Wednesday, including Zappa's victory in the Cougar II Handicap, Thursday's winner's circle appearance enabled him to tie Mitchell, a six-time Del Mar champion trainer. Mitchell won the Santa Anita training title 33-28 over Sadler, and the latter won the Hollywood Park title with 30 wins. Mitchell was fourth with 15.

A big part of the Sadler win total comes from horses trained for Gary and Cecil Barber, who lead the owner standings with eight victories in 16 starts and winnings of $344,200, also tops among owners.

Sadler has saddled five winners for the brothers and said of them: "They like the whole thing about racing. They love to bet and they like the action."

MAJOR PREPS FOR GRADE I EVENTS DRAW NUMEROUS BIG NAMES

Nominations for next week's Grade III Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, Grade II La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-old fillies and Grade II Best Pal Stakes for 2-year-olds number 13, 19 and 16, respectively.

Also, there are nine nominations for the $100,000 Real Good Deal Stakes for 3-year-old Cal-breds to be run Friday, August 8 at 7 furlongs.

Headlining Wednesday's $150,000 Sorrento Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong prep on the main track for the Grade I, $250,000 Del Mar Debutante on Monday, September 1, are Landaluce Stakes winner Emmy Darling, trained by Christopher Paasch, and Cinderella Stakes victress Trifecta King, trained by Doug O'Neill. Other nominees include Hollywood Park winners Paul Aguirre's Amina and John Sadler's Evita Argentina.

A second Paasch nominee already committed to the race is Stardom Bound, who had early trouble but roared down the stretch to miss by a nose at Del Mar in her debut July 20.

In the 1 1/16-mile La Jolla on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course Saturday, Oceanside divisional winner Dixie Chatter heads the nomination list, along with Moral Compass, loser by a nose in the other Oceanside division, Cinema Handicap winner at Hollywood Park Tiz West and Triple Crown campaigner Yankee Bravo, who won the California Derby, was third in the Louisiana Derby, fourth in the Santa Anita Derby and 10th in the Preakness Stakes.

La Jolla prospects are being primed for the Grade II, $400,000 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on the turf on Sunday, August 31.

With the 2-year-old championship as the ultimate goal, Sunday's $150,000 Best Pal Stakes features a list headed by Hollywood Juvenile Championship winner Azul Leon, undefeated in two starts, from the O'Neill barn, as well as double winner Desert Party, who captured the Grade II Sanford Stakes in the mud for Eoin Harty at Saratoga Race Course July 24, and impressive Del Mar winners Charlie's Moment for Walther Solis, Fu Peg He Rat for Clifford Sise Jr. and Miguel's Mascot, trained by J. Eric Kruljac.

The Grade I, $250,000 Del Mar Futurity is scheduled for the meet's closing day, Wednesday, September 3.

GLEN STUTE PAIR BRINGS ECHOES OF HIS LATE FATHER, WARREN

Trainer Glen Stute sent out a pair of workers this morning that brought back memories of his late father, the veteran trainer Warren Stute, who died last summer at age 85.

Making the work tab were Stubborn Stute and In Daddy's Honor, the latter posting a bullet 35.20 for 3 furlongs in what reflected the Stute's "old school" way of blowing out a runner due to race in a couple of days.

In Daddy's Honor is entered to run for a claiming price of $40,000 in Sunday's fourth race at 6 1/2 furlongs. Stute claimed the 3-year-old filly for $25,000 for owner Bo Hirsch and ran her back to win for a $32,000 tag. The filly, Stute said, wasn't named for his father, but "I take it as honoring my dad."

Of Stubborn Stute, named by Bo Hirsch, the younger Stute acknowledged that his father had that kind of reputation, but he really wasn't that way, the son said. "I've never known a more giving man," he said.

SHORE LINES -- A group of San Diego Padres was at the track Thursday to try their hand at handicapping. The group included Adrian and Edgar Gonzalez, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Nick Hundley and Chase Headley ... Brad Hennegan, the younger of the two brothers who made the movie, "First Saturday in May," will be in the Plaza de Mexico, across from the Silks Gift Shop to sign the DVD of the movie Sunday from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. ... Trainer Kathy Walsh has expressed enthusiasm for the way 2007 Del Mar Futurity winner Georgie Boy is training toward a comeback from back problems that developed while preparing for the 2008 Kentucky Derby. She cautions, however, that it's unlikely he'll race at the seashore this season ... Trainer Robert Holtus' Grade I American Oaks winner Pure Clan continued her progress toward the Grade I Del Mar Oaks with a solid 4-furlong drill at Churchill Downs in 48.20 on a main track rated "fast" ... Workouts of note today at Del Mar: Bob Baffert's Midnight Lute and Bob Hess Jr.'s Hewitts posted the best work time for 5 furlongs, 59.20; Salute the Sarge, 1:00.60 for the same distance for Eric Guillot, whose Joshua's Dream fired a bullet 46.80 for a half-mile; Mr. Napper Tandy, possible for the Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic Sunday, August 24, covered a half-mile in 49 flat, and Craig Dollase's Unusual Smoke sizzled 6 furlongs in 1:11.60.

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TRAKUS FACTS -- Thurs., 7/31 -- Peak Speed: Race 3 (Polytrack) -- Put Back the Zip -- 42.8 mph (first 3/16ths); Fastest Late Stretch Run: Race 8 (Polytrack) -- Friendly Half -- 43.3 mph (final 16th). No turf races Thursday.

DEL MAR COMBINED JOCKEY & TRAINER STATISTICS
(Current Through Thursday, July 31, 2008)

Jockey -- Mts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won
Rafael Bejarano -- 68 -- 16 -- 15 -- 15 -- 24% -- $969,943
Joel Rosario -- 71 -- 14 -- 4 -- 12 -- 20% -- $474,300
Tyler Baze -- 72 -- 13 -- 8 -- 13 -- 18% -- $593,352
Garrett Gomez -- 47 -- 7 -- 9 -- 5 -- 15% -- $530,900
Victor Espinoza -- 59 -- 7 -- 8 -- 8 -- 12% -- $457,452
Alex Solis -- 43 -- 5 -- 12 -- 5 -- 12% -- $305,560
David Flores -- 44 -- 5 -- 7 -- 8 -- 11% -- $574,346
Joseph Talamo -- 48 -- 5 -- 3 -- 4 -- 10% -- $245,248
Alonso Quinonez -- 36 -- 5 -- 2 -- 6 -- 14% -- $162,120
Aaron Gryder -- 31 -- 5 -- 1 -- 1 -- 16% -- $359,759

Trainer -- Sts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won
John W. Sadler -- 36 -- 8 -- 12 -- 1 -- 22% -- $516,254
Mike R. Mitchell -- 31 -- 8 -- 4 -- 4 -- 26% -- $571,030
Doug F. O'Neill -- 34 -- 6 -- 9 -- 4 -- 18% -- $275,129
Peter Miller -- 17 -- 5 -- 3 -- 2 -- 29% -- $158,100
Jerry Hollendorfer -- 21 -- 5 -- 1 -- 8 -- 24% -- $226,176
Clifford W. Sise, Jr. -- 9 -- 4 -- 2 -- 1 -- 44% -- $107,900
Gary Stute -- 11 -- 4 -- 2 -- 1 -- 36% -- $79,700
Eoin G. Harty -- 8 -- 4 -- 0 -- 0 -- 50% -- $280,840
Carla Gaines -- 10 -- 3 -- 2 -- 2 -- 30% -- $147,000
Barry Abrams -- 14 -- 3 -- 1 -- 2 -- 21% -- $175,060

Winning Favorites Report
(Current Through Thursday, July 31, 2008)

Winning favorites -- 23 out of 119 -- 19.33%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 4 out of 12 -- 33.33%
In-the-Money favorites -- 78 out of 119 -- 65.55%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 10 out of 12 -- 83.33%

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