Yankee Bravo, third in the Louisiana Derby and fourth in the Santa Anita Derby before finishing 10th in the Preakness Stakes, is on the comeback trail with a start in Saturday's Grade II, $150,000 La Jolla Handicap on trainer Patrick Gallagher's agenda.
"We're looking at the La Jolla," Gallagher said this morning.
Alex Solis has the call on Yankee Bravo.
Yankee Bravo is one of eight early prospects for the La Jolla. Also expected for the Derby prep are Bingham, trained by Jeff Mullins; Coronel Moldes, John Sadler; Liberian Freighter, Neil Drysdale; Tangled Tango, Julio Canani; Tiz West, Richard Mandella; Crimson Star, Christopher Paasch, and Sky Cape, Kristin Mulhall.
Tangled Tango, Liberian Freighter and Crimson Star all come out of the Oceanside Stakes division won by Dixie Chatter, who will pass the La Jolla and go directly to the Del Mar Derby. Liberian Freighter and Tangled Tango dead-heated for third and Crimson Star was seventh.
Tiz West comes to the race from a victory in Hollywood Park's Grade III Cinema Handicap, his third win of 2008. Sky Cape has been off since winning the Alcatraz Stakes at Golden Gate Fields May 24.
ZENYATTA EXITS HIRSCH FINE; CONNECTIONS LOOK AHEAD
Wearing a broad smile seemingly inspired by awe over the brilliance of the undefeated Zenyatta, trainer John Shirreffs was pleased to report his seven-for-seven filly came out of Saturday's Clement L. Hirsch in fine shape.
Wearing breeder-owner Jerry Moss's lucky No. 8 on her saddle cloth and breaking from Post 7, victory seemed deemed by the racing gods. From all indications, however, she didn't seem to need any help as she cruised comfortably behind the leaders for the first three-quarters of a mile of the 1 1/16-mile race on the main track.
When jockey Mike Smith asked for her big run, she went into "Charge!" mode and went whipping past the field to score an easy one-length win under wraps in the record-setting time of 1:41.48.
The soft-spoken Shirreffs said the 4-year-old daughter of Street Cry would most likely show up next in Oak Tree's Lady's Secret Handicap September 27 as she preps for the $2-million Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic at Oak Tree October 24.
BAFFERT'S BI-COASTAL DOUBLE INCLUDES FIRST SEASON WIN HERE
Trainer Bob Baffert's barn, winner of seven straight training titles from 1997-2003, posted its first victory of this summer's meeting Saturday, the 16th racing day here, when Bettin an Sweatin won the eighth race.
It was appropriate that the win came for longtime client and good friend Mike Pegram, whose Real Quiet gave Baffert his second straight Kentucky Derby victory in 1998, following the win in 1997 by Silver Charm.
Baffert was bi-coastal with winners Saturday as his 2-year-old filly champion from last year, Indian Blessing, romped home to capture Saratoga's Grade I Test Stakes by seven lengths.
SADLER AND BEJARANO STEALING AWAY IN RESPECTIVE RACES
Trainer John Sadler, posting his sixth win of the week Saturday, opened up by two victories over early leader Mike Mitchell and defending titlist Doug O'Neill, 10-8.
In the race for leading jockey, Rafael Bejarano continued to build his lead over his closest foes with two victories Saturday. His 20 wins give him a six-victory cushion over runner-up Joel Rosario, who was riding Saturday in the Claiming Crown races at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn. Among his three rides, his highest finish was a third aboard Simply Run.
Tyler Baze sits third on the list with 13 wins, and Victor Espinoza and Garrett Gomez are tied at seven, to fill out the top five.
11 TOP 2-YEAR-OLD FILLIES SET FOR GRADE III SORRENTO STAKES
Eleven hopeful 2-year-old fillies, including the first three finishers in Hollywood Park's Landaluce Stakes and the winner of Hollywood's Cinderella Stakes, are set to go to the post in Wednesday's Grade III Sorrento Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on Del Mar's main track.
Heading the field is Emmy Darling, the John Sadler-trained winner of the Landaluce; Glitter City, who was runner-up for trainer Jeff Mullins, and Cosmic Queen, third in the race for trainer Christopher Paasch. The Doug O'Neill-trained Trifecta King comes to the race from her win in the Cinderella.
Sadler, O'Neill and Paasch will send two fillies each to the post. Maiden winner Evita Argentina is Sadler's other representative and non-winners Silar Rules and Stardom Bound will be O'Neill's and Paasch's other starters, respectively.
Here's how they'll line up from the rail, with weights and riders: Trifecta King, 121, Michael Baze; Emmy Darling, 123, David Flores; Cosmic Queen, 119, Garrett Gomez; Upper Manhattan, 117, Aaron Gryder; Dash Dot Dash, 119, Rafael Bejarano; Stardom Bound, 117, Mike Smith; Glitter City, 119, Martin Garcia; Evita Argentina, 119, Tyler Baze; Malusita, 119, Joel Rosario; Silar Rules, 117, Corey Nakatani; Amina, 119, Victor Espinoza.
PENDLETON MARINES TO HAVE DAY AT THE RACES ON MONDAY
A group of 350 Marines from Camp Pendleton in Oceanside will be at the Del Mar races Monday as guests of the Thoroughbred Thank You Fund and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
The "Thank You Fund" was created in 2005 by West Point Thoroughbreds' president Terry Finley, a 1986 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, as a way of honoring troops who have served in Iraq. The fund provided an all-expense paid day for 200 soldiers from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, at the 2005 Kentucky Derby. The fund sent troops to Del Mar in 2006 and 2007 for a similar day, as well to such special events as the Breeders' Cup and Belmont Stakes.
On Monday, those Marines attending will receive lunch in the Seaside Cabana and a wagering voucher.
Of Monday's "Thank You Fund" fete, Jeff Bloom, West Point Thoroughbreds' executive vice president of West Coast operations, said: "Del Mar has been a wonderful partner [in the project]. They could not have been more enthusiastic and accommodating."
SHORE LINES -- Jockeys Mike Smith and Rafael Bejarano posted two victories apiece Saturday to add $200 to the total donated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club to the Don MacBeth Foundation. DMTC donates money each time a jockey has a multiple-win day at the meeting and the total, through Saturday, stands at $2,900. Bejarano has marked up five multiple-win days and Joel Rosario has posted four, including back-to-back triple win days on this past Wednesday and Thursday.
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TRAKUS FACTS -- Sat., 8/2 -- Peak Speed: Race 7 (Polytrack) -- Meteore -- 44.5 mph (first 3/16ths); Race 10 (turf) -- Magna Cum Laude -- 40.6 mph (first 3/16ths); Fastest Late Stretch Run: Race 8 (Polytrack) -- Bettin and Sweatin -- 38.8 mph (final 16th); Race 10 (turf) -- Royal Albert -- 36.9 mph (final 16th).
DEL MAR COMBINED JOCKEY & TRAINER STATISTICS
(Current Through Saturday, August 2, 2008)
Jockey -- Mts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won
Rafael Bejarano -- 82 -- 20 -- 20 -- 15 -- 24% -- $1,138,750
Joel Rosario -- 76 -- 14 -- 4 -- 13 -- 18% -- $483,940
Tyler Baze -- 84 -- 13 -- 10 -- 14 -- 15% -- $633,422
Victor Espinoza -- 68 -- 7 -- 9 -- 10 -- 10% -- $488,610
Garrett Gomez -- 51 -- 7 -- 9 -- 7 -- 14% -- $550,875
Alex Solis -- 48 -- 6 -- 12 -- 7 -- 13% -- $352,040
Martin Garcia -- 55 -- 6 -- 6 -- 7 -- 11% -- $261,954
Mike Smith -- 32 -- 6 -- 5 -- 2 -- 19% -- $451,441
Aaron Gryder -- 35 -- 6 -- 1 -- 2 -- 17% -- $407,839
David Flores -- 52 -- 5 -- 8 -- 8 -- 10% -- $601,363
Trainer -- Sts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won
John W. Sadler -- 46 -- 10 -- 15 -- 2 -- 22% -- $649,957
Doug F. O'Neill -- 41 -- 8 -- 10 -- 5 -- 20% -- $347,009
Mike R. Mitchell -- 34 -- 8 -- 4 -- 5 -- 24% -- $594,470
Jerry Hollendorfer -- 25 -- 6 -- 1 -- 9 -- 24% -- $250,689
Peter Miller -- 20 -- 5 -- 3 -- 2 -- 25% -- $159,500
Clifford W. Sise, Jr. -- 12 -- 5 -- 2 -- 2 -- 42% -- $152,460
Gary Stute -- 12 -- 4 -- 2 -- 1 -- 33% -- $80,100
Eoin G. Harty -- 8 -- 4 -- 0 -- 0 -- 50% -- $280,840
J. Eric Kruljac -- 8 -- 3 -- 3 -- 1 -- 38% -- $145,840
Patrick Gallagher -- 15 -- 3 -- 3 -- 1 -- 20% -- $142,940
Winning Favorites Report
(Current Through Saturday, August 2, 2008)
Winning favorites -- 30 out of 137 -- 21.90%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 6 out of 15 -- 40.00%
In-the-Money favorites -- 90 out of 137 -- 65.69%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 13 out of 15 -- 86.67%