Trainer Henry Moreno has had some very good female runners in his long career as a conditioner in Southern California so he knows of what he speaks when he says of the undefeated 4-year-old filly Zenyatta, "I think she's a very good mare. She could be a champion, and is a champion right now, as far as that goes.
"She could be one of the all-time greats with just a few more wins."
In his own behalf, Moreno recalled the exploits of the mare he called the best he ever had, Tizna, a stakes winner for Moreno at ages 4, 5, 6 and 7. Among her victories was the 1974 Ramona Handicap, now the John C. Mabee Handicap, as well as Santa Anita's Santa Margarita twice, Santa Monica and San Gorgonio, Hollywood Park's Wilshire Handicap and New York's Ladies Handicap.
Moreno recalls that Tizna carried 132 pounds while winning the San Gorgonio at age 7.
The other major female winners for Moreno were Jalousie II, who won Del Mar's Ramona Handicap in 1964, and Sangue, who won Del Mar's Chula Vista Handicap and Ramona, both in 1983.
AZUL LEON POINTS FOR THIRD STRAIGHT IN SUNDAY'S BEST PAL
Undefeated Azul Leon, winner of the Grade III Hollywood Juvenile Championship, will be going for his third straight victory in Sunday's Grade II, $150,000 Best Pal Stakes for 2-year-olds going 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track.
The Joseph LaCombe homebred is from the first crop to race from the hot young stallion Lion Heart. Azul Leon, which means Blue Lion in Spanish, gets high ratings from trainer Doug O'Neill, who says he's very mature and professional for such a young horse.
"He's a good carrot eater," the trainer said. "That gives him good eyes for the finish line."
That skill will be tested to its limits by a band of fine 2-year-olds that probably will include Captain Steel, Charlie's Moment, Coronet of a Baron, Kelly Leak, Miguel's Mascot, S.S. Stone and Turbo Call, all winners.
The ultimate goal is the Grade I, $250,000 Del Mar Futurity on the meeting's closing day, Wednesday, September 3.
THREE-WIN DAY GIVES SADLER SERIOUS CUSHION IN TITLE RACE
The John Sadler express is turning into a steamroller as the result of a three-win day Sunday that pushed his leading total to 13 in the trainer standings and a five-win cushion against his closest competitors. The triple gave Sadler nine victories for the week.
Sadler scored in the third race with Soupy, the fifth with Sunshine Ridge and the eighth -- John C. Mabee Handicap -- with the even-money favorite Black Mamba, who won her way into an automatic spot in the $2-million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf to be run at 1 1/4 miles Friday, October 24, at Oak Tree at Santa Anita. Sadler said Black Mamba came out of the race in great shape.
The stakes victory was his third of the meet and gives him 25 overall for his Del Mar career, one behind Mel Stute, who is 10th on the list of all-time stakes winners at the seashore. Sadler could catch Stute on Wednesday, with a pair of prized 2-year-old fillies -- Landaluce winner Emmy Darling and maiden winner Evita Argentina -- in the Grade III Sorrento Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track.
A special sidelight to the win by Soupy: One of the co-owners, Fae Sanger, is a longtime fan and horse owner at Del Mar. The 88-year-old woman has had at least one horse every year with trainer Sadler, specifically to run at the Del Mar meet. With that in mind, Sadler claimed the 7-year-old gelded son of Alphabet Soup at Hollywood Park for $40,000. He ran back at the same level Sunday and was a solid 2 1/4-length winner.
Up for the win was jockey Tyler Baze, who was aboard a Sanger runner in his first career win.
Of Sunday's victory, Mrs. Sanger said by telephone this morning, "I'm still excited. John has trained for me for at least 20 years and I always have a horse to run at Del Mar." She lives on Via de la Valle, about three miles east of the track, she said.
A fourth potential Sadler winner, Rockin Rose in the fourth race, was nipped at the wire to lose by a head to the Jeff Mullins-trained Proud Garrison. Mullins posted a second victory on the day with ninth-race winner Dizzy Up the Girl.
In the jockey race, Rafael Bejarano continued to strengthen his hold on the top spot with two victories, running his total to 22. Tyler Baze had two winners, also, to move into a tie with Joel Rosario for second place with 15 winners.
OLDTIME RACETRACKERS GATHER FOR ANNUAL GET-TOGETHER
Members and guests of the Paddock Club, a group made up of former racetrack regulars, will meet today for their annual get-together at Del Mar in the Ancient Title Room.
Among the attendees will be Joe Baze, father of Russell Baze, North America's leading rider of all time in victories. On the attendance list also are former trainers Lee Mosbacher, Bill Peterson and Gary Jones and former jockeys Larry Gilligan, Bill Harmatz, Alex Maese, Pete Moreno, Don Pierce, Rudy Rosales, Steve Valdez, who was the country's 1973 champion apprentice, and 1954 Kentucky Derby winner (Determine) Ray York.
SHORE LINES -- A name to reckon with: Naux Faux Pas was nominated to Wednesday's Grade III Sorrento Stakes, but trainer David Hofmans said she was a "naux gaux" ... Trainer Gary Stute is hopeful that his fourth-race starter, Clarence Beeks will turn into King Pleasure by winning. Beeks was the family name carried by renowned jazz vocalist of the past King Pleasure ... For the second time in two days, trainer Bill Spawr saddled a winner for the late Sid Craig and his wife, Jenny. She came to the winner's circle to greet second-race winner Topper Shopper ... As usual, trainer Jack Carava's main client, La Canada Stables, was busy at the claim box Sunday, taking three horses during the day ... A pair of Pacific Classic prospects from the Julio Canani barn turned in sharp workouts this morning on the main track. Mostacolli Mort, third in the San Diego Handicap, worked 5 furlongs in 58.60, and Spring House, fourth in the Eddie Read Handicap, traveled the same distance in 1 minute flat ... Eddie Read winner Monzante fired a bullet 58.20 for 5 furlongs for trainer Mike Mitchell.
TRAKUS FACTS -- Sun., 8/3 -- Peak Speed: Race 6 (Polytrack) -- ScarbouroughFair -- 44.4 mph (first quarter); Race 8 (turf) -- I Can See -- 40.5 mph (first 11/16ths); Fastest Late Stretch Run: Race 2 (Polytrack) -- Nene -- 37.7 mph (final 16th); Race 3 (turf) -- Soupy -- 37.2 mph (final 16th).
DEL MAR COMBINED JOCKEY & TRAINER STATISTICS
(Current Through Sunday, August 3, 2008)
Jockey -- Mts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won
Rafael Bejarano -- 87 -- 22 -- 20 -- 17 -- 25% -- $1,237,750
Tyler Baze -- 88 -- 15 -- 10 -- 14 -- 17% -- $694,302
Joel Rosario -- 83 -- 15 -- 4 -- 14 -- 18% -- $530,280
Garrett Gomez -- 57 -- 9 -- 10 -- 8 -- 16% -- $826,635
Victor Espinoza -- 73 -- 7 -- 9 -- 10 -- 10% -- $496,390
Alex Solis -- 51 -- 6 -- 13 -- 7 -- 12% -- $363,040
Martin Garcia -- 59 -- 6 -- 8 -- 9 -- 10% -- $288,434
Mike Smith -- 34 -- 6 -- 5 -- 3 -- 18% -- $499,841
Aaron Gryder -- 43 -- 6 -- 1 -- 2 -- 14% -- $424,159
David Flores -- 54 -- 5 -- 8 -- 8 -- 9% -- $604,543
Trainer -- Sts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won
John W. Sadler -- 52 -- 13 -- 16 -- 2 -- 25% -- $949,617
Doug F. O'Neill -- 42 -- 8 -- 10 -- 5 -- 19% -- $347,409
Mike R. Mitchell -- 35 -- 8 -- 4 -- 6 -- 23% -- $600,590
Jerry Hollendorfer -- 27 -- 7 -- 1 -- 9 -- 26% -- $282,489
Peter Miller -- 20 -- 5 -- 3 -- 2 -- 25% -- $159,500
Clifford W. Sise, Jr. -- 13 -- 5 -- 2 -- 3 -- 38% -- $157,740
Jeff Mullins -- 32 -- 4 -- 10 -- 3 -- 13% -- $187,447
Gary Stute -- 13 -- 4 -- 2 -- 1 -- 31% -- $80,500
William Spawr -- 19 -- 4 -- 1 -- 0 -- 21% -- $131,092
Eoin G. Harty -- 9 -- 4 -- 0 -- 0 -- 44% -- $281,240
Winning Favorites Report
(Current Through Sunday, August 3, 2008)
Winning favorites -- 35 out of 146 -- 23.97%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 7 out of 16 -- 43.75%
In-the-Money favorites -- 98 out of 146 -- 67.12%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 14 out of 16 -- 87.50%