Del Mar: Suggestive Boy takes Wickerr

Benoit & Associates

Suggestive Boy, ridden by Joe Talamo, wins the Wickerr by three-quarters of a length over Calimonco.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Suggestive Boy was Argentina’s top horse in 2011. After his first two starts in this country, he is rapidly moving up the rankings of turf males within these borders.

Wednesday at Del Mar, Suggestive Boy won his first stakes in the United States in the restricted $88,700 Wickerr Stakes over a mile on turf. Ridden by Joe Talamo, Suggestive Boy was timed in 1:33.21, winning by three-quarters of a length over Calimonco, the winner of the 2011 Wickerr. He paid $3.60.

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Key Decision, second to Suggestive Boy in Argentina last year, finished third in the field of eight. Midnight Interlude, the winner of the 2011 Santa Anita Derby, finished fourth in his first start of 2012.

Suggestive Boy was well placed throughout under Talamo. A 4-year-old colt by the Storm Cat stallion Easing Along, Suggestive Boy saved ground to early stretch before rallying between Key Decision and Calimonco in the stretch. He took the lead in the final furlong.

Martin Garcia, who rode Calimonco, claimed foul, alleging interference in the stretch, but the stewards quickly disallowed the claim.

Suggestive Boy races for Pozo de Luna Inc., and is trained by Ron McAnally. The colt has won 5 of 8 starts and $382,370. The Wickerr Stakes was his second start in the United States, preceded by a second to Jeranimo in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Betfair Hollywood Park on June 30.

In Argentina last year, Suggestive Boy won four group races at distances from seven furlongs to 1 1/4 miles on turf from April to October.