The 5-year-old mare Odeliz found herself in an unfamiliar spot leading Sunday in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville, and then she found herself in a place she’d never been before at all – the winner’s enclosure following a Group 1 race.
Attendance and handle figures fell on Saturday’s 11-race Pacific Classic program at Del Mar from the corresponding day in 2014, with a decline in handle attributed to software problems that knocked two leading account wagering providers out of action in the last half of the program.
Appealing Tale, who won the first stakes of his career in the $245,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar on Saturday, may not start again until the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 30.
Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Sunday that Big John B, winner of Saturday's Del Mar Handicap, may not start again until the Breeders' Cup Turf. If a prep race is selected, a race such as the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at 1 1/2 miles at Belmont Park on Sept. 26 would be considered.
It shows how deeply Triple Crown winner American Pharoah has worked his way into our collective racing consciousness that after Honor Code’s thrilling decision over Liam’s Map in the Whitney a few weeks ago and Beholder’s sensational score over males in Saturday’s Pacific Classic, the most popular topic of discussion from the general racing public was how American Pharoah might have fared against those horses in those races.
Trainer Richard Mandella said the Grade 1 Zenyatta, exclusively for females, at Santa Anita on Sept. 26, is the most-obvious spot to run Beholder next; she has won it the last two years. As for whether Beholder then goes to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, or tries males again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, “we’ll take it one step at a time,” Mandella said.
American Pharoah is taking his talents to Saratoga. A brilliant work on Sunday at Del Mar was what trainer Bob Baffert wanted to see in order to commit to the Travers Stakes on Saturday, and a brilliant work is what he got, as the Triple Crown winner flew through a seven-furlong drill in 1:23.20 while inhaling another trainer’s team who had broken off well in front of American Pharoah.
Lots of claiming races on the first half of this Saratoga card. I don’t have a problem playing claiming races generally, but it’s not what I’m looking for at Saratoga. Worse than that, I can’t find a comfortable toehold in any of the early races.
Cougar Ridge became a stakes winner Saturday night when he darted home by four lengths over Fly the Red Eye in the $75,000 Edward J. DeBartolo Memorial Handicap at Remington Park. It was another half-length back in third to Ecleto Red.
The Montrell Teague-driven Wiggle It Jiggleit clearly stole the show on Super Stakes Saturday.
