Amorama takes Del Mar Oaks

DEL MAR, Calif. - Amorama's eight-race losing streak ended with a thrilling upset win in Saturday's $300,000 Del Mar Oaks, a victory that jockey David Flores thought was improbable late in the race.

Showing a remarkable rally, Amorama ($40.60) closed from last to catch Ticker Tape at the line, winning the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks by a nose. Trained by Julio Canani for Marsha Naify and Laurent and Christina Zilber, Amorama finished 1 1-8 miles on turf in a stakes record 1:46.26.

Amorama trailed the frontrunning Seducer's Song by five lengths at the end of the backstretch when Flores said the field quickened noticeably.

"When they sped away at the three-eighths pole, I thought it would be tough to win," Flores said. "By the time we got to the three-sixteenth's pole, they were coming back to me. She was really accelerating."

Sixth at the eighth pole, trailing then-leader Ticker Tape by 3 1-2 lengths, Amorama led only in the final stride. Ticker Tape, the 2-1 favorite and winner of the $750,000 American Oaks at Hollywood Park last month, finished a length in front of Sweet Win in the field of seven 3-year-old fillies.

Amorama has won 3 of 12 starts and $276,729. The Del Mar Oaks was her first stakes win, preceded by losses in seven stakes in France and California, including a second in the Providencia Stakes to Ticker Tape in April at Santa Anita.

*Dream of Summer, who won the A Gleam Handicap at Hollywood Park last month, won her second consecutive major stakes with a neck victory over Barbara Orr in the $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for fillies and mares over 6 1-2 furlongs.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Dream of Summer disputed the pace with Barbara Orr for the first half-mile, led by a half-length at the eighth pole but was extended to win by a neck. Owned by Jim Weigel and trained by Juan Garcia, Dream of Summer finished 6 1-2 furlongs in 1:15.85. Cyber Slew finished third in the field of seven.