Beach View rides the rail to Cougar II victory

The outcome of Wednesday’s Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap at Del Mar was an inside job.

Beach View, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, rallied on the rail through the final half-mile to win the $100,690 race at 1 1/2 miles on dirt by a convincing 4 3/4 lengths over 3-5 favorite Hoppertunity. Beach View ($20) was timed in 2:34.02.

Winning trainer Leonard Powell praised Bejarano’s patient ride. Beach View was fifth and then sixth on the backstretch before advancing to third with a quarter-mile to go. Beach View took the lead in early stretch.

“When you wait for the rail to open, you can look like a genius or an idiot,” Powell said. “He looks a genius today.”

The Cougar II Handicap, the longest stakes of the summer meeting, was the first stakes win for Beach View, who is owned by Levy Racing.

Hoppertunity, the 7-year-old who has won eight stakes, finished 2 1/4 lengths clear of Full of Luck, who was followed by Twentytwentyvision, Little Scotty, Prince of Arabia, and Unapologetic.

Jockey Flavien Prat described Hoppertunity as a “little flat” on Wednesday.

Beach View carried 116 pounds, nine less than Hoppertunity, the highweight. Beach View was ridden for the first time by Bejarano, who replaced Stewart Elliott. Powell said the decision was based on Bejarano’s ability to make 116 pounds. Elliott rides at 118 pounds.

Beach View, a 5-year-old by Giant’s Causeway, has won 3 of 10 starts and earned $168,200. In his only previous stakes appearance, Beach View finished fourth in the Grade 3 Tokyo City Stakes at 1 1/2 miles in April 2017.