Bowies Hero may have La Jolla, Del Mar Derby in future
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DEL MAR, Calif. – Bowies Hero may have a busy Del Mar summer meeting.
After winning Wednesday’s $120,660 Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf, trainer Phil D’Amato was contemplating two more starts on turf for the colt in the coming weeks: the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 6 and the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 3.
The $250,000 Del Mar Derby is the main goal for D’Amato and owners Mark Martinez and Jeff Hebert.
“We could consider the La Jolla,” D’Amato said Wednesday. “If not, we’ll look at the Derby.”
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Bowies Hero needed a touch of luck to win the third stakes of his career in the Oceanside at a mile. Ridden by Tiago Pereira, Bowies Hero ($8.80) overcame traffic problems on the turn to win by 1 1/2 lengths over 21-1 Pioneer Lad.
Bowies Hero was ninth with a furlong remaining, trailing stretch leader Rockin Rudy by about four lengths.
“He was loaded in the stretch,” D’Amato said.
By Artie Schiller, Bowies Hero has won 4 of 7 starts and earned $201,325. Bowies Hero won the Del Mar Juvenile Turf in his California debut last September and the Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita in May in his first start this year.
◗ Jockey Kayla Stra has been suspended seven racing days from Sunday to Aug. 2 for causing interference that led to a spill in the ninth race at Los Alamitos last Sunday.
Stra was aboard I’m Sassy, who drifted to the inside and caused Valedictoriette to fall, unseating jockey Martin Pedroza. I’m Sassy finished seventh and was disqualified to unplaced.
Through Wednesday, Stra, 32, is winless with 26 mounts this year.
