Bright Thought debuts for new stable in Del Mar Handicap

DEL MAR, Calif. – Bright Thought, the winner of the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita in 2013, was transferred from trainer Jorge Gutierrez to Phil D’Amato earlier this month and will start for the new stable in the $200,000 Del Mar Handicap on turf Saturday.

D’Amato, the former assistant to Mike Mitchell, is in his first year of training on his own.

The 5-year-old Bright Thought has won 4 of 13 starts and earned $195,161 but is winless in six races, all stakes, since the San Luis Rey Stakes. Bright Thought was third in the restricted Wickerr Stakes over a mile on turf here July 23 in his final start for Gutierrez.

D’Amato said Bright Thought is based with his stable at San Luis Rey Downs training center in nearby Bonsall, Calif.

“We know what he can do,” D’Amato said. “He’s a good work horse.”

The Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap is run over 1 3/8 miles on turf. The winner receives an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 1 through the Breeders’ Cup’s Win and You’re In program.

Last November, Bright Thought finished last of 10 in the BC Mile at Santa Anita in his first start since the San Luis Rey Stakes in March of that year. Earlier this year, Bright Thought was third in the minor Thunder Road Stakes at Santa Anita in April but ninth May 3 in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs.

D’Amato described the Del Mar Handicap as being run at “a perfect distance” for Bright Thought.

The race is expected to include the French import Aventador; Fire With Fire, who won the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita in May; and Quick Casablanca, who was second as the favorite in the San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita in June.

** Del Mar Oaks winner Personal Diary will make her next start in Kentucky.

Trainer Victoria Oliver said Sunday she plans to start Personal Diary in the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 11. The Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup is run over 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies.

Personal Diary was a 9-1 outsider in Saturday’s Del Mar Oaks over 1 1/8 miles on turf. She closed from last in a field of eight under jockey Corey Nakatani to win by 2 3/4 lengths over the 11-1 Stellaris.

Oliver said the Del Mar Oaks was a performance Personal Diary may not have achieved earlier in her career.

“She was an immature filly, and she’s really come around,” Oliver said.

Owned by breeders G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and Ian Banwell, Personal Diary, by City Zip, has won 2 of 10 starts and earned $278,136.

Oliver said Visarno, the winner of a maiden race for 2-year-old fillies on turf in her debut July 31, will make her next start in an allowance race at Churchill Downs or Kentucky Downs in September, followed by the $150,000 Jessamine Stakes on turf at Keeneland on Oct. 8.

“She got a little sick after that race,” Oliver said.

** Candy Boy, second Aug. 2 in the West Virginia Derby, worked a half-mile in 49.80 seconds Sunday.

Trainer John Sadler described the exercise as a “maintenance work.” He said the tentative plan is to run Candy Boy in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing at Philadelphia Park on Sept. 20.

Owned by Lee and Susan Searing, Candy Boy has won 2 of 10 starts and $675,600. He was second to Shared Belief, the 2013 champion 2-year-old male, July 5 in the Los Alamitos Derby.