Cabo Spirit goes last to first in La Jolla Handicap
DEL MAR, Calif. - Cabo Spirit was last of six early in Sunday’s Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar, which, from jockey Joe Bravo’s perspective, was not the place to be.
“I didn’t want to be in the position I was in on the first turn,” Bravo said. “They were walking.”
Bravo urged Cabo Spirit toward the leaders with a four-wide move on the turn, a rally that carried Cabo Spirit to the front in the final sixteenth. Cabo Spirit needed a sustained effort to win his first graded stakes in the $150,500 La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
“It took a game horse to do that,” Bravo said. “The last eighth of a mile was all willpower.”
Cabo Spirit ($7.40) held off a sustained threat from 13-1 Perfect Flight to win the La Jolla Handicap by a half-length. Perfect Flight finished three-quarters of a length in front of Sumter, the 9-5 favorite.
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Armagnac finished fourth by 7 1/4 lengths, followed by Stayincotai and Brit’s Wit.
Cabo Spirit was timed in 1:42.28 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 86. Armagnac, seventh of nine in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 21, set the pace in his turf debut going in 23.04 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.66 for a half-mile.
Armagnac faded in early stretch and was passed by Sumter, who led by a half-length with a furlong remaining. Sumter, in his first start since a win in the Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita in April, was unable to sustain the advantage.
“He got a little tired,” trainer Richard Mandella said.
The La Jolla Handicap was the first start in California, and stakes debut, for Perfect Flight, the winner of a $75,000 claimer for maidens at Churchill Downs on June 26. Last month, Perfect Flight was purchased for $160,000 at the Fasig-Tipton horses of racing age sale in Kentucky.
“Not bad for a 75-claimer,” trainer Peter Miller said. “First time on turf, and first time here.”
Perfect Flight was ridden by Ramon Vazquez, who kept his mount on the inside throughout.
“He gave him a great ride,” Miller said. “He saved every inch of ground.”
Cabo Spirit, a gelding by Pioneerof the Nile, races for Rustin Kretz and trainer George Papaprodromou. The Bravo, Kretz and Papaprodromou team won the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on July 30 with American Theorem.
Cabo Spirit, purchased for $575,000 at the 2021 Ocala Breeders Sale of 2-year-olds in-training, has won 3 of 13 starts and earned $312,560. The La Jolla was his second stakes win, preceded by the Eddie Logan Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita in January.
Papaprodromou said Cabo Spirit will have his next start in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Sept. 3.
“We belong there,” he said.