Cairo Memories has home-turf advantage over Spendarella in Del Mar Oaks
There is one blemish on Cairo Memories’ career turf record in California - a ninth by 2 3/4 lengths in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar last November.
There is one blemish on Cairo Memories’ 2022 turf record – a fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks at Belmont Park on July 9.
Aside from those races, Cairo Memories has won her other four starts on turf, including three stakes. The record leaves Cairo Memories a principal contender in Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies, if she can beat the Maryland shipper Spendarella.
Trained by Graham Motion, the well-traveled Spendarella won two graded stakes earlier this year at Gulfstream Park and Keeneland before finishing second in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in England on June 17.
Spendarella has never raced in California and trainer Bob Hess, Jr. is counting on home course familiarity in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks for Cairo Memories, who races for Schroeder Farms and trainer David Bernsen.
“The advantage is we don’t have to ship and she loves the course and the distance,” Hess said on Friday. “The obvious standout is Spendarella. If we go forward a little bit, we can give her a run for the money.”
The Juvenile Fillies Turf and Belmont Oaks are Cairo Memories’ only starts in Grade 1 races on turf. In the Belmont Oaks at 1 1/4 miles, Cairo Memories set the pace to the turn and faded to finish three lengths behind McKulick, who finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of With the Moonlight.
On Aug. 7 at Saratoga, With the Moonlight and McKulick were first and second in the Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks.
Hess would like to challenge those fillies at some point with Cairo Memories, but is focused on the Del Mar Oaks, which drew a full field of 14.
“I don’t think it’s too far,” Hess said of the distance of the Belmont Oaks. “Maybe too tough, too soon. I still want to think we can compete with those.”
Mike Smith has ridden Cairo Memories in her last four starts and retains the mount. Hess expects Smith to have Cairo Memories near the front.
“She needs to break well and then Mike will decide,” Smith said. “I think we’ll be happy to stalk.”