California Dreamin' draws classy field
It is not often a field for a $150,000 race for statebreds draws the first and third finishers of a Grade 2 and the winner of a Grade 3 in the last 13 months, but such runners are part of a deep field in Saturday’s California Dreamin’ at Del Mar.
None Above the Law and Hockey Dad, first and third in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby last September, will have their first start in stakes this year in a competitive running of the California Dreamin’ Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Winning will not be easy.
They are part of a maximum field of 11 that includes The Chosen Vron, the winner of the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita in June 2021 and three other stakes that year; Carmelita’s Man, Jimmy Blue Jeans, and Irish Heatwave, who were first through third in the Crystal Water Stakes for statebred milers on turf at Santa Anita on May 28; and Freeport Joe, who won the All American at Golden Gate on May 30.
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None Above the Law is a four-time stakes winner who has not raced since a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds on turf at Santa Anita last December. A winner of 6 of 17 starts, None Above the Law emerged from the Mathis Mile with a knee injury and will have his 2022 debut on Saturday.
“He’s plenty fit,” trainer Peter Miller said. “I’m hoping to see what we saw in the Del Mar Derby. He was really good that day.”
Owned by Kirk and Judy Robison, None Above the Law closed from sixth of 13 to win his fourth stakes of 2021 in the Del Mar Derby.
Miller is hoping runners such as Hockey Dad and Jimmy Blue Jeans can provide sufficient pace to help None Above the Law’s late rally.
“His best race is if he’s sitting fourth or fifth or sixth,” Miller said.
Hockey Dad had his final start of 2021 in the Del Mar Derby and was third in his lone race this year, an allowance race at six furlongs at Los Alamitos on July 8.
“His comeback race at Los Al went well,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “He has bridged from where he left off last year. I think he’s a bigger, better version. I think he’ll be forwardly placed. He has a high cruising speed.”
The Chosen Vron, unraced since a stakes win at Turf Paradise in November, underwent minor surgery earlier this year and will have his turf debut in the California Dreamin’.
Jockey Umberto Rispoli, who won two Grade 3 races on The Chosen Vron in 2021, worked the gelding a half-mile in 50 seconds on July 28, leaving trainer Eric Kruljac hopeful for Saturday’s race.
“It was encouraging,” Kruljac said of the workout. “He handled it nicely. It’s been a long time off and he’s training great.”
Kruljac said he would like to see The Chosen Vron in the middle of the large field in the first half of the race. “We’ve got to rely on a good grass rider to make decisions,” Kruljac said.