Cambodia zooms to victory in John C. Mabee

DEL MAR, Calif. – Cambodia was so handy for jockey Drayden Van Dyke on the turn of Saturday’s Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes on turf at Del Mar that the rider’s main concern was which rival to follow into the stretch.

“I wanted to point her in the right direction,” Van Dyke said.

Van Dyke chose to follow Mrs McDougal, who led briefly in early stretch. When space developed outside of Mrs McDougal, Van Dyke was quick to guide Cambodia to a clear path. The 5-year-old mare responded with a burst of speed that led to her second consecutive stakes win of the Del Mar summer meeting.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better trip,” Van Dyke said.

Sent off as a slight favorite, Cambodia ($7.80) won the $202,760 Mabee Stakes by three-quarters of a length over Goodyearforroses, who was also 5-2. Cambodia ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:47.79.

The win moved Cambodia onto the list of contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf here on Nov. 4, which is also run at 1 1/8 miles.

Van Dyke said before the race that his best chance was to coax Cambodia into a stalking position. Van Dyke had used those tactics to win the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Aug. 5 aboard Cambodia.

In the Mabee, Cambodia was sixth for the first six furlongs, racing on the inside on the backstretch.

“She was nice and relaxed,” Van Dyke said.

Cambodia had a better trip than Goodyearforroses, who raced in traffic on the turn, and closed well to finish second.

“She got a little bit of trouble, but she ran dynamite,” said jockey Corey Nakatani said. “This is the perfect steppingstone to the next one and the Breeders’ Cup.”

Richard Baltas, who trains Goodyearforroses, was less effusive about the result.

“I thought he made a bad decision when he went on the rail on the backstretch,” Baltas said of Nakatani.

Madame Stripes, a 13-1 outsider who won the restricted Osunitas Stakes in July, finished third, followed by Insta Erma, Decked Out, Kiss Me Now, Mrs McDougal, Pretty Girl, Amboseli, Lady Valeur, Hillhouse High, Barleysugar, and Frenzified.

Cambodia, by War Front, races for Don Robinson’s Winter Quarter Farm and trainer Tom Proctor. The John Mabee was Cambodia’s third stakes win in her last four starts. She won the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes at Pimlico in May.

Cambodia has won 6 of 13 starts and earned $443,746.