Camino Del Paraiso nabs first stakes win in Rolling Green

Through 20 stakes attempts, Camino Del Paraiso had never scored a win, and in his last stakes try, he clipped heels and lost his rider.

But On Monday, Camino Del Paraiso ($13.40) got a perfect trip and rallied through the lane in the $60,300 Rolling Green, pulling clear to beat old rival and pacesetter Kiwi's Dream for his first stakes win.

“He finally did it,” winning trainer O.J. Jauregui said after the one-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile turf race. The winning time was 1:43.09.

In those 21 stakes, Camino Del Paraiso had finished second seven times, including a loss by a nose, by and head, and twice by a neck, to go with four third-place finishes.

Camino Del Paraiso seemed fine the day after clipping heels in the California Dreaming Stakes on July 26 at Del Mar, but began to exhibit body soreness several days later.

“We took all the precautions and got through the protocols, passing each one,” Jauregui said.

After a best-of-55 59.80-second five-furlong work on Aug. 29, Jauregui knew his 7-year-old Suances gelding was back at the top of his game.

“Today was our day,” said Jauregui, who was not concerned about the July 26 mishap. “Just the way he was acting all day, I knew he'd run a good race.”

In the Rolling Green, Kiwi's Dream dueled early with multiple stakes-winning The Black Album, finally discouraging him in the stretch as Camino Del Paraiso sat behind the leading pair while racing in the clear under Catalino Martinez.

Camino Del Paraiso took aim at favored Kiwi's Dream and prevailed in the stretch, edging clear late. Navy Armed Guard who sat in midpack to the quarter pole rallied for third, three lengths behind Kiwi's Dream.
The victory was worth $39,400 for Camino Del Paraiso, who is owned by Paradise Road Ranch LLC. He has now earned $440,092, with six wins from 39 starts.