Captain Steve scares off one
DEL MAR, Calif. - The expected fields for the Eddie Read and San Diego handicaps this weekend have helped trainer Richard Mandella decide which race to start Redattore in.
Mandella said the 6-year-old Redattore will be entered in both Saturday's $400,000 Eddie Read over 1 1/8 miles on turf and Sunday's $250,000 San Diego Handicap over 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
But the presence of Captain Steve, the winner of the Dubai World Cup, in the San Diego, has Mandella leaning strongly toward the Eddie Read for Redattore, who won the San Francisco Mile on turf at Bay Meadows in late April. Plans for a main track start for Redattore in a route race on dirt will have to wait.
"Mine is still better on turf," Mandella said. "If I'm going to find out if he was good on the dirt, I should try it for big money and not pass up $400,000."
Both the Eddie Read and San Diego Handicaps are preps to $1 million races in August. The top finishers from the Eddie Read often go to the Arlington Million in Chicago, while the San Diego leads to the Pacific Classic here on Aug. 18. In addition to Captain Steve, Skimming, the defending champion, is a starter in the San Diego.
"I'd kind of like to get him on dirt, but I don't want to go against Captain Steve," Mandella said. "If I run on turf, I could look at the Arlington Million if he runs good."
The Eddie Read is the first of five Grade 1 stakes at the meeting and is led by Irish Prize, the winner of three consecutive starts in graded stakes. Aside from Redattore, the probables include Timboroa, Super Quercus, Native Desert, and Special Ring.
The San Diego is the strongest dirt stakes of the summer in Southern California. Aside from Captain Steve, the 122-pound highweight, and Skimming, the probables include Futural, Budroyale, Freedom Crest, Dig For It, Penamacor, and Spicy Stuff.
Quarter cracks may derail trainer Ron McAnally's plans in the San Diego and Eddie Read handicaps.
National Anthem has battled a quarter crack since he finished fourth in the Grade 2 American Handicap at Hollywood Park on July 4. McAnally said National Anthem may make the Edie Read if a patch can be applied to the foot.
"He's just been jogging, but he doesn't need much," McAnally said.
On Wednesday, McAnally said Smile Again, who won the Grade 2 Bel Air Handicap at Hollywood Park on July 7, had a quarter crack in a tender spot. He may start in the San Diego if the foot can be treated.
The weekend also includes the $150,000 San Clemente Handicap for 3-year-old fillies over a mile on turf, a prep to the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 18. Gabriellina Giof, the winner of the minor Manhattan Beach Stakes in her U.S. debut at Hollywood Park, faces La Vida Loca, Warren's Whistle, Dynamous, Reine de Romance, and Alinga.
Bayou the Moon headed to La Jolla
Bayou the Moon, who won the Alydar Stakes at Hollywood Park in May but was fifth in the Swaps Stakes on July 15, is being pointed for the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap on turf on Aug. 11.
In his only appearance on turf, Bayou the Moon won his maiden race on the hillside course at Santa Anita last March.
Trained by Mandella, Bayou the Moon breezed a half-mile on turf in 51 seconds under Julie Krone on Wednesday. Krone, the retired Hall of Fame jockey, is working as an exercise rider for Mandella during the Del Mar meeting.
Point Given works in graded company
Bob Baffert is leaving nothing to chance in preparing Point Given for the Haskell Invitational on Aug. 5 at Monmouth. Six days after he worked Point Given from the gate, Baffert gave the Preakness-Belmont winner Grade 1 company for a black-letter work Wednesday at Del Mar. In tandem with Cigar Mile winner El Corredor, Point Given was timed in 1:11.60, two-fifths faster than El Corredor.
"He went well, he leaves [Aug. 2]," Baffert said of Point Given. The workout for El Corredor was another step toward a return in the seven-furlong Pat O'Brien Handicap on Aug. 12. El Corredor, 5 for 7 lifetime, has not raced since November and aborted a previous comeback this winter at Santa Anita. "I wasn't happy with the way he was training," Baffert said, explaining "he quarter cracks in the back, and it was wet and rainy, so I stopped on him."
- additional reporting by Brad Free