Carmelita's Man edges Bang for Your Buck in California Dreamin'

DEL MAR, Calif. - The gambles were successful with Carmelita’s Man in Saturday’s $152,500 California Dreamin’ Stakes at Del Mar – at the windows and in the final furlongs of the turf race.

Carmelita’s Man was the subject of a late bet that left him the 3-1 favorite in a competitive field of 11 California-breds. Then, jockey Juan Hernandez rode a patient race on the inside, found sufficient racing room in the stretch and won by a head over 22-1 Bang for Your Buck.

The Chosen Vron, in contention in the final furlong, was a nose behind Bang for Your Buck in third.

Hernandez had Carmelita’s Man in eighth on the backstretch and seventh as the field reached the turn. Entering the stretch, Hernandez kept Carmelita’s Man on the rail.

“I was waiting for something to come through,” Hernandez said. “He’s such a real pro. I took the chance to go inside and he was ready.”

Carmelita’s Man ($8.60) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.64 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.

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The Chosen Vron, sent off as the 9-2 second choice in his first start since November, rallied between runners in the stretch from a tracking position. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, The Chosen Vron looked like a winner in the final sixteenth in his turf debut, but could not hold off Carmelita’s Man.

Rispoli rued his bad luck in finishing third, but said The Chosen Vron had a favorable trip considering he started from post 10.

“You draw 10 and you end up on the rail in a furlong,” he said. “I had a good trip. I was waiting for a hole to come.

“I did like his turn of foot. When he switched leads, he went through the hole. He looked like he’d been on the turf his whole life.”

None Above the Law finished fourth, followed by Fly the Sky, Luvluv, Hockey Dad, Jimmy Blue Jeans, Tom’s Surprise, Freeport Joe and Irish Heatwave.

Carmelita’s Man has been in the best form of his career this year. Owned by Larry and Ann Jett and trained by Dean Pederson, Carmelita’s Man won his stakes debut in the Crystal Water Stakes for California-breds at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on May 28.

After that race, Pederson said the summertime goal was the California Dreamin’ Stakes. A 5-year-old gelding by Mucho Macho Man, Carmelita’s Man has won 6 of 19 starts and earned $362,038.