Catapult wins Del Mar Mile as Van Dyke has solid day

DEL MAR, Calif. - Catapult is conquering California with each start this summer.

On Sunday, Catapult won his second consecutive Grade 2 stakes in the $202,760 Del Mar Mile to join the list of contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3. The victory was the fifth of a record-equaling seven winners in a day at Del Mar for jockey Drayden Van Dyke, the most in a single day in the career of the 23-year-old rider. Van Dyke equaled Victor Espinoza’s seven-win day at Del Mar on Sept. 4, 2006.

“To win a graded stakes on turf, it was a big day for me,” Van Dyke said.

Catapult closed from eighth, and overcame a touch of trouble on the backstretch, to win by a half-length over Fly to Mars. The win came four weeks after Catapult won his first graded stakes in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

The placings for second and third were determined by the stewards.

Fly to Mars, who led in the stretch, was disqualified from second and placed third behind Sharp Samurai for drifting out and causing interference in the stretch. During an inquiry, the stewards reviewed video and spoke with jockeys for eight minutes before reaching the decision.

Catapult was not involved in the inquiry. Van Dyke had Catapult positioned on the inside on the turn, racing in seventh. Van Dyke waited with Catapult behind horses entering the stretch before Van Dyke found space on the outside. Catapult responded quickly to reach the front in the final sixteenth.

“He ran awesome,” Van Dyke said. “He has a good turn of foot.”

Catapult ($12.20) was timed in 1:33.40. Owned by Woodford Racing, Catapult joined trainer John Sadler’s stable last winter. The Del Mar Mile was Sadler’s second stakes win of the weekend. He won the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Saturday with Accelerate, the leading older male in California.

During the Del Mar Mile, Sadler said he had a moment of concern on the backstretch, wondering if Catapult could find running space.

“I was worried about the turf racing,” Sadler said. “You need a good trip. I was hoping it would open up and he could get a lane.”

Sharp Samurai, who won the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby and three other stakes last year, was beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Fly to Mars, who won the California Dreamin’ Stakes for statebreds at 1 1/16 miles on turf in course-record time of 1:39.50 on July 28.

Big Score closed from 10th to finish fourth, followed by B Squared, Hunt, Caribou Club, Le Ken, What a View, True Valour, Bowies Hero, Next Shares, and Om.

Catapult has won 6 of 15 starts and earned $621,384. A 5-year-old horse by Kitten’s Joy, Catapult won the Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct in 2016 when trained by Chad Brown.