Del Mar: Concave makes it 2 for 2 with Sorrento victory

DEL MAR, Calif. - Concave won her stakes debut and remained unbeaten after two starts with a smart win in Wednesday’s $150,500 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar.

The victory left trainer Doug O’Neill planning a start in the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante over seven furlongs on Aug. 31 for Concave, an Ontario-bred by Colonel John who races for Paul and Zillah Reddam.

[DEL MAR 2013: Complete meet coverage, schedule, race replays]

O’Neill, who had three wins in the first three weeks of the meeting, had three winners on Wednesday. Concave was the last of those winners.

In the Grade 2 Sorrento over 6 1/2 furlongs, Concave stalked pacesetter Side Letter and held off a sustained threat from She’s a Tiger to win by a half-length. Winning jockey Mario Gutierrez kept Concave on the inside entering the turn and waited briefly before moving around rivals nearing the stretch.

“I felt like they would open up a spot for me,” Gutierrez said.

Concave ($8.60) was timed in 1:17.45 over the Polytrack synthetic surface. She’s a Tiger finished 4 1/2 lengths in front of third-place Stop Smiling, the even-money favorite. E Equalsmcsquared was fourth, followed by Santa Lucia, Love Smitten and Side Letter.

Concave was purchased for $160,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company's March sale of 2-year-olds. She has earned $121,200.

Concave won her debut in a five-furlong maiden race on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park on July 12.

“She’s got a bright future if she stays healthy,” O’Neill said. “She took to this track with no problem.”