Del Mar: Concave's Sorrento win tops O'Neill's big day

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DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer Doug O’Neill reversed a poor start to the Del Mar meeting with three wins on Wednesday’s eight-race program. Two of the wins were with 2-year-old fillies who could start in lucrative stakes in the final days of the meeting.

O’Neill won an allowance race on turf with the 4-year-old Et Tu Walker, a maiden race for 2-year-old fillies on turf with the Irish import Clenor, and the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes with the improving 2-year-old Concave.

Those victories gave O’Neill six wins from 59 runners for the meeting, which began July 17 and continues through Sept. 4. The leading trainer at this meeting four times, most recently in 2010, O’Neill blamed himself for the stable’s poor showing before Wednesday.

“I think I trained everything like Hollywood Park was extended,” he said Thursday. “I think some needed a work on the track and some needed to be put in the proper races. It was a lot of bad calls on my part.”

Et Tu Walker, who has earned $168,160 since being claimed in summer 2012, will not start again at the meeting, he said. Clenor, third in the Group 3 Balanchine Stakes at The Curragh on June 30, is a candidate for the $100,000 Oak Tree Juvenile Fillies Turf on Sept. 2. Concave is a leading contender for the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Aug. 31.

Owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, Concave won the Sorrento Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs by a half-length over She’s a Tiger for her second win in as many starts. Stop Smiling, the even-money favorite, closed from fifth in a field of seven to finish third.

Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Concave ($8.60) stalked the pace to the turn and took the lead with a wide move. She was timed in 1:17.45.

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

Concave was purchased for $160,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s March 2-year-old sale. 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.”