Del Mar: Mizdirection gives TV sports commentator Jim Rome first stakes win

DEL MAR, Calif. – Mizdirection’s front-running win in Friday’s $90,285 Sandy Blue Handicap at Del Mar was a milestone first stakes win for the filly and one of her co-owners.

The one-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies was TV sports commentator Jim Rome’s first stakes win as an owner. Rome shared a first-place purse of $54,171 with partners Michael Kramek, Tom Lenner, Alan Peterson, and Robert Strauss, but the prize money was not foremost on his mind after the race.

“What I made today doesn’t equal the way it feels,” Rome said in the winner’s circle.

Ridden by a confident Garrett Gomez, Mizdirection led by as much as 1 1/2 lengths, with a furlong remaining, and held off an unlucky Bauble Queen to win by three-quarters of a length, finishing in 1:34.39. Bauble Queen broke slowly but rallied well late. Great Hot finished third in the field of six.

Mizdirection, a filly by Mizzen Mast, has won 2 of 5 starts and $139,511. She was second in two previous stakes on turf, the Manhattan Beach Stakes over six furlongs at Hollywood Park on June 18 and the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap over a mile here on July 24.

Trainer Mike Puype said Mizdirection will revert to sprints in coming starts, with the $100,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Handicap over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Sept. 30 as her next likely race.