Divin Propos should bounce back off compromised effort in last

DEL MAR, Calif. – It is nearly impossible to win a Del Mar turf race by rallying four wide on the far turn.

Wide on turf is no-man’s-land, which is where heavily favored Divin Propos and jockey Antonio Fresu found themselves in a second-level turf allowance last month.

“At the three-eighths, one guy moved out and pushed me out,” Fresu said. Divin Propos “lost so much ground. That was it. He was trying, but on this track, it’s hard to win [rallying wide] on the last turn.”

Divin Propos finished fifth at even-money, beaten less than a length. Thursday at Del Mar, Fresu and Divin Propos can make amends. They stretch from nine furlongs to 11 in the featured sixth race, a second-level turf allowance/optional $80,000 claiming race.

“It’s a tough race, but a mile and three-eighths should be good for him,” Fresu said.

Fresu is right about the quality of the field. It includes graded winner Offlee Naughty, entered for the optional claim tag; rejuvenated City Exile, who moves up following a strong allowance win at the marathon trip; and California-bred stakes winner Old Pal, who just might relish the distance.

Divin Propos is the one to beat, based on an impressive U.S. debut two back at 1 1/4 miles and a wide trip last out.

“It wasn’t the trip we were looking for, that’s for sure,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “All things considered, I thought he ran well. If he would have won that race, we’d be running in the [Grade 2] Del Mar Handicap. I don’t think distance is an issue.”

Divin Propos won 2 of 7 in Europe before he was purchased at auction last fall for a reported $158,604. He is owned by Madaket Stables and Panic Stable and is expected to be favored Thursday.

D’Amato also trains City Exile, who had never crossed the wire first until he stretched to 1 3/8 miles last out and won a first-level allowance going away with a ground-saving trip.

“We always wanted to run him longer, and he looked like he really enjoyed it,” D’Amato said.

City Exile and jockey Juan Hernandez cut the corner into the lane and burst clear late.

“He showed a real nice turn of foot,” D’Amato said. “He’s a horse that can relax and have a turn of foot.”

Offlee Naughty is the most accomplished in the field, having won Grade 2 and Grade 3 races in spring 2023 at Santa Anita. He lost his next six starts in graded races, but drops Thursday for trainer Michael McCarthy and jockey Umberto Rispoli.

If the sixth-race feature is a chance at redemption for Divin Propos, his jockey already gained a measure of redemption over the weekend. Prior to the races Sunday, Fresu acknowledged things have been “very slow.” He smiled and added, “If we can win one [Sunday], we’ll save the week.”

Halfway through the Sunday card, Fresu had won with only two of his 38 previous mounts. Fresu then reeled off three straight wins to climb to third in the standings.