Evening Sun finally back from injury-forced layoff in Wickerr Stakes

When he flew through the stretch to win the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields in April 2022, Evening Sun appeared poised to play a key role in the competitive California turf miler division through the rest of that year.

An injury forced a pause to Evening’s Sun career, which is scheduled to resume in Sunday’s $100,000 Wickerr Stakes, a restricted race at a mile on turf at Del Mar. Trained by Jeff Mullins for Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal, the 6-year-old Evening Sun can reestablish a position among California’s turf milers with a sharp race in the Wickerr.

“It’s certainly a challenge,” co-owner Tim Cohen said on Wednesday. “I think they’re never really their best first race back. If he can get back to that form, it will add another horse to a competitive group.”

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Evening Sun has won 4 of 7 starts since arriving from Britain in the winter of 2020-2021. A gelding, Evening Sun has had a steady pattern of workouts on the infield training track at Santa Anita in advance of his comeback.

In the San Francisco Mile, Evening’s Sun stakes debut, he closed from 11th of 14 to win by a half-length. Evening Sun had three workouts at Santa Anita in May and June of 2022 before he was taken out of training.

“He wasn’t 100 percent right,” Cohen said. “I think he was off a little bit.

“We let nature do its thing. We gave him some time, and Jeff takes his time as always.”

The Wickerr Stakes is restricted to non-winners of a stakes worth $50,000 at a mile or over, other than statebred stakes, since Sept. 1. The conditions belie the depth of list of nominees.

The race may include Cathkin Peak, unraced since a second in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita last October; Count Again, unraced since a win in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita in May 2022; and Irideo and Du Jour, who were second and sixth in this year’s Shoemaker Mile on May 29.

The Wickerr is one of five stakes on the opening weekend of the Del Mar summer season, which begins an eight-week meeting on Friday with a program highlighted by the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf.

The weekend’s richest race is Saturday’s Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes, which is worth $200,000 and run at a mile for 3-year-old fillies on turf.

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