Frankel sweeps Del Mar Handicap

DEL MAR, Calif. - Timboroa's victory in Saturday's $250,000 Del Mar Handicap led a sweep of the first three positions by horses trained by Bobby Frankel.

Frankel, who started three of the seven starters in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap, finished second and third with the entry of Northern Quest and Super Quercus.

Timboroa ($8.80) was always close to pacesetter Kudos, the 8-5 favorite.

Ridden by Laffit Pincay, Timboroa was within a length of Kudos after a half-mile in 48.66 seconds and remained in a stalking position on the backstretch. The 5-year-old Timboroa was even with Kudos at the end of the backstretch and took the lead on the final turn, pulling clear by 1 1-2 lengths in early stretch.

Timboroa led by a length over Falcon Flight at the eighth pole and held that margin to the finish, running 1 3-8 miles on turf in 2:12.59.

"I told Laffit, 'He likes to be up close,'" Frankel said. "He doesn't want to come from too far back."

Northern Quest, who won the 2000 Del Mar Handicap, finished a half-length in front of Super Quercus, who was followed by Falcon Flight, Cagney, Kudos and Sumati.

Owned by Edmund Gann, Timboroa has won 9 of 21 starts and $738,834.

Fourth as the favorite in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Handicap here on July 28, the Del Mar Handicap was Timboroa's first win since the Grade 3 Carleton Burke Handicap at Santa Anita last October.