Heart of Paradise tries grass in Oak Tree Juvenile Fillies Turf
DEL MAR, Calif. – There was no place for Heart of Paradise in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Saturday.
With a deep team of 2-year-old fillies, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer skipped the $300,000 Debutante with Heart of Paradise in favor of Monday’s $100,000 Oak Tree Juvenile Fillies Turf. From Hollendorfer’s point of view, a chance to run Heart of Paradise on turf was the basis for the decision.
“She’s by More than Ready,” Hollendorfer said. “She worked on it, and she handled the turf just fine.”
The Oak Tree Juvenile Fillies Turf is one of three stakes on Monday’s 11-race program, which includes the $200,000 Yellow Ribbon for fillies and mares on turf and the $150,000 I’m Smokin for 2-year-old California-breds over six furlongs.
Heart of Paradise is part of a field of 11 in the Oak Tree Juvenile Fillies Turf, which includes seven maidens. The I’m Smokin Stakes drew a field of eight led by Wake Up Nick, a two-time stakes winner this year.
JUVENILE FILLIES TURF
Key contenders
Heart of Paradise (Last 3 Beyers: 69-71-81)
* After beating maidens at Santa Anita in June, she was second to La Grange in the Cinderella Stakes at Los Alamitos in July and third, beaten 8 1/2 lengths, by Sunset Glow in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes here Aug. 6.
* She has shown speed in the past and is expected to take a prominent role in this race under jockey Joe Talamo.
She’s Complete (Last Beyer: 67)
* Trained by Doug O’Neill, She’s Complete is a maiden after three starts, including second-place finishes in a maiden race on turf at Limerick, Ireland, on June 7 and a second on the Polytrack synthetic surface here Aug. 13.
Bobbi Grace (Irish import)
* Recently sent to trainer Tom Proctor, Bobbi Grace beat maidens in a turf race over six furlongs at Navan, Ireland, on July 11. The race has turned out to be productive. Runner-up Fit For The Job has since won twice, including a minor handicap last Thursday at Tipperary, Ireland.
I’M SMOKIN STAKES
Key contenders
Wake Up Nick (Last 3 Beyers: 71-76-72)
* Wake Up Nick has proven to be a top-class California-bred 2-year-old this summer, winning the Santa Anita Juvenile against open company June 22 and the Graduation Stakes for California-breds at Del Mar on July 30.
* O’Neill said the I’m Smokin Stakes was preferred over Wednesday’s Del Mar Futurity to allow Wake Up Nick to remain in California-bred races. The colt is owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam.
* Wake Up Nick stalked the pace in the Graduation Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs before winning by 4 1/4 lengths. The style of the win suggests he should have no difficulty with six furlongs.
“He sat a little bit and pulled away,” O’Neill said. “It was a mature, classy performance.”
Truely Quick (Last 2 Beyers: 59-59)
* Undefeated after two starts, Truely Quick makes his Del Mar and synthetic-track debut in the I’m Smokin.
* Trained by Jeff Bonde, Truely Quick won a maiden race at Santa Rosa on July 31 and the Cavonnier Juvenile Stakes over six furlongs there Aug. 10.
* Despite an unbeaten record, Truely Quick will be fitted with blinkers for the I’m Smokin.
Global Magician (Last 3 Beyers: 56-56-50)
* Global Magician was third in the Graduation Stakes, losing by 5 1/4 lengths to Wake Up Nick. Trained by Peter Miller, the gelding has shown the ability to race on the lead or just off the pace.
* He was second in the Everett Nevin Stakes at the Oak Tree at Pleasanton meeting July 6 in his stakes debut, closing from fifth in a field of eight. He had the early lead in the Graduation Stakes before fading in the final furlong.