Irish Wahine lands in softer spot on turf; new wager debuts Thursday
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DEL MAR, Calif. – Irish Wahine, who starts in a five-furlong allowance race on turf Thursday at Del Mar, was claimed for the sixth time in her 25-race career when she won May 25 at Santa Anita.
When she resumed racing at Los Alamitos last month, she was back in the same barn as she was the day she was claimed.
Trainer Bob Hess Jr. claimed Irish Wahine for $20,000 from Rockingham Ranch and trainer Librado Barocio on behalf of GMT Racing Stables on May 25. A few weeks later, Barocio said he received a surprise call from Craig Netwig and Debra Barkley of GMT Racing Stables asking him to continue training the 5-year-old mare.
Barocio said he spoke with Hess, who he said was comfortable with the situation. The whirlwind of activity left Irish Wahine back with Barocio.
After finishing sixth of 10 at 43-1 in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes on July 6 at Los Alamitos, Irish Wahine starts at a more reasonable level in Thursday’s allowance race, which is restricted to California-breds.
Thursday’s race is Irish Wahine’s first start on turf since an eighth-place finish in an allowance race at a mile at Santa Anita in January 2023. It is her first career start in a turf sprint.
Irish Wahine has had four starts on turf, including three races at Golden Gate Fields in 2021 and 2022. Barocio said Irish Wahine deserves another chance on the surface.
“She’s by Grazen, and I know she’ll like the turf,” he said. “At the sprint level, I have her ready.
“I’m expecting a big race.”
Irish Wahine, who will be ridden by Ricky Gonzalez, has won 4 of 9 starts this year, including a second in a 1,000-yard race at Los Alamitos in February. The four wins were in dirt sprints at Santa Anita.
Irish Wahine is part of a field of nine that will be limited to eight runners. Dorie Miller, second by a half-length after a slow start in an allowance race at five furlongs on turf July 25 at Del Mar, and Diamond Bar Gal, unraced since a win in a maiden race for California-bred fillies and mares at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar last August, are two other prominent runners.
New multi-race wager
Thursday’s program marks the launch of a new $1 wager, the 3x3, that requires bettors to select the trifecta of the day’s final three races before the third-to-last race.
The difficult bet will have a carryover if there are no tickets that sweep all three trifectas, and there will be consolation payoffs for ticketholders who have several selections in the correct positions. For example, tickets that select six, seven, or eight runners in the correct positions through the three races will receive minor consolation payoffs.
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The bet will initially be available only at Del Mar and California simulcast locations and not through account-wagering systems, track officials said. Takeout on the 3x3 wager is 22 percent.
The three races involved in the 3x3 bet on Thursday are a $50,000 claimer for maidens at 6 1/2 furlongs that drew 10, the allowance race including Irish Wahine, and a $20,000 claimer for maidens at 1 1/16 miles that drew 10.
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