Iscreamuscream rallies, holds off Medoro for Del Mar Oaks win
?q=100)
DEL MAR, Calif. - Iscreamuscream won the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Saturday after she led early, stalked the pace while racing in second on the backstretch, and retook the lead in early stretch.
While the manner of the win was somewhat unconventional, Iscreamuscream held off a threat from the three-time stakes winner Medoro to remain unbeaten after four starts.
Iscreamuscream ($8.40) ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.06 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 89.
Iscreamuscream, trained by Phil D’Amato, was always near the front through slow early fractions, even though jockey Hector Berrios said he was not determined to have his mount in front throughout.
“I didn’t want to make the lead,” Berrios said. “She was a little strong.”
When jockey Umberto Rispoli made an aggressive move to take the lead on the backstretch on 6-5 favorite Whiskey Decision, Iscreamuscream went from being a pacesetter to having a target.
“I felt Rispoli, and thought, you go and I’ll go second,” Berrios said. “She was comfortable and she responded.”
Whiskey Decision led through a half-mile in 48.10 seconds and was 1 1/2 lengths in front of Iscreamuscream on the backstretch. Berrios moved Iscreamuscream outside of Whiskey Decision on the turn.
“It’s a testament to my filly to come around and come and get her,” D’Amato said.
Iscramuscream regained the lead in early stretch and led by a length over Medoro with a furlong remaining. Even though the lead widened late, Berrios thought Iscreamuscream began to idle.
“She took the lead and was looking around,” he said. “She was waiting on the other filly.”
Medoro had finished third behind Iscreamuscream in the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap at a mile on turf at Del Mar on July 20, her first loss in her fifth start. While she was beaten again by Iscreamuscream in the $301,500 Del Mar Oaks, Medoro (9-2) ran a respectable second, finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front of 11-1 Zona Verde.
Trainer Peter Eurton thought Medoro had a winning chance in early stretch.
“I thought she had a helluva shot,” trainer Peter Eurton said.
Iscreamuscream “got first jump on us,” he said. “She was the best horse today.”
Zona Verde, trained by D’Amato, was followed in the order of finish by Buchu, Sakura Blossom, Whiskey Decision, Circle of Trust and Sea Dancer. Whiskey Decision was favored on the strength of a win in the Christiana Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Delaware Park on July 8 in her stakes debut.
Whiskey Decision was beaten seven lengths by Iscreamuscream.
“It’s a little disappointing,” said Arnaud Delacour, who trains Whiskey Decision.
“We were in a good spot. They were trying to slow it down and (Rispoli) made the move to make the pace.
“We’ll have to regroup. I was expecting a turn of foot.”
Iscreamuscream, by Twirling Candy, won a maiden race at six furlongs on turf in her lone start as a 2-year-old last year. She resumed racing with a win in an allowance race at six furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on June 13 prior to the San Clemente.
With the win in the Del Mar Oaks, Iscreamuscream has earned $369,600. She is owned by the partnership of Agave Racing, Little Red Feather Racing, John Hundley Jr., Marsha Naify and John and Stacey Snyder.
Agave Racing joined the other partners in the group when a 33 percent share of Iscreamuscream was listed as sold for $330,000 at a Fasig-Tipton digital sale on Aug. 1.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.