Isn't He Clever may test allowance sprinters at Del Mar

Isn’t He Clever could be headed to Del Mar following his 16 3/4-length win in the $75,000 San Juan County Commissioners Handicap at SunRay Park last Sunday. His trainer, Henry Dominguez, plans to have a 10-horse division at the Southern California meet, and said with few options for the horse in New Mexico right now, Isn’t He Clever could summer at Del Mar before returning for the Zia Park meet that opens in September.

Isn’t He Clever equaled his best career Beyer Speed Figure, a 99, in the San Juan. He set the pace in the 1 1/8-mile race run around three turns, then opened up on the field. Isn’t He Clever’s win margin was the largest Dominguez has ever experienced with one of his horses.

“It was like watching Secretariat, in New Mexico fashion,” he said.

Isn’t He Clever is now back at Ruidoso Downs, with Dominguez on Wednesday just starting to look ahead with the horse he trains for J. Kirk and Judy Robison.

“Nothing’s written in stone, but we may venture out over there to Del Mar, take a little seaside tour, and maybe run him in an allowance race,” Dominguez said. “There’s not too much for him out here right now.”

Dominguez said one draw of the Del Mar meet is the Ship and Win program, which offers a 33 percent purse bonus for out-of-state horses. He said if Isn’t He Clever heads to Southern California, he would focus on sprint races. Isn’t He Clever set a track record for 6 1/2 furlongs on the Sunland Park Derby undercard this past March. Isn’t He Clever won the $75,000 Bill Thomas Memorial in 1:13.40, and earned a Beyer Figure of 98.

“Maybe he could belong sprinting out there,” Dominguez said. “He’s a good horse, and he tries. He deserves that opportunity, to see where he fits out there on the big circuit.”

Isn’t He Clever is a 4-year-old son of Smarty Jones who has won 7 of 15 starts and $542,453. He entered the San Juan off a fourth-place finish to Master Rick in the Lone Star Park Handicap.

Fall return for Master Rick

Master Rick is resting on his laurels. At least for now. After sweeping the two biggest races of the Lone Star Park meet, Master Rick is currently being freshened at a farm in Texas.

“We’re going to give him a little break, and point him to the fall and such,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Master Rick for Richard L. Davis. “He’s done so much this spring and early summer.”

Master Rick has won his last three starts in a streak that began in February, in an allowance at Oaklawn Park. He then captured the Grade 3, $200,000 Texas Mile at Lone Star on April 27, with a Beyer Speed Figure of 105. One start later, Master Rick took the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap, putting up a career-high Beyer of 106 in the May 27 race.