Jordi Bear looks set for breakthrough in Let It Ride Stakes
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The 3-year-old gelding Jordi Bear is winless in four starts since arriving from Ireland, a situation that trainer Phil D’Amato expects will change as early as Friday’s $100,000 Let It Ride Stakes at Del Mar.
“He’s been steadily improving and hopefully this is a good spot,” D’Amato said Wednesday.
The Let It Ride Stakes, for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf, is the leading race on the opening day of Del Mar autumn meeting, a 13-day season through Nov. 29.
Jordi Bear started twice at the Del Mar summer meeting, finishing a troubled sixth in the Oceanside Handicap at a mile on July 17, and third in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Aug. 23.
In his last start, Jordi Bear was second by a half-length in an allowance race at a mile on turf Sept. 25 at Santa Anita, closing from fifth of six with a strong rally in the final furlong as the 1-2 favorite. Jordi Bear was unable to catch pacesetter He’s a Knockout.
“I thought his finish was tremendous,” D’Amato said. “He was stuck on the inside, and the horse on the lead had the easiest lead.
“I loved his turn of foot late.”
Jockey Joel Rosario, who led the standings at the Del Mar summer meeting, has the mount on Jordi Bear on Friday. Jordi Bear races for the partnership of Glen Hill Farm, the Little Red Feather Racing partnership, Madaket Stable, and William Strauss.
The Let It Ride Stakes, restricted to nonwinners of a stakes worth $60,000 or more to the winner, other than statebred races, at a mile or longer since April 1, drew a diverse field of 10.
The only 2026 stakes winner in the field is Pavlovian, who won the $500,000 Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico in February but is winless in his last six starts. Pavlovian was last of 18 in the Kentucky Derby in May, last of eight in the Del Mar Derby, and unseated jockey David Cabrera after stumbling at the start of the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 27 at Remington Park.
There are two fillies in the field – Wild West Coast, winner of an allowance race for statebred fillies and mares at a mile on turf Oct. 10 at Santa Anita, and Green Carrera, who was fourth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on turf in August.
Green Carrera was withdrawn from the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita because of a minor cut on a leg.
“The cut was very superficial,” trainer Leonard Powell said. “She didn’t miss any training time.”
Green Carrera, who will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli, is likely to run from off the pace.
“I’m confident going into the race,” Powell said. “I think she should be good enough.”
The field is likely to be chasing Deucari, the sharp winner of a maiden race at six furlongs on turf by 3 1/2 lengths in his first career start Sept. 25 at Santa Anita, and possibly Matt At Five, the quick winner of an allowance race at six furlongs on turf Oct. 10 at Santa Anita.
Deucari, who will be ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, will start from post 9, a wider draw than trainer Richard Baltas would have preferred.
“I wish I had a better post,” Baltas said.
“He was very impressive first time out. He’s fit enough to go a mile. I hope he can relax and finish well.”
The Let It Ride Stakes is designed as a prep race for the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Nov. 28.
There are six stakes scheduled for the first three weekends of the meeting, and nine stakes on Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 26-29. The track is planning to race on Thanksgiving for the first time since 2023.
Aside from the $300,000 Hollywood Derby, the only other Grade 1 race of the season is the $300,000 Matriarch Stakes at a mile on turf for fillies and mares on Nov. 29, a program with four stakes.
On a day-by-day basis, prize money has been increased compared to the last two autumn meetings.
A maiden race will have a purse of $65,000, compared to $54,000 in 2024 and $60,000 last year. A first-condition allowance race will be worth $67,000, an increase from $55,000 in 2024 and $61,000 in 2025.
A $20,000 claiming race has a purse of $30,000, compared to $27,000 and $29,000 in the last two years.
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