Lammas rallies past Mixto in Pleasanton Mile

On turf and dirt, Lammas is proving unbeatable in six-figure stakes in Northern California this year.

After winning the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on turf at Golden Gate Fields at 9-1 on April 27, Lammas ($10.40) won his first start of the summer in Sunday’s $151,350 Pleasanton Mile on dirt at the Alameda county fair in Pleasanton.

In both races, Lammas repelled challenges from Southern California-based shippers.

Ridden by Irving Orozco, Lammas rallied from fourth on the backstretch with a clear run on the turn to take a convincing lead in the stretch of the Pleasanton Mile. Lammas was two lengths clear with a furlong remaining and won by that margin over even-money favorite Mixto, who was fifth in the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 27.

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Lammas ran a mile in 1:41.56 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 94.

Prince Abu Dhabi (5-1) finished third, but only after a lengthy inquiry and objection regarding an incident in early stretch. Prince Abu Dhabi drifted to the inside, briefly crowding 10-1 Piroli. There was no change to the order of finish.

Mixto, who was briefly unsettled in the gate before the start, set an early pace of 24.24 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.08 for a half-mile while racing on the inside and closely tracked by Brazenly and Piroli.

Orozco had Lammas in fifth between rivals on the turn before finding room with a two-move entering the stretch. Mixto, who appeared as if he would fade from contention, stayed on to be second.

Prince Abu Dhabi was followed in the order of finish by Piroli, Il Bellator, Freeport Joe, Brazenly, and Zeus’ War.

Lammas, a 7-year-old British-bred gelding by the Dark Angel stallion Heeraat, races for Ron Charles and Samuel Gordon and trainer Manny Badilla.

Sunday’s win was worth $90,000 and was the 11th win in 31 starts for Lammas, who has banked $432,618 in his career. Lammas has earned $228,000 this year.

Everett Nevin Stakes

In the $76,350 Everett Nevin Stakes for 2-year-olds earlier on the program, Drop Um ($12) disputed the early pace and held off a challenge of favored R Heisman to remain unbeaten after two starts.

Ridden by Adrian Castellanos for trainer Felix Rondan, Drop Um dueled with 12-1 Coracoracora to the top of the stretch before taking the lead. Drop Um led by two lengths with a furlong remaining. R Heisman, the 4-5 favorite, closed steadily through the stretch to finish second by a length.

Drop Um ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.66, and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 76. He set a solid pace of 22.14 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.21 for a half-mile.

Timty (3-1) finished third, followed by Coracoracora and Far Over Loaded, who finished in a dead heat for fourth, Riverside Rose, Happy Sue and Sensational Z Z.

To keep the win, Drop Um survived an objection regarding an incident in the opening quarter-mile, when the colt drifted to the inside from an outside post, causing R Heisman to be checked briefly. The stewards did not change the order of finish.

Drop Um, a colt by Far From Over, races for owners and breeders William and Jill Gray. The colt won his debut by five lengths in a maiden race at 4 1/2 furlongs on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields on May 26.

Drop Um gave Castellanos his first stakes win in a career that began in 2023. Drop Um was Rondan’s first stakes win since November 2021.

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