Mabee rivals could meet in Rodeo Drive

DEL MAR, Calif. – Avenge, who won the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes for female grass runners on Sunday, and Sobradora Inc, who finished in a dead heat for fifth as the favorite in the race after encountering traffic trouble, could meet again in the Grade 1, $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, their trainers said Monday.

Avenge won at a mile early in the meet and stretched out to 1 1/8 miles in the Mabee. The Rodeo Drive is at 1 1/4 miles.

“We’ll just keep reaching,” said Richard Mandella, who trains Avenge, adding that he believes she’s earned the chance to try to go farther. “If she hadn’t done well yesterday, maybe we’d back up.”

Sobradora Inc, a winner of her first five starts, never got a clean run until way too late in the Mabee.

“They didn’t go a quick pace, and she didn’t get room to get running at any stage,” said trainer Simon Callaghan. “I think she obviously could have been right there. It didn’t pan out. But she didn’t have a hard race.”