Master the Blues too rich for CERF Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – Master the Blues created a pleasant problem when she won Friday’s $96,560 Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar. She earned too much money to be eligible for her next start, the $90,000 CERF Stakes on Sept. 3.

The CERF Stakes is run over six furlongs for fillies and mares who have not earned a first-place purse of $50,000 or more since March 1. In the Daisycutter, Master the Blues earned $56,640.

“She won too much,” trainer Bob Hess Jr. said.

Not that Hess was genuinely complaining. He was delighted to see Master the Blues close from third in a field of five under jockey Kent Desormeaux to catch pacesetter Kinz Funky Monkey and win the five-furlong dash by a neck in 57.10 seconds.

Master the Blues, a 5-year-old mare by Master Command, has won 7 of 19 starts and earned 181,320. The Daisycutter was her first stakes win. She could have been claimed for $25,000 at Presque Isle Downs in June when trained by Kathleen O’Connell. Master the Blues joined Hess’s stable for the Del Mar meeting.

The mare races for J.K. Houssels Jr., Gulliver Racing, and Schroeder Farms.

With limited opportunities before this meeting ends Sept. 3, Hess said Master the Blues could be a candidate for races at other venues with synthetic tracks, such as Arlington Park and Golden Gate Fields.

Trujillo suspended three days

Jockey Elvis Trujillo, who leads the standings here with 16 wins through Friday, was suspended three days for causing interference in a race Thursday, a penalty he plans to appeal, according to his agent, Tom Knust.

Trujillo was cited for his ride on John’s Success, who finished third in a maiden claimer over six furlongs in Thursday’s third race. The suspension is scheduled to start Thursday and run for three racing days, through Saturday. A successful appeal would allow the 30-year-old Trujillo to continue riding until the case is heard.

Jockey Felipe Martinez has been suspended for three days for causing interference on Mahalo Arturo in the eighth race Thursday. Mahalo Arturo was disqualified from fifth and placed last for causing interference going into the turn.

The suspension begins Thursday.

Story to Tell to Los Alamitos

Story to Tell, who finished last of six in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes on Aug. 3, will not start for the remainder of the Del Mar meeting.

Trainer Dan Hendricks said this week that Story to Tell will be pointed to the Barretts Juvenile at the Los Alamitos September meeting. The Barretts Juvenile is restricted to horses who have gone through the sales ring at Barretts.

Story to Tell, who won the W.L. Proctor Stakes at Los Alamitos in July, was purchased for $200,000 at the Barretts March sale of select 2-year-olds in training this year.

Clubhouse Ride works

Clubhouse Ride, the winner of the Grade 2 Californian Stakes at Santa Anita on May 31, worked seven furlongs in 1:26.40 on the Polytrack surface at Del Mar on Saturday in preparation for the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 24.

Trained by Craig Lewis, Clubhouse Ride was second to Pacific Classic hopeful Majestic Harbor in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 28.

The Pacific Classic field is led by Shared Belief, the undefeated champion 2-year-old male of 2013; Majestic Harbor; and Game on Dude, who won the Pacific Classic in 2013 but was fourth as the 4-5 favorite in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita.

Trainer John Sadler said Saturday that Candy Boy, the runner-up in the West Virginia Derby on Aug. 2, is “unlikely” for the Pacific Classic and will be considered for the $400,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs on Sept. 6 or the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 20.