McCarthy, Sadler taking multiple shots at Oceanside Stakes

While the established stakes winners Endlessly and Final Boss aim to graded turf races later in summer, 11 other 3-year-olds will try to establish credentials in the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes on Saturday, opening day at Del Mar.

Scatify and We’re in Trouble top the Oceanside, a restricted turf mile that is the first of three turf stakes for summer 3-year-olds. The Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap is Aug. 4; the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby is Sept. 1.

Endlessly, multiple stakes winner and top 3-year-old turf horse in California, returned home after finishing fifth of five in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at Aqueduct. Trainer Michael McCarthy said Endlessly “probably” will run next at Del Mar; options include the La Jolla and Del Mar Derby.

McCarthy’s short-term focus is on three Oceanside entrants. They include 2-for-2 sprinter We’re in Trouble, who defeated older allowance horses last out, and stakes-placed Formidable Man and Blue Eyed George.

Last-out stakes winner Final Boss will target the La Jolla, according to trainer John Sadler, who also is stocked for the Oceanside. Sadler’s entrants are Scatify and Island Cruiser.

The Oceanside is race 7 on a card that includes the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap for 3-year-old fillies, race 9. The evenly matched Oceanside field also includes Phil D’Amato’s streaking stretch-out sprinter King of Gosford, All That Glory, Guy Named Joe, Charge for Gold, Rothschild, and Simplexity.

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Favorites won the Oceanside four of the past five years, and though 1-for-6 Scatify is hardly a slam dunk, he is a logical contender off three straight runner-up finishes, including a bad-trip turf-sprint allowance and a runner-up finish last out on dirt in the two-turn Affirmed Stakes.

“I didn’t really want to take him out of town,” Sadler said. “We’ve tried him on grass; he was an unlucky loser. Like a lot of Justifys, we think he can run on either surface. This looks like a good spot.”

Sadler would know. He has won the Oceanside five times.

Sadler also starts Island Cruiser, who upset tough-trip Scatify in May. Two turns is a challenge for Island Cruiser.

“His one route race wasn’t his best, but we think it’s a one-off,” Sadler said. “He’s been training really good; he’s been freshened for this. A 3-year-old who has won [an entry-level allowance] like he has, there are not a lot of other options. We’ll have two good shots.”

Edwin Maldonado rides Island Cruiser; Hector Berrios rides Scatify.

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We’re in Trouble is McCarthy’s top Oceanside entrant, having defeated older last out. We’re in Trouble has speed and is 2 for 2 in sprints, but he is running long Saturday on a course that tends to favor late-runners. Last summer, 17 of 18 rails-at-zero turf miles were won from off the pace. The rails are at zero Saturday. So, can We’re in Trouble stay the trip?

“We’re going to find out,” McCarthy said. “Talented horse, [the Oceanside] is the only option we have to find out if he can get a mile. I’m sure around one turn he’s going to be very useful. Around two turns, we’ll see what happens.”

Abel Cedillo rides We’re in Trouble.

Formidable Man finished sixth last out at Churchill Downs. His runner-up two back in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs makes him an Oceanside contender with jockey Umberto Rispoli.

Blue Eyed George, runner-up to Final Boss in the Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita, figures as a contender under Jeremy Laprida, though Blue Eyed George prefers longer than one mile.

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D’Amato won the 2023 Oceanside with sprinter Conclude and will try for a similar win this year with sprinter King of Gosford. Three for three, including two stakes in the United States, all turf sprints, King of Gosford adds to the pace scenario.

King of Gosford “reminds me a lot of Conclude at this time of year, same kind of pattern,” D’Amato said. “Antonio Fresu and his exercise riders, none of them think two turns is an issue. He’s a horse who switch off if you want, and he’s got a nice turn of foot, as well.”

Fresu rides King of Gosford.

D’Amato’s top 3-year-old is a dirt horse. Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold will train at Del Mar this summer, and though he might be considered for the $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes on Sept. 1 at Del Mar, the main objective for Stronghold is the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 21 at Parx Racing.

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