Medoro parlays ideal trip into Mabee Stakes victory
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DEL MAR, Calif. – Medoro was reunited with an old partner for Monday’s Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar, a man quite familiar with the winner’s circle after stakes races this summer.
Medoro was ridden by Juan Hernandez who was aboard the 5-year-old mare for a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland in April.
In the Mabee for fillies and mares, Medoro ($8.80) benefited from an ideal ride from Hernandez to beat 3-5 favorite Thought Process by a length. The second choice, Medoro ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:47.61.
“My filly rated beautifully,” Hernandez said. “She traveled good the whole way. I was happy with where we were.”
Medoro was fourth for the first six furlongs, tracking pacesetter Pura Vida Princesa who set a relatively slow pace of 24.14 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.90 for a half-mile.
Thought Process was second on the first turn and the backstretch, racing within a half-length and then a length of 19-1 Pura Vida Princesa. Thought Process, who was ridden by Hector Berrios, was near the front on the turn when challenged by Medoro.
At that point, Berrios was concerned whether Thought Process could sustain her advantage.
“On the last turn, I asked her and she responded, but not very well,” Berrios said. “The pace was slow, and she pulled. She never relaxed.”
Thought Process, winner of the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes on May 25 at Santa Anita, finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of 24-1 Bojaca Blessing, who was third throughout.
Baltic Fire finished fourth, followed by Whiskey Decision, Canto Della Terra, Fibonaccis Ride, Firenze Flavor, Vincey Girl, and Pura Vida Princesa.
The $252,500 Mabee Stakes is Medoro’s richest win, and her seventh victory in 18 starts for owners Lee and Susan Searing and trainer Peter Eurton. Medoro has won six stakes and earned $828,278. She was second in the 2025 Mabee Stakes.
Monday’s race was Medoro’s first start in California this year. In four starts in Kentucky and Louisiana earlier this year, Medoro won once, in the $100,000 Marie Krantz Memorial Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf for fillies and mares at Fair Grounds in January.
The Wiley was the only time Hernandez had ridden Medoro before Monday.
The Del Mar summer meeting concluded Sunday. Hernandez finished second to Joel Rosario in the overall jockey standings, ending a streak of four consecutive riding titles at the summer meeting.
Hernandez led all riders with 14 stakes wins, eight more than second-place Umberto Rispoli. Hernandez was one shy of Flavien Prat’s track record of 15 stakes wins at a summer meeting set in 2020.
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