Mucho Unusual only has stablemate to beat in Solana Beach
Trainer Tim Yakteen waited as long as he could before running Mucho Unusual and Cordiality against each other, but he could postpone the inevitable for only so long.
Mucho Unusual, who has started in eight consecutive graded stakes and lost her last seven, drops into the $125,000 Solana Beach Stakes for Cal-bred fillies and mares Saturday at Del Mar. She might be a standout in the mile turf race, except for her pesky stablemate.
Cordiality, whose Osunitas Stakes victory last month was her fourth stakes and 11th win of her career, provides a legitimate challenge to 8-5 program favorite Mucho Unusual. For Yakteen, the best-case scenario in the Solana Beach is a dead heat.
“I would rather have campaigned them individually instead of against each other,” Yakteen acknowledged. “Unfortunately, I have to run them against each other. They’re both Cal-breds. Hopefully we can hit the wire at the same time.”
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Not likely. Despite a string of losses that began in summer 2019, Mucho Unusual enters the Solana Beach as the class of the field and arguably most probable winner on the card.
In addition to Cordiality, Mucho Unusual faces 3-year-old dirt stakes winners Big Sweep and Smiling Shirlee, allowance-caliber Sedamar, and upset candidates Pulpit Rider and Kitty Boom Boom.
The Solana Beach for statebreds is a reprieve for Mucho Unusual, a Grade 2 winner last summer and Grade 1-placed twice in her last four starts.
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“She’s campaigned a full year, hit some tough spots, and run some big races for us,” Yakteen said. “We want to give her class relief, and get her confidence going. That being said, [Cordiality] came out of the Osunitas in great shape and is razor-sharp herself.”
George Krikorian owns and bred Mucho Unusual, whose reputation is untarnished by a yearlong drought in which she placed in the Grade 1 Gamely and American Oaks, as well as a Grade 2 and Grade 3. Flavien Prat rides Mucho Unusual, winner of the Grade 2 San Clemente last summer. The 4-year-old has won four races and $507,715 from 14 starts.
Donnie Crevier owns Cordiality, a 7-year-old he claimed for $62,500 in winter 2019. Two starts later she won the $100,000 Fran’s Valentine, then was off for a year. Her front-running victory in the Osunitas was just her second start back.
“She doesn’t need the lead,” Yakteen said. “If somebody were to get crazy and want to take the lead, Cordiality’s just as strong coming from slightly off the pace.”
Umberto Rispoli rides Cordiality.
Mucho Unusual and Cordiality worked together on turf Sunday morning, and though both were timed in 1:00.80, Mucho Unusual appeared to be going easier.