Mullins has solid 3-year-olds for turf, dirt

DEL MAR, Calif. – Victories by River Boyne in the La Jolla Handicap on Sunday and Tatters to Riches in an allowance Saturday have put trainer Jeff Mullins in position to have top contenders in turf and dirt stakes races for 3-year-olds at the end of the Del Mar meet.

Turf specialist River Boyne won for the fifth time in his last six starts when capturing the Grade 3 La Jolla, which is a prep for the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 2.

“That seems like the logical spot,” Mullins said at his barn Monday morning. “It’s hard to believe the La Jolla was his first graded stakes win.”

River Boyne, bred in Ireland, arrived in this country a maiden. He graduated Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, won a first-level allowance, and knocked off a pair of listed stakes, the Pasadena and Rainbow. His only loss during that skein was a third-place finish on bottomless ground in the Grade 2 American Turf on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs.

“It was raining in the middle of the night, and when I woke up and saw it was still raining I knew we were doomed,” Mullins said.

Tatters to Riches, a $1 million buy as a 2-year-old, returned from layoff of nearly 11 months to win a first-level allowance against older runners going 6 1/2 furlongs. The rail draw concerned Mullins.

“It all worked out,” Mullins said. “I was a little frustrated with the draw. But we had to do it. We thought about scratching, but we needed to get a race in him.”

Mullins said the $100,000 Shared Belief at one mile Aug. 25 was “a possibility.”

“He’ll like more ground for sure,” Mullins said.

Accelerate has sharp work

Accelerate, the ante-post favorite for the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 18, looked sharp Sunday with a six-furlong work in 1:12.20 that was the best of the morning by more than one second.

“Very good,” said John Sadler, who trains Accelerate. “He went 1:12 and change and the next eighth in 12. Hello. That’s 1:24 and change. We’re in good shape. He went really, really well. The track’s been slow all week.”

Juan Leyva, the former jockey who is Sadler’s assistant, was up for the work.

Other Pacific Classic contenders who worked Sunday included Beach View (four furlongs, 50.80 seconds) and The Lieutenant (five furlongs, 1:00.80).