Proven as a turf sprinter, the 3-year-old filly Invincible Molly will start at a mile on turf for the first time in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar, part of the opening day of the famous track’s summer season. The distance may suit Invincible Molly, trainer Jeff Mullins said on Wednesday. “Everybody that has ridden her says she needs to go to two turns,” he said. Invincible Molly has won three of her last five starts in England and California, all at six furlongs on turf, including an allowance race at Santa Anita on May 11. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Mullins intended to start Invincible Molly in an allowance race at a mile on turf at Santa Anita before that track’s meeting ended on June 16, but said such a race did not draw sufficient entries. The $200,000 San Clemente, the richest race on opening weekend at Del Mar, is a distance test for Invincible Molly as well as her graded stakes debut. Invincible Molly is part of a projected large field that includes the undefeated fillies Medoro, a three-time stakes winner, and Iscreamuscream, who is making her graded stakes debut, and Circle of Trust, who won the Grade 3 Honeymoon Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita on June 1. Invincible Molly, purchased for approximately $108,000 last fall, has raced from a stalking position in three starts for Mullins and owner Keith Johnston since she arrived from England last winter. “I think she can do whatever you want to,” he said. Jockey Hector Berrios rode Invincible Molly on May 11, but has the mount on Iscreamuscream in the San Clemente. Edwin Maldonado will ride Invincible Molly for the first time on Saturday. The San Clemente is one of two stakes on Saturday’s program, along with the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf. There are two restricted $100,000 turf stakes at a mile on Sunday – the Wickerr Stakes and the Osunitas Stakes for fillies and mares. The Oceanside, expected to draw a large field, will be the turf stakes debut for Scatify, who was second in the Affirmed Stakes on dirt at Santa Anita on June 9. Mullins has Dandy Man Shines on schedule for the Wickerr. A 4-year-old gelding, Dandy Man Shines won the restricted Let It Ride Stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar last November, but was winless in five starts at Santa Anita from late December to late May. Dandy Man Shines was second in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf there in February. “He likes Del Mar a lot better than Santa Anita, too,” Mullins said. Mullins, 61, won eight races at Del Mar’s summer meeting in 2022 and seven races last summer. In coming weeks, Mullins plans to start Man O Rose and Sugar Fish at Del Mar. Man O Rose has won his last four starts in sprints on turf and dirt at Santa Anita since March and may run in an allowance race on turf. The upstart 3-year-old filly Sugar Fish won her graded stakes debut by 9 3/4 lengths in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks on dirt at Santa Anita on June 8, and is likely to race against older fillies and mares in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 3, Mullins said. Sugar Fish has won her last three starts, beginning with a 10-length victory in a $40,000 claiming race for maidens at Santa Anita in March. The winner of the $400,000 Hirsch receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar on Nov. 2. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.