Multiple stakes winner Big Sweep tries turf on Saturday

The two-time stakes winner Big Sweep will have her turf debut in an allowance race with an $80,000 claiming option for 3-year-old fillies in the seventh race at Del Mar on Saturday.

The one-mile race might as well be a minor stakes. Aside from Big Sweep, five of the other seven fillies have run in stakes.

Croughavouke, who will be fitted with blinkers for the first time, was third in the Grade 3 Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita in June and fifth after a wide trip in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at a mile at Del Mar on July 25 for trainer Jeff Mullins. Mind Out, trained by Simon Callaghan, was second in the California Oaks on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields on May 31 and second by a nose in an optional claimer at a mile on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 8, closing from seventh in a field of eight.

Big Sweep, trained by Mark Glatt, has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $212,250. Big Sweep is owned by Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal, the same owners as Croughavouke.

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Big Sweep beat 3-year-old statebred males in the Echo Eddie Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs in her stakes debut at Santa Anita on May 16, and finished a quiet third at 9-10 in the Melair Stakes for statebred 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles there on June 21. Big Sweep won her Del Mar debut against statebred 3-year-old fillies in the Fleet Treat Stakes at seven furlongs on July 24.

Glatt said Big Sweep has a pedigree that suggests she will handle the turf. The filly is by the Dynaformer stallion Mr. Big and is out of a City Zip mare, Misszippityslewda.

Big Sweep has had three workouts on turf in recent weeks, including half-mile works in 49.40 seconds on Aug. 16 and in 50 seconds last Sunday.

“Most of the Mr. Bigs have thrived on the grass,” Glatt said. “I would expect she will like it. She seems to have really taken to it in the morning.”

Flavien Prat, who has ridden Big Sweep in her first four starts, has the mount.