Nuovo Record eyes first U.S. win in Red Carpet

DEL MAR, Calif. – After racing in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf two weeks ago, the Japanese mare Nuovo Record took up residence here at Del Mar and on Thursday will attempt to add a United States win to her ledger. She heads the field in the Grade 3, $100,000 Red Carpet Handicap for female turf runners.

The Red Carpet, at 1 3/8 miles, kicks off a Thanksgiving Week schedule of six graded stakes races run over four days. Five are on grass, one on dirt.

Nuovo Record, a daughter of the Sunday Silence stallion Heart’s Cry, has earned nearly $5 million. She is winless in her last nine starts, with her last victory coming in March 2015.

Her rivals on Thursday are expected to include Arles, Barleysugar, Frenzified, Fresh Feline, Generosidade, Into the Mystic, and Swear By It.

◗ The Grade 2, $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles on Friday could include Ashleyluvssugar, who was a respectable fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf last time out. He worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 Friday morning on the dirt at Santa Anita. He won the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap going 11 furlongs on turf during the summer meet.

Others expected for the Turf Cup include Flamboyant, Frank Conversation, Landwade Lad, Power Foot, Quick Casablanca, Royal Albert Hall, Texas Ryano, and perhaps Twentytwentyvision.

◗ Obviously and Om, separated by a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, will meet again in the Grade 2, $200,000 Seabiscuit Handicap for older turf runners at 1 1/16 miles Saturday. The field for that race is coming up strong, with Ring Weekend, Vyjack, and What a View among the likely runners.

◗ Also Saturday is the Grade 3, $100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at one mile on turf. Defiant Honor, trained by Jimmy Toner, was scheduled to arrive Sunday from New York for that race. Others in line for the Durante include Happy Mesa, Journey Home, La Force, Miss Sugars, Partyinthepaddock, Simmy’s Temple, and Tiburtina. Grade1 Chandelier winner Noted and Quoted, who would be making her turf debut, is a possibility to be supplemented.

◗ The 2-year-old male counterpart to the Durante is the Grade 3, $100,000 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes, to be run next Sunday at one mile on turf. Billy Big, Curly’s Waterfront, Harbour Master, Hootie, Ky. Colonel, Souter, Sword Fighter, and Vibe all are under consideration for that race.

◗ Also Sunday is the Grade 3, $100,000 Native Diver Stakes, for older horses at 1 1/8 miles on dirt. Midnight Storm, third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, could move back to dirt for this race. Others in line for the Native Diver are Blue Tone, Bronze Star, El Huerfano, Imperative, Point Piper, and Pretentious.

◗ Jockey Fernando Perez was fined $300 by Del Mar’s stewards for excessive use of the whip Sunday. He was cited for “use of crop when clearly out of race.”