O'Neill takes advantage of split-race opportunities

DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer Doug O’Neill has plenty of 2-year-old maiden fillies he wants to sprint on turf, and he will send out five Thursday after a five-furlong race carded for that day was split into two divisions.

In race 1, O’Neill will run Mo Me Mo My – who was second in a similar spot during the summer meet here – and the longshot Elusively.

O’Neill on Monday morning at Del Mar said Mo Me Mo My, a daughter of Uncle Mo, has not raced since her Aug. 22 debut because “she needed time to mature.”

“She should run well,” he said.

In race 6, the second half of the split race, O’Neill entered Apples Arch, first-timer Shut It Up, and Sold It, who finished third as the favorite in a dirt sprint at Santa Anita in her first start Oct. 14. She cuts back to five furlongs from 6 1/2 furlongs.

“She’s probably the most solid of the three,” O’Neill said of Sold It, a daughter of The Factor.

He said Shut It Up, by Violence, “has got some ability.”

Apples Arch, by Arch, “has ability, but she’s mentally immature, so we’re hoping she comes around sooner rather than later,” O’Neill said.

“Originally, I was trying to figure out which two or three to run in the one race, but when it split it worked out perfect,” he said.

Many options for Tapwater

The 2-year-old Tapit filly Tapwater was a solid second on dirt when sprinting in her July debut, and then defeated maidens going long on the grass Saturday in her second lifetime start, giving trainer Richard Mandella plenty of options for her next race.

“I wouldn’t be opposed to running her back on dirt,” Mandella said.

“There’s a grass stakes here at the end of the meet,” he said, referring to the Grade 3, $100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes going one mile on turf Nov. 24. “That’s probably too close to run back, but she’ll be nominated just in case.”

Tapwater was bred and is owned by the Roth family’s LNJ Foxwoods.

Gutierrez suspended three days

Jockey Mario Gutierrez has been suspended three days by Del Mar’s stewards following the disqualification of Excellent Sunset from first to second in the Kathryn Crosby Stakes on opening day Friday.

Gutierrez’s suspension includes this Saturday, Sunday, and the following Thursday, Nov. 22.

◗ Greyvitos, idle since the Pat Day Mile in May, worked six furlongs from the gate in 1:14.60 on Monday morning at Del Mar as he nears a comeback. Greyvitos, 3, won the Bob Hope last summer before capturing the Springboard Mile at Remington.