Outside post in San Clemente latest hurdle for My Conquestadory
DEL MAR, Calif. – Not much has gone right for My Conquestadory in recent months.
She sustained a minor injury during the winter and missed training. In her 2014 debut, My Conquestadory was beaten a nose in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes at Woodbine on May 18 after leading in the stretch. She was pointing for the Belmont Oaks on July 5 but didn’t run because rain softened the course.
For Saturday’s $200,000 San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar, My Conquestadory drew the outside post in a field of 12 3-year-old fillies. She will need a career-best performance to win the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over a mile on turf.
The well-traveled My Conquestadory is one of nine stakes winners in the San Clemente. Trainer Mark Casse is worried that My Conquestadory might be a little too well traveled of late.
“She’s showed she’s a good horse,” he said. “My concern is that she’s had a hectic travel schedule. She went from Toronto to New York, back to Toronto, and then to Kentucky and was flown to California.”[bc_video_id:330432:]
Victor Espinoza will ride My Conquestadory, who is owned by Conquest Stable. The filly can lead or race from midpack, which should give Espinoza options as the race unfolds.
Casse thinks My Conquestadory is best as a stalker. “I’d prefer to see her sit off the pace,” he said.
My Conquestadory has won 2 of 4 starts. She won her debut in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes against males at Woodbine last September and followed with a win in the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland in October. Last November, she was a game fourth after a wide trip in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
KEY CONTENDERS
My Conquestadory (Last 3 Beyers: 81-81-74)
◗ Casse said My Conquestadory injured her hip last winter. “It took her a while to get over it,” he said. “She was in light training for a long time.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 12 My Conquestadory. Trainer Mark Casse is 0 for 11 (with only two in the money) with all starters on the Southern California circuit over the past five years. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Tepin (Last 3 Beyers: 76-64-81)
◗ Trained by Casse, Tepin was a troubled eighth in the Grade 3 Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 14. Without the trouble, Casse said Tepin could have won.
“She was moving toward the leaders and almost went over the hedge,” he said. “She had nowhere to go. It was going to be close.”
Diversy Harbor (Last 3 Beyers: 81-76-80)
◗ Trained by Tom Proctor, she has been in the top three five times, all at Santa Anita on turf since late January.
◗ In the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes on May 4, Diversy Harbor raced near the front early, led in the stretch, and was beaten a length by Nashoba’s Gold.
◗ In the Grade 1 American Oaks on May 31, Diversy Harbor closed from eighth to finish second to Room Service.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Diversy Harbor. Trainer Tom Proctor is 5 for 20 with a $4.02 ROI at Del Mar over the past five years in turf routes following a layoff of between 31 and 60 days. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Sandiva
◗ A stakes winner in Ireland, France and England in the last 14 months, Sandiva makes her U.S. debut in the San Clemente. She arrived in the United States on July 11, trainer Michael McCarthy said.
◗ McCarthy on his early impressions of Sandiva: “She seems to have settled in nicely. I think she can handle the firm turf. It’s a big question to ask, but she looks like she belongs in there. It was a nice effort last time out at Ascot.”
◗ Sandiva won the Group 3 Nell Gwynn Stakes at Newmarket in April and was ninth of 17 in the English 1000 Guineas in May.
◗ She was beaten 2 1/4 lengths in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 20.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Sandiva. Trainer Michael McCarthy has not had a horse finish in the money (from eight starters) in North America in the past five years.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 Sheza Smoke Show. Trainer Peter Eurton is 0 for 6 (with only one in the money) over the past five years in turf races second off a layoff following a win. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan