Owning switching surfaces in Del Mar Juvenile Turf

DEL MAR, Calif. – Owning was unable to keep pace with Instagrand in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 11. That 13 1/2-length loss to the leading 2-year-old in California was enough to convince trainer Simon Callaghan and owners Paul and Zillah Reddam to switch surfaces with Owning.

On Sunday, Owning will have his turf debut in the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf at a mile. Owning is part of a field of 11 in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf and is the only runner with stakes experience. Five starters have won a maiden race, while five others are maidens.

Owning will be ridden for the first time by Drayden Van Dyke, the leading rider at the summer meeting through Thursday. Van Dyke replaces Mario Gutierrez, who has the mount on Rijeka.

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KEY CONTENDERS

Owning, by Flashback
Beyers: 62-72

◗ Owning won his debut in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos on July 8, disputing the pace before winning by 2 1/2 lengths. In the Best Pal, Owning fought for the early lead with Instagrand but faded through the final quarter-mile.

◗ Owning was purchased for $260,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. auction of 2-year-olds in training in April. Callaghan said a presale workout in Florida by Owning makes him think the colt will handle turf.

“He breezed well on the synthetic surface when we bought him at OBS,” Callaghan said. “He’s a very efficient-moving horse. We felt this was the right time to try something different.”

Rijeka, by Roderic O’Connor
Beyer: 59

◗ Rijeka surprised trainer Richard Baltas with a win in a maiden race on Aug. 12, the colt’s first start in the United States. Rijeka was fifth at 100-1 in a maiden race at Leopardstown, Ireland, in his debut on May 25.

“I didn’t know how good he was,” Baltas said. “His dirt works were average. I put a little cheater blinker on him, and he trained aggressively. I feel very good about my horse.”

Hartel, by City Zip
Last 3 Beyers: 64-39-0

◗ Hartel struggled in maiden races on dirt at Santa Anita and Los Alamitos in early summer, but responded brilliantly to a switch to turf by winning a five-furlong maiden race by 1 1/2 lengths on Aug. 8 as the 9-5 favorite. Trained by Peter Miller, Hartel closed from fourth to take the lead in the final furlong, suggesting Sunday’s longer distance should not be an issue.

Forloveofcountry, by Sky Mesa
Beyers: 56-57

◗ Trained by Jim DiVito, Forloveofcountry closed from ninth in a field of 12 to win his turf debut in a maiden race at a mile on July 28. Forloveofcountry is one four runners in the field to have won at a mile on turf, along with Honcho, Rijeka, and Takeo Squared.