Powell has larger, deeper stable this season
Last summer, California trainer Leonard Powell began the Del Mar meeting with an upset win by Flashiest in the Oceanside Stakes.
By the end of that season in early September, Powell’s stable had five wins, which equaled his career best for a Del Mar summer, and record earnings of $360,744.
Expectations are high for greater success this summer when Del Mar opens on Friday.
“I hope it will be better than last year,” Powell said. “We always try to do better than last year.”
Flashiest is part of a 38-horse stable for Powell, the largest barn he has taken to the northern San Diego County track.
But Flashiest is far from the most prominent runner in the barn this year. Neige Blanche, a six-time stakes winner in the last 15 months, is scheduled to start in the $100,000 CTT and TOC Handicap for fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles on turf on Aug. 19.
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A successful race there could lead to a start in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap against males at 1 3/8 miles on Sept. 3, Powell said on Tuesday.
More immediately, Avenue de France, the winner of the Golden Poppy Stakes on turf at Golden Gate Fields in April, is an intended runner in Saturday’s $100,000 Osunitas Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf. On Sunday, Dicey Mo Chara is scheduled to start in the Grade 3 Cougar II Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on dirt.
Dicey Mo Chara was second in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Santa Anita in March and third by a half-length in the All American Stakes at a mile on the Tapeta synthetic track at Golden Gate Fields on May 30, overcoming traffic in early stretch.
“We thought it would be a good stepping stone” to the Cougar II, Powell said.
As for Flashiest, he has struggled this year, finishing fourth or fifth in three allowance races on turf at Santa Anita from early February to late May. On Tuesday, Flashiest worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds on the main track at Del Mar.
A winner of 3 of 12 starts, Flashiest is scheduled to start in an allowance race on turf on Sunday in an effort to end an eight-race losing streak since the Oceanside. The span of losses includes a second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on turf last September.
“He’s run twice at Del Mar and it’s a course he likes,” Powell said. “Hopefully, we get back to winning ways.”