Prat completes Del Mar stakes sweep on Jo Jo Air

Order was restored at Del Mar on Friday. Racing resumed, and Flavien Prat put on a clinic.

Riding for the first time since testing positive for coronavirus nearly two weeks earlier, Prat swept both stakes and won four races on the 11-race card, including with Jo Jo Air in the $71,890 Daisycutter Handicap for older female turf sprinters.

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As often happens on this circuit, where he invariably is vying for leading rider, Prat was in the right spot throughout. He sat third with Jo Jo Air behind dueling leaders Stealthediamonds and Surrender Now, eased her out for running room in upper stretch, and they had enough left to stave off the late run of Lighthouse to win by a neck.

She paid $9.20 to win as the second choice of nine runners.

Lighthouse, a 10-1 shot and the only 3-year-old in the field, ran too good to lose. She made a bold bid in upper stretch after saving ground on the far turn, and while Jo Jo Air was superior, Lighthouse finished 3 1/4 lengths in front of third-place Tomlin.

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Mucho Amor was fourth. Stealthediamonds, favored at 6-5, faded to fifth, then came, in order, Mischiffie, Surrender Now, Storming Lady, and Artistic Diva.

Jo Jo Air was timed in 56.29 seconds for five furlongs on the firm course.

This was the first local start for Jo Jo Air, whom trainer Wesley Ward brought in from Kentucky following a winter spent in Florida. She was in the midst of a three-race losing streak after winning 3 of 5 prior to that, so the move to California and switch to Prat proved a tonic.

Jo Jo Air, 4, is by the late Scat Daddy. She is owned by Mrs. Charlie O’Connor and Andrew Farm. The Daisycutter was her fourth win in 11 starts – all in turf sprints -- and her second stakes win. She defeated males in the William Walker in April 2019 at Churchill Downs. She earned $41,700 on Friday to push her career earnings past the $200,000 mark.