San Clemente Stakes yields seven for Del Mar Oaks

DEL MAR, Calif. - Led by race winner War Heroine, the first seven finishers of Saturday’s Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar are candidates for the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on Aug. 18.

The $202,760 San Clemente, run at a mile on turf, produced a tight finish, with 5-1 War Heroine prevailing by a neck over Ollie’s Candy, who closed well to finish a neck in front of 5-2 favorite Ms Bad Behavior.

Those fillies are likely for the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles along with the fourth- through seventh-place finishers – Ahimsa, Flammetta, Animosity, and West Palm Beach.

The first seven finishers were separated by four lengths in the field of 13.

War Heroine started around two turns on turf for the first time in the San Clemente, leading throughout under jockey Tyler Baze.

“She’s got a big heart and a lot of speed,” trainer Peter Miller said in the winner’s circle. “I see no reason not to try her in the Del Mar Oaks.”

Owned by Gary Barber, War Heroine has won 4 of 6 starts and earned $240,945. In February, War Heroine won the Sweet Life Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

Ollie’s Candy was beaten for the first time in her fourth start in the San Clemente, closing from ninth in her turf debut. Trained by William Morey, Ollie’s Candy won the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks on dirt in her stakes debut at Santa Anita in June.

“I suppose there will be some new faces in there, but you have to expect that in a Grade 1,” Morey said of the Del Mar Oaks. “I always thought she’d prefer the turf. Why stop now?”

The Del Mar Oaks field will include Paved, who won the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita in June and was eighth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks at Belmont Park on July 7.