Sandy Blue field uncertain in light of potential Del Mar Oaks defections
DEL MAR, Calif. – The field for the $90,000 Sandy Blue Handicap on Friday night at Del Mar will very much depend on decisions made regarding the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Saturday, for several 3-year-old fillies entered in the Sandy Blue also are possible for the Oaks, including Istanford, the winner of the San Clemente on July 19.
The Grade 2 San Clemente is the local major prep for the Del Mar Oaks, but one reason trainer Mike Stidham was apprehensive about going in the Oaks is the 1 1/8-mile distance. The Sandy Blue, like the San Clemente, is at one mile on turf.
“We’re going to enter in both, take a look at both, and decide which fits best,” Stidham said. “Looking at my filly’s past performances, a mile just glares at you as her best distance. A mile and an eighth is definitely stretching her beyond her comfort zone. Still, the Oaks is a Grade 1, and any piece you can get of that is big for a filly. It’s tearing us in both directions.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Istanford. Trainer Michael Stidham is 8 for 27 with a $2.92 ROI over the past five years with fillies in turf routes following a win less than 30 days ago.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Neil Drysdale, the trainer of the French-raced import Maibaby, also said he was thinking of scratching out of the Sandy Blue and going instead in the Oaks.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Maibaby. Trainer Neil Drysdale is 3 for 5 with a $8.00 ROI over the past five years when adding Lasix to foreign shippers new to his barn, following a winning effort.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Eleven fillies were entered in the Sandy Blue, the sixth race on an abbreviated seven-race card that begins at 4 p.m. Pacific. Del Mar always begins its Friday programs at 4 p.m., but owing to earlier sunsets later in the meet, the final three Fridays have seven-race programs.
KEY CONTENDERS
Istanford (Last 3 Beyers: 88-76-81)
◗ She led from start to finish in the San Clemente, her fourth win from 10 starts. She is unbeaten in three starts at one mile on turf.
◗ Del Mar is the sixth track at which she has raced and the third track at which she has won, having prevailed at Arlington and Fair Grounds, too, so different courses obviously pose no barrier.
Maibaby (first start in North America)
◗ She won twice in six starts in France but never ran against group stakes company there. She won her most recent start in June at Chantilly when racing on firm ground, which she will get at Del Mar.
Wonderfully (Last Beyer: 83)
◗ Wonderfully is a classy import from Europe who was fifth last month in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks in her first start in this country and her first on Lasix.
◗ Before coming to the United States, she won twice overseas, both times in Ireland, including in Group 3 company. She was out of the money in all five of her tries against Group 1 company, but she was racing against far better stock overseas than what she will encounter in this spot.
Amnesia (Last 3 Beyers: 80-78-76)
◗ She is the second of two runners entered by Drysdale, who also has Maibaby.
◗ She shipped to Santa Rosa and won the minor Wine Country Stakes on turf there July 26, her first win in four starts since being imported from Britain.
“I thought she got a very good ride last time,” Drysdale said. “A rail-hugging ride. Got right through.”