Seabiscuit, Jimmy Durante top Del Mar weekend undercard

Supporting the Grade 1 races on the weekend at Del Mar are two grass stakes on Saturday and one on Sunday, all of which, like the Hollywood Derby and Matriarch, have strong representation among the shippers.

The Grade 2, $250,000 Seabiscuit Handicap for older horses at 1 1/16 miles on Saturday includes both Flop Shot and Sacred Life for Chad Brown, with the brothers Ortiz – Irad on Flop Shot, Jose on Sacred Life – set to ride. Sacred Life won the Grade 3 Knickerbocker at Belmont last time out.

Graham Motion on Sunday said he may run English Bee. Others expected for the Seabiscuit include Bob and Jackie, Indian Peak, Lambeau, Majestic Eagle, Neptune’s Storm, and North County Guy.

John Velazquez rides Bob and Jackie, who had the fastest time – 1:01.20 - of eight who worked five furlongs on the turf on Sunday.

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Also Saturday is the Grade 3, $100,000 Jimmy Durante, for 2-year-old fillies at one mile. Sparkle Blue, an allowance winner last time out here Nov. 3 after shipping in from Fair Hill, has remained for Motion with assistant Alice Clapham and will again have Jose Ortiz aboard. His brother Irad landed on Tezzaray, a maiden winner Nov. 4 in his United States debut for Peter Miller. Tezzaray worked five furlongs on turf on Sunday morning in 1:03.20.

Others expected for the Durante include Awake at Midnight, Dendera, Fuente Ovejuna, Helens Wells, Liam’s Dove, Mamajoon, Miss Bellatrix, Reem Zabeel, Toeris, Tonito’s, and Virulente, who worked five furlongs in 1:02.20 on the turf on Sunday morning for Phil D’Amato. Reem Zabeel, trained by Anna Meah, covered a half-mile on turf in 52.80 seconds.

On closing day Sunday, the Matriarch is supported by the Grade 3, $100,000 Cecil B. DeMille for 2-year-olds at one mile.

Brown is scheduled to send Verbal, a debut winner at Belmont, who has Jose Ortiz up. Others expected for the DeMille include Barsabas, Boise, Degree of Risk, Derecho Dandy, Elevado, Get Back Goldie, Groovy Huey, Optimising, and possibly Astronomer and Il Capitano.