Sister Otoole tries to reverse longshot trend in Red Carpet Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – The turf-festival portion of the Del Mar fall meet begins Thursday, when a historically chaotic stakes race offsets the fuzzy warmth of Thanksgiving.

Eight of the nine remaining Del Mar stakes are on turf, including a pair of Grade 1s – the Hollywood Derby on Dec. 3 and the Matriarch on Dec. 4, closing day. None of the remaining stakes is as arbitrary as the Grade 3 Red Carpet on Thursday.

At a 1 3/8 miles for fillies and mares, the Red Carpet has produced a string of longshot winners since it moved from Hollywood Park to Del Mar in 2014. Five of the last eight Red Carpet winners paid more than $20, including bombs Three Hearts ($61.40) in 2014 and Zuzanna ($48) in 2019.

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Red Carpet favorites are 1 for 8 at Del Mar, which might be a statistical quirk; four Red Carpet favorites finished second. This year’s probable favorite is Sister Otoole, an East Coast-based mare making her second trip west. Trained by Graham Motion, she won the CTT & TOC Stakes in summer at Del Mar at the same distance as the Red Carpet.

Others in the Red Carpet include Bellstreet Bridie, a European import; Quattroelle, a second-level allowance winner; Lady Jae, who is stretching out in distance; and upset candidate Duvet Day. Angel Nadeshiko, Dramatizer, Scarabea, and Queen Ofthe Temple also were entered.

The Red Carpet received a $50,000 purse boost to $150,000 this year, but more important for future broodmare Sister Otoole, it would be her first graded stakes win.

“She’s just a hard-knocking, very likeable filly, a very tough filly,” Motion said. “She’ll probably get a little freshening after this, because she’s had a long year.”

Preliminary plans call for Sister Otoole to remain in training next year as a 6-year-old. Umberto Rispoli, who rode her to the CTT & TOC win in summer, is back aboard.

Sister Otoole was scheduled to ship Tuesday from Maryland along with stablemate Wootton Asset, who runs Saturday in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit. Motion and California assistant Alice Clapham will be active in upcoming turf stakes. Three from the Motion barn are possible for the Hollywood Derby – Speaking Scout, Script, and Evan Harlan. Sparkle Blue, a recent Grade 3 winner at Keeneland, will target the Grade 1 American Oaks on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

Bellstreet Bridie would be using the Red Carpet to prep for the American Oaks, though her status for Thursday is not confirmed. The 3-year-old filly arrived last week from England, spent two days in quarantine, and only arrived Friday at trainer Mark Glatt’s stable at Santa Anita.

After winning three of her last four starts, Bellstreet Bridie was purchased at auction for a reported $311,166. If she starts Thursday, Flavien Prat will ride.

Bellstreet Bridie is owned by Jed and Tim Cohen, whose second-level allowance winner Quattroelle figures as a contender in the Red Carpet. Jeff Mullins trains Quattroelle, whose rider is Hector Berrios. First post Thursday is early, at 11 a.m.

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