Sorrento Sky goes last to first in Green Flash, ends Motorious' reign
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DEL MAR, Calif. – Motorious, former king of Del Mar turf sprinters, passed the baton to his stablemate Sorrento Sky on Saturday at Del Mar.
Sorrento Sky ($16) rallied from last to upset the Grade 2 Green Flash Handicap, a five-furlong turf sprint he won by a length over No Nay Hudson. Motorious was flat as the 8-5 favorite. His bid for a fourth consecutive victory in the Green Flash ended with a fourth-place finish.
Phil D’Amato trains Sorrento Sky and Motorious. The former is a 5-year-old veteran who was making just his second start since being gelded. He ran like a new horse under Umberto Rispoli. Motorious, however, showed signs of age.
“He’s getting older,” jockey Antonio Fresu said, referring to 8-year-old Motorious. “I rode him exactly the same as I ride him all the time, but when I pulled him out he didn’t show me that turn of foot that he usually does. The previous Green Flash (editions), he always comes with a burst at the end. Today, no.”
Sorrento Sky had finished behind Motorious in multiple races. D’Amato, however, said before the Green Flash that Sorrento Sky was a better horse since he was gelded. He was less distracted and more settled in the pre-race.
“Umberto always believed in this horse,” D’Amato said. “This was the way he always envisioned him running and it worked out.”
Rispoli and Sorrento Sky lagged at the back of the field, gradually worked through traffic on the turn, angled outside, and flew late to win in :56.12. It was the type of come-from-behind rally that Motorious once uncorked with regularity.
Although the Green Flash is a Win-and-You’re-In for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, Sorrento Sky is not currently Breeders’ Cup-nominated. The win Saturday was his first stakes victory. Owned by CYBT, Gevertz or Nentwig, Sorrento Sky has won five races and $422,918.
The disappointment in the race was comebacker Man O Rose, who figured to set the pace due to the scratch of Monster. Man O Rose, however, broke through the gate before the start, and galloped a quarter-mile down the backstretch before jockey Edwin Maldonado turned him around and made his way back to the gate.
Man O Rose did not show his customary speed, and finished last.
After one-two finishers Sorrento Sky and No Nay Hudson, the third- through eighth-place finishers were Virat, Motorious, Sumter, Incanto, Mescalero and Man O Rose. Monster and Saratoga Special were scratched.
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