Summering an easy winner in Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf

DEL MAR, Calif. – Summering continued her inexorable march toward the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with a clear-cut victory on Monday’s closing-day card in the $102,070 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, running her record to a perfect 2 for 2, and solidifying jockey Drayden Van Dyke’s position atop the jockeys’ standings.

Summering ($2.60) was heavily favored against 10 other 2-year-old fillies off a powerful debut against maidens on July 29, also in a one-mile grass race.

In this race, she sat just off the flank of the early leader, Noble Contessa, moved to the lead heading into the lane, and was never threatened thereafter. She prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths over Lady Prancealot, with Bizwhacks another 1 3/4 lengths back in third.

“She’s super talented. She wanted to keep going after the race,” Van Dyke said.

Van Dyke said he “was loaded” down the backstretch, and that Summering won “very easily.”

Summering was timed in 1:37.15 for one mile on firm turf.

Van Dyke took a tumble in the last race on Sunday, and his left hand still had some puffiness from bracing himself when he landed, but he was otherwise fine.

Summering, a daughter of War Front, was bred and is owned by the Glen Hill Farm of Craig Bernick. She is trained by Tom Proctor.

Summering is out of the mare Wishing Gate, who was a multiple graded stakes winner for Proctor and Glen Hill.

CERF’S up for Miss Sunset

Miss Sunset ($3.20) continued her love affair with Del Mar by winning the $99,990 CERF Stakes for older female sprinters for the second straight year, her fifth victory at this track in as many starts.

Miss Sunset beat Show It N Moe It by 1 1/2 lengths, with pacesetter Dis Smart Cat a nose farther back in third.

Mike Smith, back from the weekend in Saratoga, rode Miss Sunset for trainer Jeff Bonde. Miss Sunset was timed in 1:10.48 for six furlongs on the fast main track.

The win was the 10th in 18 lifetime starts for Miss Sunset, a 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief who is owned by Alan Klein and Philip Lebherz. This was her first start since finishing second to division leader Marley’s Freedom in the Grade 3 Desert Stormer at Santa Anita on May 27.