Take the One O One targets Del Mar Derby

DEL MAR, Calif. – In consecutive starts, Take the One O One won the $192,345 Snow Chief Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita on June 2 and Friday’s $150,345 Real Good Deal Stakes at seven furlongs on dirt at Del Mar.

Those races, for California-bred 3-year-olds, have padded Take the One O One’s earnings to $341,181 and displayed the colt’s versatility in two-turn turf races and main-track sprints. The next objective will be a more difficult race – the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf Sept. 2.

“We’re going to keep changing things up,” trainer Brian Koriner said. “He can run short or long and on turf. The plan is the Del Mar Derby. We don’t want him getting bored.”

Take the One O One, who races for Samantha Siegel, has displayed enthusiasm for racing throughout his career. By Acclamation, Take the One O One has run primarily in statebred races in his nine-race career, which includes four wins.

Last September, Take the One O One was a well-beaten third behind Bolt d’Oro in the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on dirt at Santa Anita, his only start in a graded stakes.

In the Real Good Deal Stakes, Take the One O One raced inside throughout. Ridden by Joe Talamo, Take the One O One was third for the first half-mile before taking the lead in early stretch. He won by a half-length over Daddys Prize, finishing in 1:23.40.

The Real Good Deal Stakes could be Take the One O One’s final start in a sprint in the near future.

“I think the horse wants to go a lot farther,” Koriner said.