Third Dawn earns shot at big time

DEL MAR, Calif. - Third Dawn earned a one-month vacation for recording her first stakes win in Sunday's $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar.

Trainer John Sadler said Third Dawn will be rested until October, and then brought back into training with the goal of having her ready for the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita in late December. The La Brea, run over seven furlongs, is the first of three stakes for 4-year-old fillies of 2010 that ends with the La Canada Stakes over 1 1/8 miles in early February.

"We'll give her the rest of the year off," Sadler said. "There really isn't much in the next few months for 3-year-old fillies."

In the Torrey Pines Stakes, Third Dawn ($3.40) raced wide throughout the one-mile race and still scored a convincing win under jockey Joel Rosario, finishing in 1:37.60. Sadler was not concerned that Rosario kept Third Dawn on the outside, at one point racing five wide in a field of six entering the stretch.

"He was 4-5 in a small field and I think he thought he could go wide and stay out of trouble," he said. "She closed professionally."

Third Dawn finished 2 1/4 lengths in front of 9-1 Music Magic, who was a length in front of Jehan.

Owned by Ike and Dawn Thrash, Third Dawn has won 3 of 10 starts and $220,440. She was second by a nose to Stardom Bound in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks last March and third behind Carlsbad in the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks at Hollywood Park in July.