Top contenders stretch out in pair of allowances
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DEL MAR, Calif. – Horseplayers must solve a pair of sprint-to-route riddles Thursday in Del Mar allowance races – fillies and mares on turf, and California-bred colts and geldings on dirt.
Canto Della Terra, an Irish-bred filly who scored a sharp comeback win last month in a turf sprint at Santa Anita, stretches to 1 1/16 miles in race 6. Her main rivals – French-bred program favorite The White Lady and Argentine-bred Mi Confesion – are proven at two turns.
In race 7, The G M and program favorite Pokerknightatvees go short-to-long in a California-bred dirt allowance at one mile. If they falter, outsiders Stolen Treasure and John Metcalfe could be positioned to upset.
Phil D’Amato trains Canto Della Terra and The White Lady; both ran well in their respective comebacks. Canto Della Terra was returning from a 1 1/2-year layoff when she entered a hillside turf sprint at Santa Anita. She won by a half-length.
“I didn’t think I had her fully cranked, and she proved me wrong,” D’Amato said. “In the winner’s circle that day, she wasn’t blowing at all. Our intentions were to stretch her out here at Del Mar.”
Canto Della Terra, 2 for 2 in the U.S., has not run beyond seven furlongs, but D’Amato is confident she will stay two turns.
‘We bought her [in Europe] with the intention that she was going to be a two-turn filly as a 3-year-old. She’s had her issues, but she’s gotten over them as a 4-year-old and hasn’t missed a beat since her last race.”
Ricky Gonzalez rides Canto Della Terra.
The White Lady finished third last out racing one mile at Santa Anita, her first start in more than nine months.
“I thought she’d need that first race, and all things considered, I thought she ran well. Hopefully I’m running a fitter filly this time around,” D’Amato said.”
Antonio Fresu rides The White Lady, who was favored all four U.S. starts – one win, two seconds, and one third.
Mi Confesion was Group 1-placed in Argentina prior to arriving in U.S. for new trainer Michael McCarthy. The filly set the pace both recent starts, a win and a second. One could argue she is compromised Thursday by stretch-out sprinter Pura Vida Princesa to her outside, but Mi Confesion’s trainer sees it differently.
“She’s not a need-the-lead type,” McCarthy said. “If someone chooses to get in front of her, that’s fine. She can settle right off.”
Each U.S. start by Mi Confesion has been better than the start before. A continuation of her improving pattern under Emisael Jaramillo puts her in the hunt with the D’Amato pair.
Race 7 stretch-out Pokerknightatvees is the program favorite returning to California after an sprint campaign in the Midwest. He is quick enough to set the pace, while local-based The G M, trained by Mike Puype, goes long following a decent California-bred sprint win at 5 1/2 furlongs.
“I never felt he was more sprinter than router. I’ve always felt this would be something that would be fine for him,” Puype said. “He ran his first race long,” where he finished third. “I don’t see a problem at all.”
Armando Ayuso rides The G M, whose versatile style could translate to a forwardly placed trip just off the speed. Puype skipped a workout prior to shipping to Del Mar due to concern over the condition of the Santa Anita surface. The G M worked a half-mile Sunday at Del Mar in 48.40 seconds.
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