Off 'tough beat,' Cabo Spirit headed to Del Mar Mile
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A nose loss by Cabo Spirit in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar last Sunday was emblematic of the first two weeks of the season for trainer George Papaprodromou. From 27 starters through Sunday, Papaprodromou had three wins, three seconds, and 11 third-place finishes.
This week, Papaprodromou has 10 runners entered from Thursday through Sunday, including Ocean Bear in Friday’s $150,000 Real Good Deal Stakes for 3-year-old statebreds at seven furlongs.
Ocean Bear, owned and bred by Richard Barton, was the champion 2-year-old statebred male of 2025 on the strength of a three-race winning streak that included the Golden State Juvenile at seven furlongs at Del Mar last October.
Ocean Bear was sidelined over the winter with a knee injury and resumed workouts in June at Santa Anita. Since arriving at Del Mar in mid-July, Ocean Bear has had two five-furlong workouts for his comeback.
“His works were pretty good,” Papaprodromou said. “I like the way he did it.”
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In the Real Good Deal Stakes, Ocean Bear drew post 10 in a field of 11 that includes Pavlovian, the winner of the $500,000 Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico in February who was later last of 18 in the Kentucky Derby on May 2 and seventh of eighth in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs on June 7.
Ocean Bear will be helped if a quick pace develops that can aid his stalking style.
“That’s his style and that’s how he’s been racing, making one good run,” Papaprodromou said. “I think we have a good post.”
Cabo Spirit is booked to start in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on turf on Aug. 22, Papaprodromou said. A 7-year-old gelding, Cabo Spirit has won six stakes and earned more than $1.4 million in his 43-race career. Cabo Spirit was third in the Del Mar Mile last year behind Formidable Man, who was third in the Eddie Read Stakes last weekend.
Cabo Spirit set a slow pace in the Eddie Read Stakes and led by a length in the stretch before he was caught at the wire. Cabo Spirit raced in the middle of the course in the final furlong. Race winner Gold Phoenix rallied on the inside to grab the lead late.
“He has a tendency to drift out in the stretch,” Papaprodromou said. “It was a tough beat. He ran huge.”