Turnerloose, Oakhurst lead charge for D'Amato in Mabee

DEL MAR, Calif. – Although the top grass mare in California does not return as scheduled Saturday at Del Mar, her trainer still has two top contenders in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes.

Grade 1 winner Macadamia was expected to make her comeback in the nine-furlong Mabee, but Phil D’Amato changed plans. Macadamia will wait another month for the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes on Oct. 7 at Santa Anita. D’Amato did not specify a reason for the postponement.

The absence of Macadamia from the Mabee leaves D’Amato with front-runner Turnerloose and late-runner Oakhurst. They might be enough. Both have credentials to win the $250,000 stakes, race 7 on Saturday.

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Six fillies and mares entered the Mabee, including multiple graded stakes winner Closing Remarks, multiple graded marathon winner Neige Blanche, and longshot Paris Peacock. The field also includes 3-year-old Free and Humble, whose blinkers-on speed last out could influence the pace in a stakes void of true pace.

The Mabee is the second graded stakes of the meet for turf fillies and mares, and though Closing Remarks won the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon as the favorite last month, fifth-place Turnerloose may turn the tables Saturday. Turnerloose was second betting choice in the Yellow Ribbon, making her first start since fall, and nothing went right.

“I think she wants to be up close. I don’t think she wants to [be as far back] as we had her,” D’Amato said. “I don’t think that uses her best asset. I think her best asset is her tactical speed.”

Turnerloose will be ridden again Saturday by Antonio Fresu, who tried to ration the filly’s speed in the Yellow Ribbon. Turnerloose wanted no part of it. She got rank early in fourth, rank again on the backstretch while between rivals, rallied wide, and sputtered. She lost by only 2 1/4 lengths behind perfect-trip veteran Closing Remarks.

D’Amato and Fresu will let Turnerloose strut her stuff in the Mabee.

“I think you’ll see a filly that’s going to be on or near the lead,” D’Amato said. “Instead of third or fourth, she’ll be sitting first or second.”

Turnerloose, 3 of 12, is a graded winner on dirt and listed winner on turf. If she makes the lead and gets comfortable without getting rank, she could be gone.

Oakhurst had been off more than five months when she returned in late July in a second-level allowance. She ran her final three furlongs in 35.15 seconds and was up by a nose over next-start California-bred stakes winner Eddie’s New Dream. The comeback by Oakhurst was what D’Amato hoped for.

“She’s a filly on the improve,” D’Amato said. “She just needed a little break. She had a pretty good campaign last year, so we gave her a nice freshening before Del Mar, and it paid off in the allowance race, and hopefully it pays off in the stakes.”

Juan Hernandez rides 3 of 11 Oakhurst, replacing Umberto Rispoli, who sticks with Closing Remarks. Carla Gaines trains 5-of-21 Closing Remarks, who could vie for favoritism.

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