Two Rivers Over nearing return after long layoff

Two Rivers Over, a former maiden claimer who won the Group 2 Godolphin Mile in March 2024, is nearing a comeback after a lengthy layoff.

A 5-year-old gelding, Two Rivers Over worked five furlongs from the gate in 1:00.80 at Del Mar on Thursday, his sixth workout since late June.

“We’re eager to get him back to his peak form,” trainer Doug O’Neill said on Friday. “I don’t know if he’s there yet, but he’s 90 percent plus.”

:: Play to Win at Del Mar! Get DRF Past Performances, Clocker Reports, Picks, and Betting Strategies all in one place.
Owned by Todd Cady and Ty Leatherman, Two Rivers Over has not raced since he finished seventh of 11 in the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita last September. The $753,000 Eddie D Stakes was the first start for Two Rivers Over since he won the $1 million Godolphin Mile in Dubai. There is no betting in Dubai, but British bookmakers offered Two Rivers Over at 33-1 in the Godolphin Mile.

After the loss in the Eddie D Stakes, Two Rivers Over had three workouts in October and early November last fall before he was sidelined.

“It took a long time to get him back,” O’Neill said. “He had an eye infection and was body sore. It was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’

“Credit to the owners for being patient.”

Two Rivers Over was claimed by Cady and Leatherman for a mere $30,000 from a win in a maiden race at a mile at Ellis Park in June 2023. Two Rivers Over has since earned $845,000. Two Rivers Over earned $176,400 for winning the $300,00 Zia Park Derby in New Mexico in November 2023.

O’Neill has yet to win a stakes at the current Del Mar meeting, which began on July 18, but through Friday has had four second- and third-place finishers from eight starters in such races.

On the Sept. 7 closing day, O’Neill may have two runners in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs with Brigante and Civil Liberty. Brigante was third behind Desert Gate in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 9. Civil Liberty is a maiden who was second by 5 1/4 lengths to the highly-regarded Brant in a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on July 26.

Brant and Desert Gate are trained by Bob Baffert, who has won the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity a record 18 times and is expected to have more than one runner in this year’s race.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.