Verbal surges past Barsabas, Cabo Spirit in DeMille Stakes
DEL MAR, Calif. – Verbal was given a big ask on Sunday at Del Mar, being sent across the country for his second start, plus stepping up to face winners, most with far more experience, following his debut win. But his talent won out, as he rallied from mid-pack to take the Grade 3, $102,500 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes for 2-year-old grass runners.
Sent off the favorite owing to his runaway debut win and his powerful connections – trainer Chad Brown and jockey Jose Ortiz – Verbal ($4) wore down rivals in the final furlong to beat 49-1 shot Barsabas by a half-length, with Cabo Spirit a nose farther back in third.
Lottery Pick was fourth and was followed, in order, by Optimising, Derecho Dandy, Khantaro d’Oro, Stotland, Get Back Goldie, and Groovy Huey.
Il Capitano was scratched on Saturday.
Verbal completed one mile on firm turf in 1:36.16.
Verbal benefitted from a sharp early pace set by Groovy Huey and Get Back Goldie, who carved out splits of 22.04 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.10 seconds for the half.
“I knew there was a lot of speed,” said Ortiz, who said he followed Cabo Spirit, sensing early that Victor Espinoza had plenty of horse under him as they went into the first turn.
Ortiz was able to get to the two path around the first turn and, after following Cabo Spirit to the far turn, gradually angled out for a clear run in the stretch.
Verbal came off the final bend four paths wide and needed the length of the stretch to run down Barsabas and Cabo Spirit.
Ortiz said Verbal was “steady,” more so than flashing top acceleration, and said the change from Belmont Park – where Verbal won his debut Oct. 10 – to the sharper turns and shorter stretch of Del Mar made for a different race.
“With the tight turns, you ride different,” Ortiz said. “If I rode him like I did at Belmont, I’d never get there.”
Verbal, a Juddmonte Farms homebred, is by Flintshire out of the Bernardini mare Endless Chat. He earned $60,000 on Sunday and has now banked $109,500.
This was the second DeMille win for Brown and Ortiz, who teamed with Analyze It in 2017.