Weaver, Lynch bring small strings to meet

DEL MAR, Calif. – Eastern-based trainers Brian Lynch and George Weaver each has brought a small stable of horses to Del Mar.

Weaver had eight horses at Del Mar as of last weekend and said more would be coming. Owners Jim and Susan Hill asked Weaver to have a presence at the meeting, which continues through Nov. 26.

“Hopefully, we can get lucky and win some races,” Weaver said.

Weaver had four runners in the first week of the meeting. His best result was a second by Thundering Sky in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes last Saturday.

Later this month, the 2-year-old filly Daddy Is a Legend is a candidate for the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at a mile on turf Nov. 25. Daddy Is a Legend won a maiden race on turf at Keeneland in her third start Oct. 27.

Lynch said his small stable will focus on races for 2-year-olds and on turf. After this meeting, he plans to send some horses to Kentucky for a winter break, and the rest to Florida.

“Hopefully, some of the 2-year-olds will go on,” he said. “I brought some maidens and some allowance horses.”

Lynch said the track’s promotion for out-of-state runners played a role in his decision to race at Del Mar. The track pays a 30 percent bonus for prize money earned in overnight races by out-of-state runners in their first start at Del Mar, and a $1,500 bonus to all out-of-state runners for their first start at the meeting. First-time starters are excluded from the bonus as are horses that raced in California in the last year.

This month, Lynch is serving as caretaker for the 3-year-old filly Lull, who is trained by Christophe Clement but is based at Del Mar. Lull, who won the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes on Oct. 29 at Santa Anita, is a candidate for the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes, a $300,000 race at a mile on turf for fillies and mares Nov. 26.