Horse Greeley Wins Del Mar Futurity

Horse Greeley, under jockey Victor Espinoza, stalked Stormello down the backside to win the Del Mar Futurity, closingh race to Del Mar Race Track’s Summer Meet on Sept. 6.

Caped for Flight settled into third, Prime Ruler, co-favored at 8-5 with Great Hunter, broke poorly from the inside and was never in the hunt.

The field went the opening quarter in :22.32 and the half in :44.84. Horse Greeley moved easily to the lead as the field rolled out of the turn and was never threatened down the stretch. He ran the seven furlongs in 1:22.93.

Great Hunter, who had moved to third in the turn, closed to get second and Stormello held on for third.

The winner was bred in Kentucky by his owners, Martha and Ray Parfet, and is trained by Richard Mandella. He is out of the Storm Cat mare Chile Chatte. The juvenile colt made his first start going 5 ½ furlongs at Del Mar July 22, finishing second, and then returned three weeks later to break his maiden by four at 8 ½ furlongs.

Horse Greeley paid $8.40, $3.60 and $2.80, while Great Hunter, who has run second in four of his five career races, returned $3 and $2.60. Stormello was worth $3.80 to show.

2006 DelMar Race Meet, Del Mar Odds, DelMar Picks, DelMar Tips, Del Mar Results, Del Mar Futurity 2006

DelMar Horses To watch

By Greg Melikov

Horses worth watching compiled by handicapper/racing writer Greg Melikov won eight races and finished second three times since Aug. 13.

DEL MAR

Midnight Lute: Bobbled at break, dropped back to ninth, moved to eighth more than 4 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, advanced outside on turn six wide for drive, closed willingly in stretch to make up more than two lengths and lost by a half-length at six furlongs on July 28. (Pressed pace in third through turn, took lead by a half-length in stretch and drew off by 3 ½ lengths under some urging at seven furlongs on Aug. 20.)

Record: Steadied at start, trailed early, inched up to eighth more than 7 ½ lengths behind after a half-mile, advanced on turn, came out for drive, steadied off heels of rival in upper stretch, rallied between foes from fifth to make up 4 ¼ lengths and lost by a neck and 1 ¼ lengths at 6 ½ furlongs on July 27. (Broke last, trailed by more than 4 ½ lengths after a half-mile, swung five wide into stretch, rallied to grab leaded and pulled away under left-handed urging to win by more than 32 ¾ lengths at 6 ½ furlongs on Aug. 31.)

More Horses To watch from Different Race Tracks >>

2006 DelMar Race Meet, Del Mar Odds, DelMar Picks, DelMar Tips, Del Mar Results, Del Mar Futurity 2006

Lava Man Is Big Winner at Pacific Classic in DelMar

Lava Man is the first horse to sweep Southern California’s “big three” grade I handicaps in the same year after winning Del Mar’s $1 million Pacific Classic by 2 1/2 lengths over Good Reward on Sunday.

The 5-year-old California-bred son of Slew City Slew added the Pacific Classic trophy to his victories in the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup July 8 and the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap March 4.

Lava Man had won all six of his starts in 2006, including the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (gr. IT) on the Hollywood Park turf June 10.

Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Lava Man was on or near the lead on the rail the whole way. He gave Preachinatthebar the slip in the far turn and powered away to open a three-length lead at the quarter-pole. He won while drifting in under strong urging from Nakatani.

With the $600,000 winner’s check, Lava Man pushed his career earnings to $3,504,706, the third most for a Cal-bred. He’s behind Tiznow ($6,427,830) and Best Pal ($5,668,245).

Giacomo, the 2005 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner and third betting choice, was fifth, another two lengths back.

“He was pulling too hard on me,” jockey Mike Smith said. “Too hard right from the start. He usually drops it (the bit), but he wouldn’t let go today.”

Top This and That was four lengths back in sixth, and Magnum - beaten by Lava Man in the Santa Anita Handicap - was seventh, a half-length back after making a bid approaching the final turn. Preachinatthebar was last after leading through early fractions of :23 1/5 and :46 3/5.

Lava Man covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.62. He was third in last year’s Pacific Classic, when Borrego defeated Perfect Drift by a half-length with Lava Man a neck farther back.

2006 DelMar Race Meet, Del Mar Odds, DelMar Picks, DelMar Tips, Del Mar Results, Del Mar Futurity 2006

Can Giacomo Win the 2006 $1 Million pacific Classic?

2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo and Preachinatthebar, the 1-2 finishers in Del Mar’s grade II San Diego Handicap, plus allowance winner Top This and That put in their final workouts Monday in preparation for Sunday’s grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic.

Across the country, Good Reward, a grass specialist for whom trainer Shug McGaughey is trying to establish main track form, finished his Pacific Classic preparations with a sharp five-furlong work on Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track in 1:01.43.

Giacomo posted a solid 1:12.20 six-furlong move under regular exercise rider Steve Willard. He was caught in 23.80 for the first quarter-mile, 48.20 for the half and 59.60 for five furlongs.

The nearly white Preachinatthebar sizzled six furlongs in a bullet 1:11 flat with Jon Court in the irons. The Bob Baffert trainee covered the first quarter in 23.80, the half in 47 flat, five furlongs in 58.40. A happy Baffert said, “He went nice and easy, just cruising around there. He has a nice, easy way of going.”

Trainer Dan Hendricks expressed enthusiasm for Top This and That’s half-mile work in :48 flat. “It was just what we wanted,” Hendricks said, adding, “He did it nice and even. Now we’ll enter up on Wednesday.” Regular exercise rider Luis Ortega was in the saddle for the drill.

Continue Reading Giacomo Eyes $1 Million Pacific Classic Victory at Delmar >>

2006 DelMar Race Meet, Del Mar Odds, DelMar Picks, DelMar Tips, Del Mar Results, Del Mar Futurity 2006

Ten Top Fillies Race for the 2006 Del Mar Oaks

Ten 3-year-old fillies, including three shippers and the 1-2-3 finishers in Del Mar’s grade II San Clemente Stakes, will head to the gate Saturday for the 50th running of the grade I, $400,000 Del Mar Oaks, the 1 1/8-mile race on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Coming in for the race from Toronto, Canada, is Arravale, who finished third to Wait a While and Asahi Rising in Hollywood Park’s grade I American Oaks on July 2. Also in that race finishing eighth was San Clemente winner Attima and San Clemente runner-up Sol Mi Fa, who was fifth in the Hollywood Park race.

Soothsay, third-place finisher in the San Clemente, is back to tackle the Oaks.

2006 Del Mar Oaks Race Entries, Post Position,and Jockeys:

1–Indy Miss, Jon Court
2–Charming N Lovable, Alex Solis
3–Sol Mi Fa, Norberto Arroyo, Jr.
4–Foxysox, Corey Nakatani
5–Arravale, Jose Valdivia, Jr.
5–Take the Ribbon, David Flores
7–May Night, Aaron Gryder
8–Meetmeinthewoods, Tyler Baze
9–Soothsay, Mike Smith
10–Attima, Victor Espinoza.
(AE)–Secret Scheme, Victor Espinoza

[Join the Dela Mark Oaks Trifecta Contest on Saturday, and the $1 Million Pacific Classic Trifecta on Sunday. Two exciting legs of our ongoing Summer Horse Racing Contest from All HorseRacing.]

2006 DelMar Race Meet, Del Mar Odds, DelMar Picks, DelMar Tips, Del Mar Results, Del Mar Futurity 2006

Pure As Gold, Longshot, Triumphs at Bing Crosby Handicap

Longshot Pure as Gold won the $300,000 Bing Crosby Handicap at Del Mar on Sunday.

The 4-year-old gelded son of Stolen Gold and Pure Wood, ridden by Jon Court, held off 4-5 favorite Bordonaro in a prolonged stretch duel, winning by a half-length in 1:08.79 over six furlongs.

Pure as Gold paid $48.20, $9.60 and $3.80, while Bordonaro paid $3 and $2.40. Battle Won finished third and paid $2.60.

Jockey Alex Solis, who rode Bordonaro, said Court struck his horse across the head with a whip in the final stretch and claimed foul. The board of stewards ruled there was no conclusive evidence that the incident occurred and allowed the original order of finish to stand.

Earning $180,000, Pure as Gold boosted his lifetime earnings to $401,444. It was the seventh win in 17 starts for the chestnut colt.

Join the Summer Horse Racing Handicapping Contest from All HorseRacing. Featuring DelMar & Saratoga Stakes Races 2006!

2006 DelMar Race Meet, Del Mar Odds, DelMar Picks, DelMar Tips, Del Mar Results, Del Mar Futurity 2006

Giacomo Captures San Diego Handicap

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) — Giacomo won for the first time since last year’s Kentucky Derby on Saturday, beating Preachinatthebar by a head in the $300,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar.

Ridden by Mike Smith, the 4-year-old colt covered 1 1-16 miles in 1:42:15 and paid $11.60, $5 and $3.40.

Preachinatthebar returned $5.60 and $3.40, while Southern Africa, third in the field of seven, paid $4.80 to show.

Giacomo has raced only four times since the 2005 Kentucky Derby, most recently finishing fifth in the Santa Anita Handicap. The $180,000 winning purse boosted Giacomo’s career earnings to $2.2 million.

Trainer John Shirreffs said Giacomo’s next race could be the $1 million Pacific Classic.

Also Saturday, Dancing Edie prevailed in a close four-horse finish to win the Grade I $400,000 John C. Mabee Handicap.

Dancing Edie, ridden by Cory Nakatani, covered 1 1-8 miles over the turf in 1:48:26 and paid $10, $5.80 and $4.

Moscow Burning, a nose behind the winner, paid $6.60 and $4.40, while Island Fashion, another neck back in the field of seven, returned $5.20 to show. Amorama was another three-quarters of length back.

Dancing Edie, a 4-year-old filly, earned $240,000 to increase her career total to $533, 580. It was her third victory in 14 starts.

Join the Summer Horse Racing Handicapping Contest from All HorseRacing. Featuring DelMar & Saratoga Stakes Races 2006!

2006 DelMar Race Meet, Del Mar Odds, DelMar Picks, DelMar Tips, Del Mar Results, Del Mar Futurity 2006

DelMar's 2006 Race Meet Opens

Pleasure and pageantry once again are set to reign at Del Mar racetrack as the popular seaside oval is ready to open the gates for its 67th summer season of Thoroughbred racing – “where the turf meets the surf down at old Del Mar.”

This year’s 43-day meet operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club begins Wednesday, July 19 and runs through Wednesday, September 9. The track will race six days a week, Tuesday being the dark day.

Post time for the first race each day will be 2 p.m. for the most part, except for the track’s special twilight racing on its Four O’Clock Friday schedule, and a 1 p.m. start Pacific Classic Day, Sunday, August 20.

The track’s signature event will be the Pacific Classic, the $1-million, Grade I test for 3-year-olds and up going the classic American distance of 10 furlongs.

This year’s edition of the “Classic” offers added significance because for the first time since its inception in 1991, one horse – in this case, Lava Man – has a chance to win Southern California’s richest and most prestigious trifecta of the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and the Pacific Classic in the same year. Del Mar’s top event will be toasted on a one-hour television show coast-to-coast by ESPN.

Read more DelMar's 2006 Race Meet Opens >>

[Win Real Money prizes of up to $1,000 at the Summer Horse Racing Handicapping Contest featuring DelMat & Saratoga stakes races. Join for FREE!]

2006 DelMar Race Meet, Del Mar Odds, DelMar Picks, DelMar Tips, Del Mar Results, Del Mar Futurity 2006