Camino Del Paraiso breaking his maiden at Del Mar in 2016 © Benoit Photo
Eleven California-bred runners will match up Sunday at Del Mar in the 15th edition of the $125,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes.
The race is contested at a mile and one-sixteenth out of the distinctive chute on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course and will be the 10th offering on the 11-race card.
The 5/2 morning line favorite in the turf test is the veteran gelding Camino Del Paraiso, a 7-year-old who’ll be making the 38th start of his career. The Paradise Road Ranch runner will be handled by Drayden Van Dyke as they break from the rail.
His chief rival in the middle-distance contest is likely to be West Point Thoroughbreds, Barker, et al’s Galilean, who’ll be right next door in the No. 2 hole with top rider Flavien Prat in the saddle. He’s hung at 3-1 on that same morning line.
“Camino” has won five races with 12 seconds in his 37 starts for earnings of $400,192. Galilean has only raced nine times, but has four firsts and a second for a bankroll that reads $442,848.
Here’s the complete lineup for the California Dreamin’ in post position order with riders and morning line odds:
Camino Del Paraiso; Galilean; Flawless Racing, Flanagan or Jarvis’ Brandothebartender (Umberto Rispoli, 15-1); Nick Alexander’s Desmond Doss (Tiago Pereira); Tyree J. Wolesensky’s Grinning Tiger (Heriberto Figueroa, 12-1); Thomsen Racing’s Loud Mouth (Juan Hernandez, 20-1); Abrams, Dukto, et al’s Ultimate Bango (Ruben Fuentes, 8-1); Alydom Racing’s Three Ay Em (Mike Smith, 12-1); Reddam Racing’s Whooping Jay (Mario Gutierrez, 15-1); Jay Em Ess Stable’s Take the One O One (Jose Valdivia, Jr., 10-1), and GNO Racing Club, Aldabbagh, et al’s Irish Heatwave (Abel Cedillo, 6-1).
First post for Sunday’s card will be 2 p.m.