Iscreamuscream © Benoit Photo
Little Red Feather Racing, Agave Racing Stable or Naify, et al’s Iscreamuscream traded the lead with Hertrich and Fielding’s invader Whiskey Decision over the course of the nine-furlong Del Mar Oaks Presented by Keeneland Sales Saturday at the seaside track, but when the money was down and the running had to be done, “Scream” was the one, drawing out through the stretch to tally by a length and a half in the Grade I headliner.
Rider Hector Berrios didn’t panic when fellow jock Umberto Rispoli hit the gas pedal on the backside and put his filly nearly two lengths in front. The Chilean Berrios sat still on the fence and waited. As they entered the far turn, he put his daughter of Twirling Candy back to work and she moved quickly to engage her rival, then went right on by. The final time on the grass was 1:48.06.
The winner, who now is a perfect four for four in her brief career, picked up the winner’s share of the $301,500 purse and that $180,000 increased her bankroll to $369,600. She returned $8.40 to her backers as the second choice in the eight-horse field.
C R K Stables’s Medoro came on to finish second, a length and a quarter in front of Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, et al’s Zona Verde.
Iscreamuscream had won Del Mar’s Grade II San Clemente Stakes on July 20, Opening Day of the current meet, in her prior start. All four of her victories have come on grass which goes with her breeding. She’s out of a Cozzene mare named Silver Screamer.
Whiskey Decision, who went favored at 13-10, faded badly through the stretch and finished sixth, seven lengths behind the winner.
Racing continues at Del Mar Sunday with a nine-race card that kicks off at 2 p.m.
HECTOR BERRIOS (Iscreamuscream, winner) – “When I felt Rispoli behind me I thought ‘Okay, let him go to the lead while I pick up second.’ I know she had the speed but I wanted to stay behind. She was strong. She went very comfortably in second, and when I asked her to move, she responded. Today, before taking the lead she looked around, she was aware of the other fillies. She is a very, very good filly.”
PHIL D’AMATO (Iscreamuscream, winner) – “Hector (Berrios) didn’t push the button early. He stayed patient and circled around that other filly and re-engaged. I thought at the quarter pole when he got head-and-head with the favorite he still looked like he had a lot of horse left. I was just hoping she’d draw off and she did. It’s a testament to Hector. He gets along with this filly very well and keeps her energy level up at all times and she’s able to finish the way she does. That’ll win you a lot of races”
FRACTIONS: :24.20 :48.10 1:11.56 1:35.97 1:48.06
The stakes win was the third of the meet for rider Berrios, but his first in the Del Mar Oaks. He now has 14 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the third of the meet for trainer D’Amato, but his second (Going Global, 2021) in the Del Mar Oaks. He now has 57 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owners are a group headed by Little Red Feather Racing, a racing syndicate headed by Billy Koch of Woodland Hills, CA.