Liam the Charmer © Benoit Photo

On the sidelines for a year, Liam the Charmer made a successful return to competition Thursday, overtaking Ann Arbor Eddie at the finish line to win Del Mar’s feature race, a mile and one-sixteenth race on the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Outrun in the early stages, Liam the Charmer rallied strongly in the stretch under jockey Drayden Van Dyke to nose out Ann Arbor Eddie and rider Mario Gutierrez in the final stride. Third was Law Abidin Citizen with 5-2 favored Camino del Paraiso fourth in the field of eight older horses.

Liam the Charmer, a five-year-old gelded son of Smart Strike owned by Madaket Stables and trained by Michael McCarthy, ran the distance in 1:40.63 and returned $12.20, $6.60 and $4 after his fourth success in 13 career outings. His previous race was August 19, 2017 when he was eleventh behind Hunt in the Del Mar Handicap.

Runner-up Ann Arbor Eddie paid $4.60 and $3.20, while Law Abidin Citizen returned $6.60 to show. 

There were two perfect tickets in the Pick Six Thursday and each was worth $19,320.