Midnight Mammoth © Benoit Photo
Jeffrey Sengara’s Midnight Mammoth, who has come to hand nicely in the past two months, registered his third straight tally in the feature at Del Mar Thursday when he came away the winner of the Grade III, $100,000 Cougar II Stakes in galloping fashion by 10 and a quarter lengths.
The 5-year-old gelding ran the testing mile and one half in 2:32.03 and was in front at every call in the marathon under Armando Ayuso, the Panamanian youngster who was scoring with his first stakes winner at Del Mar. The son of Midnight Lute is trained by Craig Dollase. He returned $20 even to his bakers in the weekday crowd.
Finishing second in the Cougar II was the 3-10 favorite, SF Racing, Starlight Racing and partners’ Reincarnate, who had seven and three quarters lengths on Wertheimer and Frere’s Salesman.
In past years the Cougar II has served as a prep for one of two distance races upcoming at the meet, the grassy Grade II Del Mar Handicap at 11 furlongs or the 10-furlong, Grade I, $1,000,000 FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic. Both of those races will be run on a stellar card slated for Saturday, August 31.
Midnight Mammoth was winning the seventh race of his career in his 30th start.
He picked up check for $60,000 in the process and pushed his bankroll to $320,230.
Racing resumes at Del Mar tomorrow with first post at 4 p.m.
ARMANDO AYUSO (Midnight Mammoth, Winner) – “I think he loved today the way he went the mile and a half. He is a speedy and tactical horse. But I think the speed he got to in a mile and a half is really key. You don’t see horses that fast in the mile and a half. I see a lot of future in this horse. I (broke) his maiden and I still think he has something in him, and he showed that today, and in his last three races.”
CRAIG DOLLASE (Midnight Mammoth, winner) – “I thought he was a very fit horse going into this race. Armando (Ayuso) rode him with so much confidence today. You could tell right from the break. This is the way he likes to run. He’s very competitive. He’s got a big heart and he tries every time. He was much the best today. It was beautiful to see.”
FRACTIONS: :24.21 :48.16 1:12.93 1:38.03 2:04.43 2:32.03
The stakes win was the first ever at Del Mar for rider Ayuso.
The stakes win was first of the meet for trainer Dollase and his first in the Cougar II. He now has 13 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owner is Jeffrey Sengara of Vancouver, B.C., Canada