DAY 29

SADLER CONTINUES TO SIZZLE IN STAKES, BUT BAFFERT’S MARK IS SAFE

The self-described “dream meeting” continues for trainer John Sadler.

The victory by Shenandoah Queen in Friday evening’s Tranquility Lake was the sixth stakes win of the meeting for Sadler. It moved him within two of his personal record for stakes victories in a meeting, established in 2008, and forged a tie with his second-most stakes-productive summer here in 2013.

Had Bob Baffert not saddled 13 stakes winners in 2000 – which might be the Del Mar record counterpart to Joe Dimaggio’s 56-game hitting streak – Sadler might be considered a threat to the all-time mark.

He will send out Catalina Cruiser, the 8-5 morning line favorite, in Saturday’s Grade II $200,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes and has True Royalty (10-1) for Sunday’s $100,000 Grade III Torrey Pines Stakes. Meet-leading rider Drayden Van Dyke, who has combined with Sadler for three stakes victories already, rides both Catalina Cruiser and True Royalty.

There are nine stakes races in the final, six-day week of the meet which starts on Wednesday. Sadler said he’ll possibly be represented in four.

“So I can’t make it (record),” Sadler said, “but it has been a great meet. Hopefully we can be strong today and then we’ll look forward to the Futurity the last day (with Sigalert).”

In the Tranquility Lake, Shenandoah Queen took command after three quarters and drew off under Tyler Baze to win the one-mile test for fillies and mares by 8 ½ lengths.

“I think I should just save her for that race,” Sadler said. “She won it two years in a row and didn’t win in between. It was a nice win for her.”

Shenandoah Queen, a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Henny Hughes owned by Hronis Racing, took the 2017 Tranquility Lake by three-quarters of a length under Victor Espinoza, was 0-for-8 since then but had been competing against the likes of Unique Bella and Fault in graded stakes on several of those occasions.

Sadler’s representative for the Torrey Pines, at one mile over the main track for 3-year-old fillies, is True Royalty. The Florida-bred daughter of Yes It’s True has only been off the board once in six starts with two wins.

“She broke her maiden here last year and was third in her prep (for the Torrey Pines, July 29) over the course,” Sadler pointed out.  “She’s got a little bit difficult of a post (far outside No. 11), but she’s training just super.”

The field from the rail: Royal Descendent (Tiago Pereira, 12-1), Thirteen Squared (Joe Talamo, 3-1), Spring Lily (Gary Stevens, 8-1), Lemoona (Flavien Prat, 7-2), Well Hello (Mike Smith, 10-1), Zusha (Stewart Elliott, 15-1), Aunt Lubie (Brice Blanc, 20-1), Wicked Storm (Geovanni Franco, 20-1), Just Grazed Me (Tyler Baze, 5-2), Broome (Evin Roman, 20-1) and True Royalty (Drayden Van Dyke, 10-1).

SCRATCHES, AS EXPECTED, IN PAT O’BRIEN STAKES

Reigning Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Roy H and two-time Bing Crosby Stakes winner Ransom the Moon were both scratched from the Grade II $200,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes Saturday morning, as their trainers had indicated would be the case a day earlier.

Trainer John Sadler also scratched Horse Greedy and St. Joe Bay leaving the race, which is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, with four runners.

The scratch of Ransom the Moon freed jockey Flavien Prat to ride Battle of Midway, replacing Mario Gutierrez.

STAKES GALORE ON CLOSING WEEK CALENDAR

Nine stakes, among them two Grade Is and two Grade IIs, with purses totaling $1,525,000, will be contested over the final six days of the meeting starting Wednesday.

An at-a-glance look at them and prospects based on nominations.

Generous Portion, Wednesday, August 29, $100,000 – A field of 12 was entered Friday. Recent debut winners here Creative Instinct and Give Me a Hint step up to the stakes level in the six-furlong sprint for 2-year-old Cal-bred fillies.

I’m Smokin, Friday, August 31, $100,000 – Eleven were nominated for the six-furlong sprint for Cal-bred 2-year-olds. Entries will be taken and post positions drawn Sunday. Creative Instinct (see above) was nominated by trainer Peter Miller for a possible run against males. Debut winners Eighty Proof (Mick Ruis Stable), Policy (Mike McCarthy) and Silken Prince (William Morey) are among the nominees.

Del Mar Debutante, Saturday, September 1, $300,000 Grade I – The 2-year-old filly championship of the meeting won’t lack for quality but the numbers won’t be determined until Wednesday’s draw. Bob Baffert has Mother Mother, Der Lu and Chasing Yesterday; Jerry Hollendorfer has Brill and Simon Callaghan has Bellafina all coming off impressive wins here.

John C. Mabee, Saturday, September 1, Grade II $200,000 – Eighteen nominations for the 1 1/8-mile turf test for older fillies and mares. Tom Proctor-trained Cambodia, who pulled off the Yellow Ribbon/Mabee double in 2017, will command attention trying to do it again.

Del Mar Derby, Sunday, September 2, Grade II $250,000 – Fourteen nominations, among them two fillies, for a race that will be drawn on Thursday and usually determines the 3-year-old champion of the meeting. River Boyne has won five straight stakes in Southern California with the last being the Derby-prep La Jolla Handicap on August  5.

Del Mar Juvenile Turf, Sunday, September 2, $100,000 – Plenty of nominations (22) for an event that can provide encouragement toward trying the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in November at Churchill Downs.

Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, Monday, September 3, $100,000 – Again, plenty of nominations (19) for an event that can provide encouragement toward trying the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in November at Churchill Downs.

C.E.R.F., Monday, September 3, $75,000 – Eleven nominees for the sprint for older fillies and mares. Jeff Bonde-trained Miss Sunset is nominated to defend her race title.

Del Mar Futurity, Monday, September 3, Grade I $300,000 – Traditional closing day feature and two-year-old championship looks to be a vintage edition. Hall of Fame trainers Bob Baffert (Roadster) and Jerry Hollendorfer (Instagrand) appear set to go head-to-head with the marquee babies.

JOCKEY/TRAINER NEWS; PRAT PICKS UP ONE, MILLER PADS LEAD

With a win aboard Painting Corners ($8.60) in Friday’s second race, defending champion Flavien Prat moved to within two (28-26) of Drayden Van Dyke in the jockey standings.

Van Dyke, who had racked up nine wins in a span of two days on Sunday and Wednesday, was blanked for a second straight day, extending his streak to 0-for-11.

Prat is serving the final day of a suspension Saturday. His lone scheduled mount will be aboard Battle of Midway in the “designated” Grade II $200,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes.

Van Dyke is scheduled aboard seven mounts Saturday.

Prat’s win on Painting Corners was victory No. 24 of the meeting for trainer Peter Miller, who has a comfortable nine-win advantage over his closest pursuer, Doug O’Neill, entering the final eight days of the meeting.

Miller is seeking his third summer meeting title.

BRILL WORKS IN COMPANY FOR DEBUTANTE

Brill, a $1 million yearling purchase by O X O Equine LLC trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, worked 5 furlongs in :59.80 Saturday morning in preparation for the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Debutante one week hence.

Brill broke off three lengths behind stablemate Lesley’s Song and was a length and a half in front at the finish line, track clockers said. Lesley’s Song was timed in 1:00.60.

CLOSERS – Agent Tora Yamaguchi informs that jockey Rafael Bejarano is in Sapporo, Japan for a two-day racing festival this weekend but will be back at Del Mar on Wednesday. Bejarano, who won or shared Del Mar riding titles from 2012-2016, is currently tied for eighth in the standings with 10 wins from 104 mounts … Selected works from 134 officially timed Saturday morning:  Anonymity (4f, :50.00), Show It N Moe It (4f, :47.00), Brill (5f, :59.80), Edwards Going Left (5f, 1:00.40), Rowayton (5f, 1:00.60), Vasilika (5f, 1:02.20) and Fahan Mura (6f, 1:14.40).

DEL MAR STATISTICS

Jockey Standings

(Current Through Friday, August 24, 2018 Inclusive)

Trainer Standings

(Current Through Friday, August 24, 2018 Inclusive)

Winning Favorites Report

(Current Through Friday, August 24, 2018 Inclusive)

Winning favorites -- 80 out of 243 -- 32.92%

Winning favorites on dirt -- 56 out of 150 -- 37.33%

Winning favorites on turf -- 24 out of 93 -- 25.81%

Winning odds-on favorites -- 23 out of 37 -- 62.16%

In-the-Money favorites -- 171 out of 243 -- 70.37%

In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 35 out of 37 -- 94.59%