By Jim Charvat

Brian Koriner © Benoit Photo

BRIAN KORINER REACHES CAREER WIN #1,000 AT DEL MAR THURSDAY

Trainer Brian Koriner reached a career milestone on Thursday at Del Mar when his horse Diamond Bar Gal got up to win under jockey Juan Hernandez in the second race. It was victory number 1,000 for the 57-year-old conditioner who’s been training Thoroughbreds since 1988.

“It’s nice to get it out of the way,” Koriner says, “because people make a big deal out of it. I think it was only four starts after 999, so at least it didn’t linger on for a long time. Only five days.”

Koriner’s career as a trainer actually started with Quarter Horses, which he worked with for over 10 years, much of which was at Los Alamitos. He dabbled in Thoroughbreds during that time and made a fulltime commitment in 1997 up at Golden Gate Fields. At the time he wasn’t thinking about 1,000 wins.

“Never thought about it,” Koriner says. “If you’re in it long enough, I guess you can get there. You hope you can get to a thousand if you have any success at all.”

He’s had plenty, posting annual earnings over $1 million 13 times.

“I’ve had good people behind me,” Koriner notes. “A lot of it was in Northern California. The last few years here have been slow. I don’t know how many wins I have in a year. I think it’s 50 and above so that’s what got me there.

“That and playing hard ball claiming horses,” he continues. “I don’t claim anymore, so it’s slowed down. Most of our horses are straight maidens and we just run them through their conditions. When they run out of conditions it gets tough. You can drop them in and unload them but if you’re not playing the claiming game it’s hard to win a lot of races, I think.”

Koriner has 28 horses here at Del Mar.

“We’re not overly stocked with big dollar horses,” he states.

He had one back in 2009 when he trained California Flag, a Cal-bred that won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita. It earned him the California Thoroughbred and Breeders Association’s Trainer of the Year honors. Ask Koriner his favorite win of the 1,000 and he doesn’t hesitate with his answer.

 “The Breeders’ Cup with California Flag,” Koriner says. “I won the Vosburgh (at Belmont Park in New York) with Black Seventeen. That was pretty exciting. He was midstream in his career and loved an ‘off’ racetrack and ran his eyeballs out that day.”

That was in 2008, a few years after he shifted his base down to Southern California.

“Every win is fun,” Koriner continues. “I won that race yesterday and it was great but then I ran five through the day and that’s how quick your day can turn around. You’re excited and then the next few don’t run that good; it ruins the whole day. I woke up this morning and said ‘Wow, I won a race yesterday’ then in the back of my mind I’m thinking ‘That filly did that and that filly did that.’ Now I have to go to the barn to see why it happened.”

It’s that kind of dedication that has earned Koriner this special milestone and it’s what will get him many more trips to the winners circle before he’s done.

MILLER HOPES FOURTH TIME’S A CHARM FOR C Z ROCKET IN PAT O’BRIEN

In a day and age when horses achieving a certain degree of success wind up in the breeding shed by the time they’re four, it’s refreshing when a horse comes along and bucks the trend.

Case in point, C Z Rocket. A 9-year-old gelding who will be running in the G2 Pat O’Brien for the fourth time this Saturday at Del Mar.

The son of City Zip ran in his first Pat O’Brien in 2020 and won, beating the likes of Flagstaff and Law Abidin Citizen. He returned the next year and ran second to Ginobili, a horse that would go on and run second to Life Is Good in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar.

Last year C Z Rocket ran eighth in the Pat O’Brien in what turned out to be the only blemish on a successful 8-year old campaign. It included a near miss in the G2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship and a runner-up finish to champion Elite Power in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland.

“He’s very sound and he still loves his job,” trainer Peter Miller says. “When he stops liking what he’s doing and being energetic, then we’ll deal with it but he amazes me.”

C Z Rocket has had some shining moments in his 41-race career. He served notice in 2020 when he finished second to Whitmore in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland. He held his form into 2021 and was unbeatable at Oaklawn Park, defeating Whitmore not once, but in back-to-back races.

There also was the blanket finish with Dr. Schivel in the 2021 G1 Bing Crosby.

“We claimed him for $40,000 at Oaklawn (in 2020),” Miller says. “He ran bad that day and bled. We found a few things we thought could help him, fix him up. I think he won five in a row and he was off to the races.”

One of those wins was his victory in the G2 Pat O’Brien followed by his runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, then by his victories over Whitmore.

C Z Rocket has yet to reach the winners circle this year in six races. He did try the Golden Shaheen in Dubai and while that didn’t go so well (he finished eighth) he did return to the states and run second to Dr. Schivel in an allowance race at Santa Anita in May followed by a runner-up finish to Spirit of Makena in the G2 Triple Bend.

Spirit of Makena is also entered in the Pat O’Brien. He’s coming off of a terrible trip in the G1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar last month. The son of Ghostzapper got tangled up with other horses on the far turn and lost all chance, eventually finishing last.

“Horses came out and he was right behind them,” trainer George Papaprodromou says. “He clipped heels. Just bad timing.”

Coming into the Bing Crosby, Spirit of Makena was arguably one of the best sprinters on the West Coast having won three straight including the G3 San Carlos and the G2 Triple Bend. He was certainly a horse on the rise and Papaprodromou is hoping to regain some of that momentum Saturday.

They likely will all be chasing Brickyard Ride, who set the pace in the G2 San Diego before getting rundown late by Senor Buscador and Slow Down Andy, two horses pointing to the G1 Pacific Classic.

“It’s the best place to be,” trainer Craig Lewis says of Brickyard Ride being on the lead. “They have to catch him. It’s like robbing a bank. The police have to catch you. Sometimes they do.”

Few can run with Brickyard Ride out of the gate and he’s shortening back to a one-turn race, which bodes well for his early speed.

“What’s giving me confidence is he’s won 13 races and eight stakes,” Lewis notes. “Unfortunately, the stakes were all won at Santa Anita so he might have a preference for Santa Anita but let’s hope he gets loose.”

The G2 Pat O’Brien is a seven-furlong test for horses 3-years-old and up. It’s the 10th race on the 11-race Saturday card. Approximate post time is 6:30 p.m.

Here’s the field from the rail with jockeys and morning line odds: Moose Mitchell (Mario Gutierrez, 5-1); Go Joe Won (Jose Valdivia, Jr., 50-1); Hoist the Gold (Reylu Gutierrez, 12-1); Sir Atticus (Mike Smith, 5-1); C Z Rocket (Geovanni Franco, 8-1); Brickyard Ride (Juan Hernandez, 5-1); Spirit of Makena (Joe Bravo, 4-1); Visitant (Antonio Fresu, 8-1); Anarchist (Ramon Vasquez, 7-2); Vivir Con Alegria (Hector Berrios, 20-1), and Bye Bye Bobby (Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1).

RISPOLI MAKES RUN AT TOP SPOT IN STANDINGS, BUT LEAVES TOWN

Jockey Juan Hernandez is taking full advantage of his closest rival’s absence this week, winning two races yesterday to open up a sizable lead in the Del Mar jockey standings. Hernandez now leads Umberto Rispoli by six victories with a total of 26 wins at the meet.

Rispoli pulled to within four victories of Hernandez at the end of racing last week and pulled to within $12,000 on the earnings list. Both riders have brought in over $1.8 million in purse money. Rispoli also boasts a 60% ‘In-the-Money’ rating with his 20 wins, 23 seconds and 17 thirds from 100 mounts.

But as good as Rispoli is, he can’t win races at Del Mar when he’s over 5,200 miles away in Japan. He’s competing this weekend in the World All-Star Jockey event at Sapporo Racecourse. Jockeys from around the world have been invited to the event and Rispoli is representing the United States.

Hernandez is now 10 wins better than Hector Berrios and Antonio Fresu, who posted a riding triple on Thursday. They sit in third place with 16 wins apiece.

Rounding out the Top 10 are Ramon Vasquez (12); Edwin Maldonado (11); Tiago Pereira (9); Kent Desormeaux and Mike Smith with seven each, and Giovanni Franco and Armando Aguilar with six each.

The trainer standings are little bit more up for grabs. Phil D’Amato has 15 to Baffert’s 13. Peter Miller and Doug O’Neill are next with 11 wins each followed by Peter Eurton with 10.

“Obviously, we have better horses,” Eurton says about his success this year. “It’s the strongest 2-year-old crop I’ve had in a while and the guys are doing a great job. I think placement is always a big key.”

Rounding out the Top 10 are Steve Knapp (7); Leonard Powell and Richard Mandella with six apiece; Mark Glatt, Bob Hess, Jr. and Michael McCarthy with five each.

Reddam Racing sits atop the owners standings with four wins. They’re followed by Eclipse Thoroughbred, Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal, and Gary Barber with three wins apiece. Barber’s coming off of a big week after winning the prestigious King’s Plate, Canada’s Kentucky Derby.

HANDICAPPING SEMINARS AT DEL MAR THIS WEEKEND

Del Mar’s series of handicapping seminars continues this weekend. Every Saturday and Sunday during the summer meet top handicappers will offer their insights prior to the races. The sessions are free and held at the Plaza de Mexico, next to the large fountain.

On Saturday, host Frank Scatoni will have handicapper Carlos Ortiz as his guest. Then on Sunday, Dan Smith will have jockey agent Tom Knust as his guest. The seminars start at 1 p.m. and last 30-to-40 minutes.

DEL MAR’S TACOS AND TEQUILA FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY

No Del Mar meet is complete without a tacos and tequila festival. It’s happening this Saturday. There will be specialty tacos to excite your palate, all cooked up by the finest taco shops in town. It goes from 2 until 5 p.m. unless you upgrade to VIP, then you can get started at one. The Tacos and Tequila Festival will be held at the Seaside Cabana on the western end of the grandstand, trackside so you don’t miss any of the racing action. Tickets are available online at dmtc.com. Margaritas and cervezas will also be available.

COOLING OUT: Trainer Peter Eurton says he will point his Grade I winner Exaulted to the G2 Del Mar Mile on Pacific Classic Day, September 2. The son of Twirling Candy has won four straight including the G3 American Stakes and the G1 Shoemaker Mile. He posted a bullet work last Saturday, going five furlongs in 1:01.8 on the turf…Geaux Rocket Ride worked Friday morning as he continues preparations for the G1 FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic. The Richard Mandella trainee went seven furlongs in 1:25.00 on the main track…Notable works on Friday: Dirt – Practical Move (4f, :48.20); Justique (5f, :59.60); Pushiness (5f 1:02.80, and Missed the Cut (6f, 1:13.40).

Del Mar Statistics

 Jockey Standings
(Current Through August 24, 2023 Inclusive)

Trainer Standings
(Current Through August 24, 2023 Inclusive) 

Winning Favorites Report
(Current Through August 24, 2023 Inclusive)

 Winning favorites -- 67 out of 178 -- 37.64%
Winning favorites on dirt -- 38 out of 100 -- 38.00%
Winning favorites on turf -- 29 out of 78 -- 37.18%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 16 out of 26 -- 61.54%
In-the-Money favorites -- 112 out of 178 -- 62.92%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 21 out of 26 -- 80.77%