Pretty Mischievous © Benoit Photo
ECLIPSE AWARD WINNER SHIPS IN FOR CLEMENT HIRSCH
Big races attract big name horses and today’s G1 Clement Hirsch is no exception. Two marquee horses shipped in for the race, a ‘Win & You’re In’ for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar in November.
Eclipse Award winning 3-year-old filly Pretty Mischievous arrives at Del Mar in search of the first win of her 4-year-old campaign after a vigorous 3-year-old run that saw her win three straight G1 races; the Kentucky Oaks, the Acorn and the Test. She followed that with a runner-up finish in the G1 Cotillion in the mud at Parx in September, missing by a half a length to Ceiling Crusher after which trainer Brendan Walsh trained her up to the Breeders’ Cup.
He got her all the way out to Santa Anita, but was forced to scratch her the day before running in the Distaff due to a slight case of colic.
“She didn’t ship very well to Santa Anita last year,” Walsh says. “We ended up scratching her but it was at the end of a long year for her. I think that had a lot to do with it.”
The daughter of Into Mischief would sit out until Kentucky Derby weekend when she returned in the G1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs. She ran third behind a fellow Eclipse Award winner, Idiomatic, and Free Like a Girl. Critics dismissed it for what it was, her first race back in eight months. But when Pretty Mischievous finished third again, this time in the G1 Ogden Phipps at Saratoga on Belmont Stakes Day, the red flags went up. Except at the Brendan Walsh barn.
“The last day (race) at Saratoga there was a major lack of pace,” Walsh explains. “It just hasn’t worked out for her in her two races. First day she was coming off of a layoff on a sloppy track. She still ran okay that day. We were quite pleased.”
So why the trip out west?
“It’s a Grade one and there aren’t a lot of races through the year for older mares that want two turns,” Walsh says. “It’s nice to bring her out here one time and give her an experience over the track. We hope to be back here with her in November for the Breeders’ Cup.”
You may not recognize Pretty Mischievous from her 3-year old season. She has undergone a massive change physically.
“She’s much stronger,” Walsh notes. “She’s been working really well. She shipped great. We feel there should be more pace in this race which I think will suit her a lot more. Last year her cruising speed was her greatest asset. In the Oaks, she was the last one to come off the bridle. She was cantering turning for home. Hopefully she’ll be cantering turning for home this time.”
Pretty Mischievous isn’t the only invader coming to Del Mar for the Clement Hirsch. Scylla (pronounced ‘See-lah’) from the Bill Mott barn shipped out from Kentucky last week and has a couple of gallops on the main track.
“It’s a big chance,” assistant trainer Javier Cardona says. “Last race she was in a Grade two and this is a good opportunity to try and maybe win at a different level. If she wins this race she can go to the Breeders’ Cup. That would be amazing.”
Scylla has seven lifetime starts and has finished in the money in every race, five of those races ending with a trip to the winners circle. She’s won three in a row, taking a second-level allowance race at Churchill on Derby Day, the G3 Shuvee in June and the G2 Fleur de Lis four weeks later, albeit in a three-horse field.
“It took a couple days for her to settle down,” Cardona says of her shipping out west, “but I’ve been very happy with the way that she trained. She’s doing very good.”
They will have the services of Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith on Saturday.
“He has been here a long time and he knows the track very well,” Cardona notes. “I hope he matches very good with her. She’s a good filly. You can do whatever you want with her. She’s very nice to ride.”
The 54th running of the G1 Clement Hirsch goes off as Race #10 on the 11-race card on Saturday. Probable post is 6:30 p.m.
Here is the field from the rail with the jockeys and morning line odds: Flying Connection (Joe Talamo, 20-1); Adare Manor (Juan Hernandez, 3/5); Scylla (6-1); Coffee in Bed (Kazushi Kimura, 15-1); Desert Dawn (Antonio Fresu, 10-1); Sugar Fish (Tyler Baze, 12-1); Olivia Twist (Reylu Gutierrez, 30-1) and Pretty Mischievous (Umberto Rispoli, 8-1).
SADLER BRINGS HOT HAND INTO SUNDAY’S LA JOLLA HANDICAP
Trainer John Sadler is off to a good start at the summer meet at Del Mar and he’ll hope to pad his stats with Final Boss in the $100,000 La Jolla Handicap, part of a twin bill of stakes races Sunday at the seaside oval.
Through the first eight days of racing, Sadler has won six races, good enough to be in a tie atop the trainer standings at Del Mar with Phil D’Amato. Final Boss is coming in off back-to-back, wire-to-wire scores at Santa Anita. The son of American Pharoah won an entry level allowance in May and the $100,000 Cinema Stakes in June, both going a mile and an eighth on the turf. The La Jolla is a sixteenth of a mile shorter on the Del Mar turf course.
“It’s right in his wheel house,” Sadler says. “He’s really woken up his last two starts and had a super work here on Monday so he’s going in great shape. When he won the Cinema he ran even better than I thought. He ran a fast race all the way around.”
Another La Jolla runner, Stay Hot, is looking to rebound from a disappointing run at Churchill Downs last out. He went into the G2 American Turf on Derby Day riding a three-race win streak. But he weakened and finished last in a field of 14.
“I don’t think he shipped well,” trainer Peter Eurton says. “He shipped fine physically but mentally it was just a little much for him after a three string. He may have needed some space. It was hot and humid. He schooled nervous and I don’t think he liked the surface either.”
Prior to the trip back to Bluegrass Country, Stay Hot was sizzling. Dating back to last December, he was 3-for-3, winning the G3 Cecil B. DeMille at Del Mar; the $100,000 Baffle Stakes at Santa Anita in February and the $100,000 Pasadena Stakes there in March. The margins of victory in the three races were a neck, a head, and a head.
“He likes to make it exciting,” Eurton says. “A little freshening did him a world of good. He’s training well into the race. I think the screws are relatively tight. If he doesn’t need it at least we get a race into him before the (Del Mar) Derby.”
While Stay Hot has been off for three months, King of Gosford is making a quick two week turnaround. The English-bred was riding his own three race win streak going into the Oceanside Stakes on opening day at Del Mar, but was going two turns for the first time and finished a troubled sixth.
King of Gosford won an entry level allowance in March, the $100,000 John Shear Memorial at Santa Anita in April and the $100,000 Desert Code in May.
The La Jolla is the local prep for the Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby on Sunday, September 1. It’s the fifth race on an 11-race program Sunday. Probable post time is 4 p.m.
Here’s the field from the rail with the jockeys and morning line odds: Final Boss (Juan Hernandez, 8/5); Atitlan (Hector Berrios, 10-1); Prince of Power (Adrian Escobedo, 15-1); King of Gosford (Umberto Rispoli, 2-1); Cathal (scratch); Stay Hot (Antonio Fresu, 7/2).
JOCKEY REYLU GUTIERREZ HOPES TO MAKE IT STICK AT DEL MAR
One of the new faces in the jock’s room this summer is Reylu Gutierrez, an established rider from the Midwest who moved his tack to Southern California recently.
Gutierrez had been riding the Kentucky and Midwest circuits before arriving on the west coast earlier this month. The switch to Del Mar came on the advice of his agent, Jose Santos, Jr.
“Five of our top horses left for New York,” Santo says of their situation in Kentucky. “Plus they don’t have a hot box at Ellis Park, so Reylu had to do his workouts at home and then drive to the track.”
Anyone who has worked out at home and then jumped in the car knows it can often times lead to muscles cramping. Not a good situation for an athlete on his way to work.
“Jose has always led me positively throughout my career,” Gutierrez says. “I don’t have a wife or kids so I decided ‘If you want to go, let’s go.’ All of sudden we’re here.
“It’s pretty nomadic of me,” Gutierrez continues. “I rode my first Breeders’ Cup here at Del Mar and last year I came in for the Pat O’Brien and I won that day. Every time I’ve come here I’ve had some good luck and the food here is incredible.”
The 28-year-old rider grew up in Rochester, New York, the son of Finger Lakes trainer Luis Gutierrez. Ironically, Reylu would win his first race at Finger Lakes in December of 2017. He was a finalist in the Eclipse Award voting for top apprentice jockey in 2019 and won his first riding title last year at Fair Grounds. After eight days of racing at Del Mar, Gutierrez sits in ninth place in the jockey standings with four wins.
“I like the fandom,” Gutierrez says. “So many people come out to the races looking great and they’re very excited to see the horses. I think everybody’s excited for this meet so it brings a lot of good energy. I especially look forward to all of the grass racing. I find it fascinating.”
As for the Del Mar jockey colony, Gutierrez has ridden against some of the best at Churchill Downs and Saratoga, so he’s up for the challenge.
“Some good riders here,” Gutierrez adds. “Juan Hernandez, Umberto (Rispoli), Antonio Fresu, amongst the Hall of Famers we all know, Mike (Smith) and Victor (Espinoza). I’m not too familiar with the whole colony but the top guys who have come out to Kentucky and New York I’ve ridden with them multiple times and they’re very formidable.”
COOLING OUT: A day of firsts for several trainers Friday at Del Mar. Ron Ellis, Luis Mendez and Jeff Mullins all scored their first victories of the summer meet. Antonio Garcia won his first stakes race ever at Del Mar when Curlin’s Kaos came home on top in the $150,000 Real Good Deal Stakes. It was also jockey Diego Herrera’s first stakes score ever at Del Mar…Notable works for Saturday: Dirt – Air Force Red (4f, :48.20); Baladi (4f, :46.20); First Peace (4f, :49.60); Offlee Naughty (4f, :49.40), and Night Beacon (5f, :58.80).