Zenyatta © Benoit Photo

CLEMENT L. HIRSCH STIRS ZENYATTA MEMORIES FOR TRAINER SHIRREFFS

The Clement L. Hirsch Stakes isn’t the only race that, when it comes up on the calendar, gets trainer John Shirreffs thinking about Zenyatta.

The Hirsch, a Grade I $300,000 event that will be run for the 49^th time on Sunday, was one of four stakes won multiple times by the great mare in a career of 19 straight victories and only one loss, that coming by mere inches to Blame in the  2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic in her final start.

The three Clement Hirsch victories in 2008-2010 were all accomplished in typical Zenyatta fashion, coming from far behind when victory looked impossible to prevail by a narrow margin. In 2008 it was by a length over Model, 2009 by a head over Anabaa’s Creation and in 2010 by a neck over Rinterval. Mike Smith was, of course, aboard for all three.

“I’ll never forget the morning (2010) when the synthetic track was all messed up and I had to make a decision and was thinking about not running,” Shirreffs recalled Saturday morning. “I went to the racing office (to complain) because I knew (track superintendent) Richard Tedesco could get it back in shape. He did, we ran her and she won.”

Sunday’s running marks the 10^th anniversary of the narrowest Hirsch win for Zenyatta. The official “head” margin appeared much closer than that in the live running. Shirreffs called it “a whisker” when remembering.

“They were all pretty close, and at that particular time we just felt blessed for whatever she did winning so many in a row,” Shirreffs said.

Sunday, Shirreffs has his best chance since Zenyatta at a Hirsch victory – which carries with it a spot in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff – when he saddles 8-5 morning line favorite Paradise Woods in the 1 1/16-mile main track run.

The 5-year-old Union Rags mare has four wins from 15 starts, among them the Grade I Zenyatta at Santa Anita in 2017 and the Grade II Santa Margarita there in April. The latter was the first victory in four 2019 starts for Shirreffs after Paradise Woods was transferred from the barn of Hall of Famer Richard Mandella.

In her most recent race, the Grade II Santa Maria at Santa Anita on June 1, Paradise Woods nearly went to her knees in a stumbling start, was boxed in along the rail in a five-horse field until well into the stretch, and lost by 1 ¼ lengths to Hirsch rival La Force. With $985,890 in career earnings, Paradise Woods can top the $1 million mark by finishing fourth or better in the seven-horse race.

“She looks really good and she has trained well, so I feel very good about it,” Shirreffs said. “I thought her last race was a really good effort especially with the desire to finish she showed after the bad start and being boxed in like she was.”

The field from the rail with the morning line issued Friday by oddsmaker Russ Hudak: La Force (Drayden Van Dyke, 3-1), Just a Smidge (Martin Garcia, 15-1), Secret Spice (Flavien Prat, 2-1), Ollie’s Candy (Kent Desormeaux, 5-1), Paradise Woods (Mike Smith, 8-5), Queen Bee To You (Ruben Fuentes, 20-1) and Spring in the Wind (Rafael Bejarano, 20-1).

JUVENILE CHAMPIONS OF 2018, BELLAFINA AND GAME WINNER, WORK

Bellafina and Game Winner, who prevailed in the Del Mar Debutante and Futurity last year to be voted meeting champions in the juvenile divisions, both worked Saturday morning.

Bellafina worked a half-mile in :48.40 under exercise rider Jack Stack and galloped out to five furlongs in 1:01.20. The first quarter, caught by clocker Dane Nelson, was in 25 seconds flat.

“We’re not looking for much, just an easy half-mile, she’s had two really good works before this,” trainer Simon Callaghan said before the exercise. Afterward: “It was perfect, really perfect.”

Bellafina will ship to Saratoga on Tuesday for a start in next Saturday’s Test Stakes.

Game Winner cruised four furlongs in :48 flat under Joe Talamo.

“He went very nicely,” trainer Bob Baffert said.  Game Winner is targeting the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on August 24.

JOCKEY, TRAINER NEWS

The victory by Mike Smith in Friday evening’s $150,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes was No. 69 in his Del Mar career, breaking a tie with Patrick Valenzuela for 10^th on the all-time list. All of Smith’s have been accomplished from 2001 onward. Kent Desormeaux, who notched his first stakes win at Del Mar in 1990, is ninth with 82.

His latest stakes victory was an eventful one for Smith. On the turn in the mile and one-sixteenth turf race Smith, aboard Grecian Fire, was bumped strongly by The Hunted, ridden by Tiago Pereira. “I was lucky we didn’t go down.” Smith said.

Recovering, Smith got Grecian Fire in the clear and they flew down the stretch to win by a length over The Street Fighter. Stewards reviewed the film of the incident but didn’t change the order of finish.

Leading rider Flavien Prat, whose 14 wins are double that of runner-up Drayden Van Dyke, goes into Saturday’s featured Grade I $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes having ridden the winner in four consecutive years.

The previous victories came on Wild Dude (2015), Lord Nelson (2016) and back-to-back on Ransom the Moon in 2017-18. A fifth straight win for Prat, who rides 2-1 favorite Recruiting Ready, would be a Del Mar record for consecutive wins in a major stakes and test record-keepers to find a precedent elsewhere.

Peter Miller, who shipped one-third of his stock to Kentucky during the troubles at Santa Anita, didn’t like his chances,  on the eve of the meeting opening, of defending his 2018 training title. But it appears he’s not giving it up without a fight.

Wins in Friday’s fourth race with Duranga ($4.40) and fifth with Flying to the Line ($8.20), pushed Miller to the top of the standings with six wins from 13 starters.

Richard Baltas is second with five victories from 27 representatives.

KRONE TO BE HONORED WITH PINCAY AWARD ON AUGUST 17

Julie Krone, a record setter and a record breaker who made an indelible mark on Thoroughbred racing during a stellar 20-year career in the saddle, will be honored at Del Mar on Saturday, August 17 when she will be recognized as the 16th winner of the Laffit Pincay, Jr. Award in ceremonies during the TVG Pacific Classic Day program.

The Pincay Award, named for and presented by the Hall of Fame rider, goes to those who have served the sport “with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination and distinction.”

“Julie Krone fits the criterion for this award perfectly,” noted Pincay, who is looking forward to presenting the handsome Pincay Award trophy to his fellow rider and “Hall” member. “She broke barriers in our game by showing again and again that skill and determination are the real keys to being a success when it comes to riding horses. And she has gone on to represent racing in a positive light on many occasions. She richly deserves this award.”

CLOSERS – Selected works from 196 officially timed Saturday morning: Big Score (3f, :37.00), Achira (4f, :49.00), Bellafina (4f, :48.40), Game Winner (4f, :48.00), Pavel (4f, :51.00), Giant Expectations (5f, 1:01.80), Mr. Roary (1:00.20) … Trainer John Sadler said final decisions on next races for Pacific Classic possibles Catalina Cruiser and Campaign won’t be made until after both work next Saturday.

DEL MAR STATISTICS

 Jockey Standings

(Current Through Friday, July 26, 2019 Inclusive)

Trainer Standings

(Current Through Friday, July 26, 2019 Inclusive)

Winning Favorites Report

(Current Through Friday, July 26, 2019 Inclusive)

Winning favorites -- 28 out of 65 -- 43.08%

Winning favorites on dirt -- 17 out of 38 -- 44.74%

Winning favorites on turf -- 11 out of 27 -- 40.74%

Winning odds-on favorites -- 7 out of 10 -- 70.00%

In-the-Money favorites -- 47 out of 65 -- 72.31%

In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 10 out of 10 -- 100.00%