Sophie P. © Benoit Photo
English-bred Sophie P, winner of the Grade I Gamely at Santa Anita in late May, will carry highweight of 122 pounds Saturday versus eleven formidable filly and mare rivals in the 65th running of the Grade II $200,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at Del Mar.
The Yellow Ribbon ‘Cap headlines a ten-race program which will also feature the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for California-bred two-year-olds. First post time is 2 p.m.
Kent Desormeaux has the call on Sophie P from trainer Jim Cassidy as she attempts to atone for a sixth-place finish last time out June 24 in the Wilshire behind Storm the Hill and Ancient Secret, both of whom are entered Saturday. She was a game nose winner of the Gamely over Madam Dancealot with Madame Stripes only another neck away in third.
Among the opposition for Sophie P are the 2017 Yellow Ribbon winner, Cambodia, who will be ridden by Drayden Van Dyke. Cambodia followed her Yellow Ribbon success with a triumph in the John C. Mabee last summer. She is winless in four subsequent starts, but was a solid third to Wuheida in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf last November at the seaside track.
Also competing in the Yellow Ribbon Saturday will be Fahan Mura, an impressive wire-to-wire winner of the Osunitas Stakes July 20. Edwin Maldonado will be up again at 117 pounds. Other stakes-winners in the field are Beau Recall, 120, Corey Nakatani; Midnight Crossing, 118, Tiago Pereira; eastern invader Hallie Belle, 117, Joe Bravo; Irish-bred Tisbutadream, 116, Tyler Conner, in her U.S. debut; Storm the Hill, 120, Rafael Bejarano; Madame Stripes, 120, Geovanni Franco; Ancient Secret, 119, Mike Smith. Completing the field are Sassy Little Lila, 117, Tyler Baze, and Pantsonfire, 118, Alonso Quinonez, both of whom are several times stakes-placed.
The five and one-half furlong Graduation will match seven lightly-campaigned juveniles – Oliver, Martin Garcia; Luck’s Royal Flush, Gary Stevens; Grab the Munny, Baze; Tap the Wire, Van Dyke; Our Silver Oak, Stewart Elliott; Carnivorous, Mario Gutierrez, and Bea’s Boy, apprentice Heriberto Figueroa. Luck’s Royal Flush is the lone stakes-winner in the group, having accounted for the Everett Nevin at Pleasanton July 7.