Hard Spun’s Big John B Lasts in the Cougar II

Trying a conventional dirt surface for just the third time in his career, Big John B dropped well out of it in the opening half-mile of Friday’s GIII Cougar II H. at Del Mar, but caught up with the rest of the field on the backstretch, came with a rails run beneath Rafael Bejarano at the final corner and outslugged Bailoutbobby (Mizzen Mast) to take the 1 1/2-mile feature by a narrow margin. Favored Sky Kingdom (Empire Maker), runner-up in the Cougar in its two most recent runnings over the old Polytrack, loomed boldly into the lane, but could not finish the task at hand and checked in third. Cat Burglar (Unbridled’s Song) set a modest tempo, but came under a Victor Espinoza ride a half-mile from home and dropped out to the tail of the field.

Big John B has always been popular at the claim box, having been haltered on six different occasions, most recently for $50,000 by these connections out of a fifth over the Keeneland synthetic in April 2014. Transferred from Mike Stidham to Phil D’Amato, Big John B won twice at this meet last year, including a devastating 5 1/4-length success in the GII Del Mar H. at 11 grassy furlongs and was far from disgraced when ninth, beaten just over five lengths, behind Main Sequence (Aldebaran) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf. The wheels came off when the Florida-bred trailed throughout the running of the GIII Last Tycoon S. at Santa Anita Apr. 25, but he bounced back with a starter-allowance success in Arcadia June 28. The win was the second graded success of the meet for owner Michael House, who also campaigns GI Eddie Read S. hero Gabriel Charles (Street Hero) in partnership.

Friday, Del Mar
COUGAR II H.-GIII, $100,000, DMR, 7-24, 3yo/up, 1 1/2m, 2:31.62, ft.
1–BIG JOHN B, 118, g, 6, by Hard Spun
1st Dam: Baldomera (MSW & MGSP, $313,390), by Doneraile Court
2nd Dam: Pleasure Card, by Lil Fappi
3rd Dam: Last Card, by Full Out
($30,000 2yo ’11 OBSOPN). O-Michael House; B-BryLynn Farm Inc. (FL); T-Philip D’Amato; J-Rafael Bejarano. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 33-13-5-4, $567,175. *1/2 to Circle Unbroken (Broken Vow), GSW, $126,991. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bailoutbobby, 116, g, 5, Mizzen Mast–Ride Her Out, by Stormy Atlantic. ($10,000 Ylg ’11 KEEJAN). O-Calara Farms, Great Friends Stable, K Jewgieniew, S Keh & R3 Racing; B-Kirk & Deby Wycoff (KY); T-Doug F O’Neill. $20,000.

3–Sky Kingdom, 122, h, 6, Empire Maker–Sky Beam, by Kingmambo. ($180,000 Wlg ’09 KEENOV). O-Westrock Stables LLC; B-Jim J Fitzgerald (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $12,000.


Margins: HF, 4 1/4, HF. Odds: 3.20, 12.00, 1.30.
Also Ran: Lideris, Cat Burglar. Scratched: Point Piper, Solid Wager.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.