Del Mar

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club outlined its fall stakes schedule consisting of 16 stakes worth $2,250,000 and will be presented through its 15-day Bing Crosby Season, beginning  Oct. 31. Del Mar has added a pair of California-bred sprint stakes for juveniles that were not on its agenda the past two seasons. Nine of the 16 fall stakes are graded; nine of the 16 stakes will be run on turf; seven of the stakes--all of them on grass--will be presented over the track's extended closing weekend which begins Thanksgiving Day, and continues...

During these unprecedented times of global pandemic and spectator-free stands, the 81st Del Mar summer meet wrapped up Monday with a gripping battle to the wire between Flavien Prat and Umberto Rispoli for leading jockey honors. They were tied at 49 races apiece going into the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity, with Prat winning on Dr. Schivel (Violence) and Rispoli finishing fourth on Scooby (Fast Anna). It was the penultimate race of the meet and left Prat alone atop the rider standings with 50 wins and $2,968,918 in earnings. It...

Dr. Schivel (Violence), making his first start for new owners Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, glided to a 1 3/4-length victory in the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on closing day at the oceanside oval Monday. Made the 7-5 favorite to build on a smart-looking Aug. 8 maiden victory for breeders William Branch and Arnold Hill, Dr. Schivel sat a stalking trip three wide, went after favored Spielberg (Union Rags) entering the stretch and proved a little too tough for that rival, edging away down the stretch to give...

Already with a GI Kentucky Derby victory in the bag, Bob Baffert got another superstar performance from one of his charges this weekend, as 'TDN Rising Star' Princess Noor (Not This Time) ran away to an explosive victory in the GI Del Mar Debutante Sunday at the seaside oval. Topping the delayed OBS April sale when hammering to Gary Young for $1.35 million following a dazzling :20 1/5 quarter-mile breeze, the dark bay did not disappoint when unveiled locally Aug. 22, going wire to wire essentially on her own power...

Kaleem Shah's Madone found running room late and surged to  victory in the Del Mar Juvenile FilliesTurf S. Sunday evening. The favorite was unhurried early and fell well back in the field. Racing keenly behind tepid splits, she took closer order but ran up on heels in the tightly bunched field. Full of run but with nowhere to go nearing the home stretch, the dark bay filly finally found a seam to run through and surged to the wire ahead of Nimbostratus (Fr) (Wooton Bassett {GB}) and Ivy League (Medaglia...

Superman Shaq (Shackleford), a half-brother to champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), disappointed with a dull effort in his debut, but made amends with a 'TDN Rising Star' worthy graduation at Del Mar Sunday. Shedding blinkers and sent off the 5-2 favorite for this second start, the chestnut colt strode out to the early lead and had company through a quarter in :22.08. He began inching clear turning for home, spurted further away after a half in :45.77 and bound home a 3 3/4-length winner. Parnelli (Quality Road) was second and Hot...

Dr. Schivel (Violence), a blowout maiden winner last out, plus a pair of horses yet to earn their diploma make up a quality trio of major contenders in Monday's GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity. Backed down to 3-2 debuting June 21 at Santa Anita, the Luis Mendez trainee rallied to be third after some trouble and was runner-up July 4 at Los Alamitos. Jumping way forward in his local bow Aug. 8, the bay blasted clear to a 5 3/4-length victory, earning by far his highest career Beyer with an...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 3rd-Saratoga, $72k, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 12:33 p.m. Bill Mott saddles Godolphin's debuting SERENE (Tapit), an $800,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase last year. The chestnut filly is a daughter of multiple Grade I-placed Fascinating (Smart Strike). Out of graded stakes winner Untouched Talent (Storm Cat), Fascinating is a half-sister to Grade I winner Bodemeister (Empire Maker). Also debuting is Peter Brant's Editor at Large (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). The Chad Brown trainee was a 260,000gns purchase at last year's Tattersalls October sale. Todd...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency BLUE-BLOODED GODOLPHIN FILLY DEBUTS 1st-SAR, $72K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, 12:45 p.m. Bill Mott unveils Godolphin homebred CARAMEL SWIRL (Union Rags) in this Spa baby race. Her unraced dam Caramel Snap (Smart Strike) is a daughter of MGSW Fast Cookie (Deputy Minister), making her a half-sister to MGISW freshman sire Frosted (Tapit) and GSW Indulgent (Bernardini). This is also the family of champion Midshipman (Unbridled's Song). Ken McPeek also saddles an firster of interest in Lee Pokoik homebred Tabor Hall (Candy Ride {Arg}). Her SP...

3rd-Del Mar, $55,000, Msw, 8-30, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.67, ft. VARDA (f, 2, Distorted Humor--She'll Be Right, by Sky Mesa), sent off at 5-1 in this debut, battled with I'm the Boss of Me (Midshipman) just in front to her inside for the first quarter mile and soon led by a half-length. After a half in :46.36, she jetted away from her foes to win going away by 3 1/4 lengths. Heels Up (Twirling Candy) ran second, 7 1/2 lengths in front of I'm the Boss of Me. The $700,000...

Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables and Starlight Racing's Authentic (Into Mischief) completed his final work ahead of Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, covering six furlongs in 1:12.40 (1/9) at Del Mar Sunday morning. "Authentic is really doing well. I see him turning the corner," trainer Bob Baffert said. "Both of my horses [Authentic and Thousand Words], I think they're live. We just need some luck, you never know what is going to happen with that many horses in there." Authentic, second behind Honor A.P. (Honor Code) in the June 6...

C Z Rocket continued his hot streak and stamped his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile with a victory in the Pat O'Brien S. Hammered down to even-money for this return to stakes company, the bay stalked from a two-wide third as Law Abidin Citizen set a :23.10 opening quarter. Ranging up in tandem with Flagstaff to tackle the pacesetter entering the far turn, C Z Rocket wore down his rivals in the final sixteenth, edging past Flagstaff to score. Claimed by these connections for $40,000 from Frank...