New York invader Liguria captured the Grade 3, $103,500 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar on Saturday with a fine stretch move under Flavien Prat to prove 2 1/2 lengths the best over longshot Decorated My Life, an Irish-bred making her U.S. debut. Sell the Dream was nosed out of the runner-up position and was a neck ahead of Ami Please in the field of 12 2-year-old fillies.
The winner, a daughter of War Front trained by Chad Brown, ran a mile on firm turf in 1:36.16. She paid $4.80 as the 7-5 favorite.
Liguria earned a winner's share of $60,000 for her second win in her third start and she now sports earnings of $123,250.
The filly is owned by Alpha Delta Stables of Jonathan Clay of Palm Beach, Fla.
Liguria broke from the No. 11 post position and was four wide around the first turn, then even wider into the stretch as she rallied from sixth position to get the win going away.
“She was travelling well and I was confident,” said Prat. When I rode her in New York (her maiden victory on Oct. 22 at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting), she showed me a good turn of foot. I thought I'd get it again today and it worked out that way.”
“We always liked this filly,” said Jose Hernandez, an assistant to trainer Brown. “She came to Del Mar in good shape; training really well. She just did her thing today. I told him (Flavien Prat) my boss said just warm her up really good and put her in a good position and go from there.”
Brown previously won the Jimmy Durante in 2020 with Fluffy Socks. This was his 15th stakes win overall at Del Mar.
Prior to the Durante, in the inaugural running of the $101,500 Stormy Liberal Stakes, leading trainer Phil D'Amato combined with leading rider Juan Hernandez to capture the five-furlong turf stakes with Turn On The Jets in :55.75 to pay $6.60 as the favorite in the dash.
The Irish-bred, 3-year-old chestnut gelding slipped up the rail and came away a two and a quarter length winner in the end. He's owned by a partnership that includes the Benowitz Family Trust, John Rochfort and partners.
He picked up a first prize of $60,000 and improved his bankroll to $142,909.
Del Mar's final day of racing will be Sunday with a nine-race card starting at 12:30 p.m. The track's popular Pick 6 Single Ticket Jackpot wager will offer a mandatory payout on closing day. There will be a carryover of $513,150 in the pot to start the day off and the final pool should easily be worth several millions of dollars.
The post Prat Guides East Coast Invader Liguria To Jimmy Durante Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
