Epaulette Filly Upends Del Mar Oaks

Dismissed at odds of 19-1, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Red Lark (Ire) (Epaulette {Aus}) rallied into the stretch and stormed down the center of the track to pull the upset in the GI Del Mar Oaks. California-bred California Kook (Boisterous) came with a barnstorming run from last to round out the exacta ahead of fellow Cal-bred Warren’s Showtime (Clubhouse Ride) in third.

Red Lark settled slightly worse than centerfield, with cover on the back of Warren’s Showtime, as favored Laura’s Light (Constitution) set the pace in advance of Parkour (Carpe Diem). Following the every move of Warren’s Showtime around the turn while remaining in her slipstream, Red Lark was pulled out to deliver her challenge in upper stretch. Laura’s Light took them into the lane, but was quickly out of gas, as Warren’s Showtime shot to the lead. But Red Lark had that move covered as well and finished well for the victory.

“Out of the gate, we had the perfect spot,” commented winning jockey Drayden Van Dyke. “I wanted to follow Mike Smith [on Warren’s Showtime], because I thought his filly would be the one to beat. I knew my filly had a good chance because she was really fit. We got bottled up in her last race. Today, she got to run and she showed how good she is.”

A five-start maiden and placed once while under the care of former jockey Johnny Murtagh in Ireland, Red Lark broke through in her second appearance in this country in February and made three starts in stakes company. Fifth to Warren’s Showtime in the Mar. 7 China Doll S. at Santa Anita, she was fourth to Laura’s Light in the GIII Honeymoon S. May 30 and a very good second to the classy Toinette (Scat Daddy) when trying older females in the GIII Wilshire S. June 20. The bay was a closing third to Carpe Vinum (Carpe Diem) and California Kook in a first-level allowance at this track July 12.

Saturday, Del Mar
DEL MAR OAKS-GI, $252,500, Del Mar, 8-22, 3yo, f, 1 1/8mT, 1:48.64, fm.
1–RED LARK (IRE), 122, f, 3, by Epaulette (Aus)
                1st Dam: Firecrest (Ire) (SW-Eng), by Darshaan (GB)
                2nd Dam: Trefoil (Fr), by Blakeney (GB)
                3rd Dam: First Bloom (GB), by Primera (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
   WIN. (€14,000 RNA Ylg ’18 GOFFEB; €12,000 RNA Ylg ’18
TIRSEP). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-Mrs S. M. Rogers
& Sir Thomas Pilkington (IRE); T-Patrick Gallagher; J-Drayden
Van Dyke. $150,000. Lifetime Record: 12-2-2-1, $225,000.
*1/2 to All Set To Go (IRE) (Verglas (IRE)), GSP-Ire, $132,876.
Werk Nick Rating: C. 
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–California Kook, 122, f, 3, by Boisterous
                1st Dam: Kukaluka, by Comic Strip
                2nd Dam: Ms. Booty, by Roar
                3rd Dam: Star Lane, by Cahill Road
O/B-Wachtel Stable & Gary Barber (CA); T-Peter Miller.
$50,000.
3–Warren’s Showtime, 122, f, 3, by Clubhouse Ride
                1st Dam: Warren’s Veneda, by Affirmative
                2nd Dam: More Cal Bread, by Flying Continental
                3rd Dam: Nature’s Way, by Nain Bleu (Fr)
O-Benjamin C. & Sally Warren; B-Benjamin C. Warren (CA);
T-Craig Anthony Lewis. $30,000.
Margins: 1, HF, 1. Odds: 19.10, 27.20, 3.90.
Also Ran: Neige Blanche (Fr), Carpe Vinum, Laura’s Light, Guitty (Fr), Parkour, Miss Extra (Fr), Aqua Seaform Shame. Scratched: Trickle In. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Pedigree Notes:

Red Lark is the second worldwide Grade I winner for her sire by Commands {Aus}) and becomes his 10th graded winner and 14th black-type winner. For the legendary Darshaan, Red Lark is the 47th GI/G1SW out of one of his daughters, a list that includes Breeders’ Cup winners High Chaparral (Ire), Islington (Ire) and Dank (GB). Red Lark is the 234th BTW and 135th GSW for Darshaan as a broodmare sire.

 

 

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Red King Holds Off United With Rispoli’s Perfectly Timed Ride In Del Mar Handicap

Jockey Umberto Rispoli rolled the dice, making a six-wide move toward the lead aboard Red King with a half-mile to go in Saturday's Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap, then had just enough left to hold off the late charge of odds-on favorite United and Flavien Prat in the 1 3/8-mile turf fixture at the seaside track north of San Diego.

The victory in the $200,000 race gave Red King – owned by Little Red Feather, Gordon Jacobsen and Philip Belmonte – an automatic, fees-paid berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 7 as part of the “Win and You're In” Challenge Race Series that also provides a travel allowance to winning horses traveling to Kentucky.

Trained by Phil D'Amato, Red King covered 1 3/8 miles on firm turf in 2:15.75, winning for the seventh time in 28 lifetime starts. This was his second stakes win since D'Amato claimed him for $25,000 in February 2019. Earlier this year the English Channel 6-year-old horse won the 1 3/4-mile, G3 San Juan Capistrano at Santa Anita.

United finished second, with Originaire closing for third and Proud Pedro fourth in the field of 11 older runners.

Red King paid $10.60.

Longshots Big Buzz and Ward 'n Jerry carved out the slow early fractions, going :25.07, :49.94 and 1:15.09 for the first six furlongs. Rispoli swung Red King to the outside in the run down the backstretch, moving toward the leaders after a mile in 1:40.07. He took command from North County Guy at the top of the stretch, opened up a lead and just lasted over United for the win.

“I didn't like how slow they were going, so I decided to move earlier today,” said Rispoli. “It takes a really good horse to do that, but I knew he had the stamina. I did this when I was riding in Europe. It was close at the finish because he was trying to pull h imself up. I am very happy. This horse gave me a Grade 3 win in his last start, and today he gave me a Grade 2. I want to keep it going with him.”

The stakes win was the seventh of the meet for Rispoli, riding his first seaon at Del Mar. It was the first of the meet for D'Amato but his fourth straight (and sixth of the last seven) in the Del Mar Handicap. He now has 27 stakes wins at Del Mar.

“I could see going along the backstretch Flavien (on United) was on the inside and Umberto was about to make that move on the outside. (Rispoli) timed in perfectly. I give all the credit to him. After the last race he was so high on this horse. He chose Red King over Originaire and that gave me a lot of confidence that he felt the horse was climbing up the ladder and to win this race is really special.”

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Favored Harvest Moon Captures Torrey Pines In Stakes Debut

Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor's Harvest Moon ran a perfect stalking race, then proved strongest late in capturing the $100,500 Torrey Pines Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths Saturday at Del Mar near San Diego, Calif.

The 3-year-old filly test, run at a mile with six in the field, was Harvest Moon's third victory in four starts and her first score in a stakes race. She was handled by Flavien Prat, who was winning his meet-leading ninth stakes.

Harvest Moon, a daughter of Uncle Mo bred by Alice Bamford, took home $60,000 for the win pushing her earnings to $120,720. She paid $5 to win as the 3-2 favorite.

Finishing second was Pam and Martin Wygod's Secret Keeper and third was Feghali, Feghali or Mathiesen, et al's Paige Anne.

Harvest Moon covered the distance in 1:36.87 after fractions of :22.13,  :45.93,  1:11.16  and 1:23.76.

“It was perfect,” said Prat. “She was nice and relaxed and I knew they were running very fast up front.  She's got speed if you want it, though.  Last time I hardly asked her to run.  Today, she was just waiting on me.  She won it very nicely.”

The stakes win was the ninth of the meet for rider Prat, but his first in the Torrey Pines. He now has 53 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the second of the meet for trainer Callaghan and his first in the Torrey Pines. He now has 13 stakes wins at Del Mar.

“We were delighted,” said Callaghan. “This filly means a lot because I trained the mother (Qaraaba), which gives it a little extra sentiment. She's an exciting, big filly that we've been super patient with and it's great that she's coming in to doing what she's doing.”

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Chaos Theory Proves Sharp Claim For Sadler, Winning Green Flash Handicap

Hronis Racing's Chaos Theory, claimed for $62,500 last out by trainer John Sadler for his main owners – Pete and Kosta Hronis — made good on his first trip over the grass in California with a come-from-behind, one-length tally in Saturday's $101,000 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar near San Diego, Calif.

The 5-year-old gelding, who was last seen in action at Churchill Downs in Kentucky on June 14, was handled by Umberto Rispoli, the newcomer to Del Mar this season who has shown a special affinity for its grass course. The Green Flash score was his sixth stakes victory of the meet with five of them coming on the turf. He's now won 23 turf races in 69 tries, a remarkable 33% clip on the green.

“It was beautiful.,” said Rispoli. “He surprised me because he broke so sharply.  I figured we'd be a little farther back, but it put us in a great spot just behind the speed.  At this distance you can't get too far back.  I had a lot of horse turning for home. I thought we'd get there.”

Chaos Theory, by Curlin, paid $5.60, $3.40 and $2.80 across the board as the race favorite. He picked up $60,000 for the score bringing his bankroll to $260,554.

Finishing second was Maryanski and Schneider's Baja Sur and running third was W. C. Racing's Torosay.

Chaos Theory covered the five furlong distance in :56.22.

“We've got a great grass sprint program in California and Santa Anita is actually adding a turf chute,” said Sadler. “So we have a variety of distances on the grass and this horse is kind of a specialist — 5, 5 ½ furlongs so I thought he would be a great fit in California, that's why we brought him out. He's a good horse. We were pleased with his race today.”

The stakes win was the second of the meet and second in the Green Flash (2008, Get Funky) for trainer Sadler. He now has 78 stakes wins at Del Mar, moving him ahead of Ron McAnally and into second place on Del Mar's all-time trainers' list.

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