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United, Madone Target Del Mar Handicap, Oaks For Next Starts

United and Madone came out of their respective Grade 2 wins in the $250,000 Eddie Read and $200,000 San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., on Saturday in fine fettle, their trainers reported Sunday morning.

And with those lucrative first steps taken, the connections are eyeing even bigger things on August 21 as part of the five-stakes mega card for TVG Pacific Classic Day. For United, it's the $300,000 Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap, a “Win & You're In” qualifier for the $3 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf here on November 6. For Madone, it's the $300,000 Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks.

In defending his Eddie Read title United, a 6-year-old gelded son of Giant's Causeway, rebounded from a lackluster last-of-four effort in the Charles Whittingham on May 29 at Santa Anita. That effort had his Hall of Fame trainer mystified until a small bruise was found under a shoe.

Under Flavien Prat on Saturday, United went willingly between rivals on the far turn and prevailed by a neck in a stretch duel with even-money favorite Smooth Like Strait.

United covered the 1 1/8 miles over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course in 1:49.49 which compared to 1:46.71 in the 2020 victory.

“Different race, different horses,” Mandella said.

“He went back to his old form,” said Prat.

A year ago, the G2 Eddie Read win prompted Mandella to toy with the idea of entering United in the TVG Pacific Classic. After a few days of thought, and also becoming aware that the Classic purse had been dropped from $1 million to $500,000, Mandella opted for the Del Mar Handicap. United was second by a head to Red King in that one.

Mandella's focus is entirely on the G2 Del Mar Handicap this time.

“We're not on the roll we were last year,” he said.

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In the G2 San Clemente, Madone made amends for a no-factor performance from a wide trip in the Honeymoon at Santa Anita on May 22. That race was three weeks after a victory in the Senorita and trainer Simon Callaghan shouldered responsibility for the disappointment.

“I ran her back too soon,” Callaghan said. “She bounced, simple as that.”

Madone's victory ended a five-race win streak for Going Global, the 2-5 San Clemente favorite. Trainer Phil D'Amato said the Irish-bred filly came out of the race well and a rematch should be forthcoming in the Del Mar Oaks.

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United Repeats in Eddie Read At Del Mar

Under Del Mar's leading rider Flavien Prat, United bettered his last-out fourth place in the Grade 2 Charlie Whittingham with a repeat victory in the Grade 2 Eddie Read, following up his half-length win in the 2020 edition at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

United stalked the early pace fifth behind the front-running Award Winner, who set steady fractions of :25.19 for the first quarter and :49.43 for the half-mile. The Richard Mandella trainee waited for the final turn to make his move, Prat sending the Giant's Causeway gelding to the outside for running room. Both Smooth Like Strait and United challenged Award Winner coming out of the turn, Smooth Like Strait briefly taking the lead as United bore down on him, passing the Michael McCarthy trainee in the final strides to win by a neck. Count Again rallied late for third. Vintage Print, Award Winner, Restrainedvengence, and Say the Word rounded out the field. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:49.49.

United paid $8.60, $3.40, and $2.80. Smooth Like Strait paid $2.60 and $2.20. Count Again paid $2.80 to show.

Find this race's chart here.

After posting four wins in six races in 2020, United started 2021 with a victory in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes before finishing fourth in the G2 Charlie Whittingham, both at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. With this win in the G2 Eddie Read, United has two wins in three starts, to bring his record to nine wins in 20 lifetime starts for career earnings of $1,675,549.

Owned by LNJ Foxwoods, United is a 6-year-old gelding by Giant's Causeway out of Indy Punch, by Pulling Punches. He was bred in Kentucky by Rosemont Farm and consigned by Four Star Sales at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale and sold to Solis and Litt for $300,000.

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Sadler Seeks Repeat For Galilean In California Dreamin’, Starts Three in Daisycutter

Trainer John Sadler will send out defending champion Galilean in Sunday's featured $150,000 California Dreamin' Stakes and has a three-horse contingent in the $80,000 Daisycutter Handicap earlier in the program at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

At the very least, Sadler's charges figure to factor strongly in both events as the 64-year-old Pasadena native seeks to add to his 78 Del Mar stakes victories, second on the track's all-time list behind Bob Baffert.

Galilean, a 5-year-old son of Uncle Mo owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and partners, moved between rivals to get a clear lead entering the stretch and held on for a half-length victory as the 3-2 favorite in last year's California Dreamin', a 1 1/16-mile turf assignment for California breds. It was the fourth start in a seven-race 2020 campaign that has netted earnings of $217,098.

Sunday's title defense, however, is the 2021 debut for Galilean, ending an eight-month layoff since finishing fourth as the favorite in the Cary Grant Stakes in November during Del Mar's Bing Crosby fall meeting.

“It's a little different this year coming off a layoff, but he's a very good horse, doing well, and we're expecting good things,” Sadler said.

The field from the rail with riders and morning line odds: Desmond Doss (Abel Cedillo, 5-1); Wound Tight (Kent Desormeaux, 6-1); Unbridled Ethos (Ricky Gonzalez, 20-1); Secret Club (Tyler Baze, 30-1); Indian Peak (Flavien Prat, 8-1); Ward 'n Jerry (Trevor McCarthy, 8-1); Galilean (Joe Bravo, 4-1); Margot's Boy (Juan Hernandez, 12-1); Brandothebartender (Umberto Rispoli, 4-1) and North County Guy (Mario Gutierrez, 7-2).

In the Daisycutter, a five-furlong turf sprint for older California-bred fillies and mares, Sadler will saddle Constantia, Five Pics Please, and Bruja Escarlata for three different ownerships.

Constantia, bred and owned by Keith Abrahams, comes in off a win in the Mizdirection overnight and runner-up in the Grade 2 Monrovia, both at Santa Anita. Five Pics Please, owned by Desert Sun Stables, has a win, a second, and a third in three starts since joining the Sadler stable for her 2021 campaign.

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Bruja Escarlata, which translates from Spanish as “Scarlet Witch,” is owned by Hronis Racing. The 4-year-old daughter of Street Boss, a $185,000 purchase at a Florida sale in 2019, debuted with a victory at Los Alamitos in December and followed with wins on the turf at Santa Anita in February and the dirt there in March.

“Two of the fillies (Five Pics Please and Bruja Escarlata) are pretty fast and the other is a deep closer,” Sadler pointed out. “I think they all fit pretty well in there.”

The field from the rail with riders and morning line odds: Bulletproof One (Gonzalez, 4-1); Querelle (Hernandez, 6-1); Gypsy Spirit (Edwin Maldonado, 20-1); Constantia (Jose Valdivia, Jr., 6-1); Superstition (Prat, 5-2); Lenzi's Lucky Lady (Desormeaux, 20-1); Five Pics Please (Rispoli, 15-1); Never for Money (Giovanni Franco, 20-1); Rakassah (Jessica Pyfer, 6-1) and Bruja Escarlata (Baze, 4-1). Also eligible: Sadie Bluegrass (Brayan Pena, 15-1) and Acting Out (Bravo, 15-1).

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Read Contender Award Winner Thriving In Southern California Weather

Relocating to California has proven to be a good move for Award Winner, a 5-year-old son of Ghostzapper bred and owned by John and Jerry Amerman and trained by David Hofmans.

Four starts at Santa Anita since shipping in from the Midwest produced runner-up results in January and February and a victory in March, all at the allowance level, then an upset victory in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham on May 29.

Prior to his recent back-to-back victories, Award Winner was winless in nine starts dating back to May of 2019.

What happened?

“When he got out here, I think he really liked the firm turf,” Hofmans said. “I think that's what really helped him more than anything else. I don't think he likes anything soft.”

Award Winner, with a record of four wins in 17 lifetime starts and earnings of $328,474, will be sent out seeking third straight win and a second straight Grade 2 score in Saturday's $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar. At 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, it's a furlong shorter than the Whittingham but over the firm grass footing that the gelding seems to relish.

“He's coming into this race really well, but it's a tough one,” Hofmans said. “Dropping back in distance is not to our advantage. I would prefer to go farther, but the only longer race here is the Del Mar Handicap, which is another month away.

“I'm kind of hoping he can rate like he did in his last race and then finish. He's a free-running horse who likes to be up close. I'm just a little cautious because a mile and an eighth might be a little short for him.”

Award Winner was campaigned in the East and Midwest by trainer Brian Lynch through September of last year and moved to Hofmans' stables at Santa Anita in January. Hofmans trained Award Winner's dam, Devine Actress, for the Amermans.

“He came in in good condition,” Hofmans said. “But I think that maybe he didn't like the weather back there or something because when he got here he just started gaining weight and getting better and better.”

The field from the rail with riders and morning line odds:

Vintage Print (Adam Beschizza, 20-1)
United (Flavien Prat, 5-2)
Say the Word (Mike Smith, 3-1)
Count Again (Joe Bravo, 5-1)
Award Winner (Juan Hernandez, 8-1)
Smooth Like Strait (Umberto Rispoli, 9-5)
Restrainedvengengence (Tyler Baze, 10-1)

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