A nose in front at the line in the La Jolla was Yuesheng Zhang's Sword Zorro (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), but his errant path was guaranteed to cost him and he ended up placed third. Prior to that, the bay captured the Singletary S. Apr. 25 at Santa Anita and was second in the Cinema S. there May 23. Elevated into the victory was Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal's Zoffarelli (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who was making his North American debut after winning just one of seven starts–albeit with five seconds–in Great Britain. Bumped up from third to second was rail-drawn Hudson Ridge (American Pharoah). Breaking his maiden in the Cinema, he had repeated in an Arcadia allowance/optional claimer June 18 before being bounced around and cost a chance at the victory as the 17-10 favorite in the La Jolla.

The top four horses from a blanket finish in the local Oceanside S. return here as well. Flashiest (Mizzen Mast) rallied from last to first to get up by a head at 12-1, continuing an ascent from starting his career against $30,000 maiden optional claimers at Turf Paradise, but the gelding was rank early and retreated to last when shipped across the country for a try in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. last out. Hronis Racing's Crew Dragon (Exaggerator) was runner-up in the Columbia S. earlier this year for Bill Mott and followed up his second in the Oceanside with a local allowance/optional claiming score Aug. 12. Third was 39-1 longshot No Foolery Here (Carpe Diem), making his first start against winners after breaking his maiden on the Santa Anita turf May 29, while Hockey Dad (Nyquist), second to Crew Dragon Aug. 12, filled the superfecta, beaten just a half-length.

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The Saturday program will have a first post a half hour earlier than normal – 1:30 instead of 2 p.m. – and that will be the case also with Sunday's and Monday's cards during the Labor Day weekend. The Mabee, which is Race 9 on the Saturday card, will go off at approximately 5:30 and the Derby will be the day's nitecap and run at approximately 6:30.

The Derby has drawn 14 runners and is, of course, for 3-year-olds as the culminating event in the track's turf triple for sophomores, having been preceded by the Runhappy Oceanside Stakes and the Grade 3 La Jolla Stakes.

The first three finishers in both of those “prep” races are back to give it a go in this 77th edition of the Derby, which makes for a delicious mix. And the fact that Del Mar's morning line maker, Jon White, has made his favorite a very tepid 9/2 tells you that the race looms wide open with a thrilling finish likely to decide the winner.

The Mabee has drawn nine fillies and mares for its 64th running and it, too, appears to be the kind of race where contention runs deep. LNJ Foxwoods' Dogtag has been made a slight 3-1 favorite over Slam Dunk Racing, Stable Currency and Branham's Maxim Rate at 7/2.

Here are the fields for the two features from the rail out with riders and morning line odds:

Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby

1. Double L Racing or Baffert's Hudson Ridge (Flavien Prat, 9/2)
2. Holly and David Wilson's Barraza (Kent Desormeaux, 12-1)
3. Reddam Racing's Hockey Dad (Mario Gutierrez, 8-1)
4. Downstream Racing's None Above the Law (Joe Bravo, 12-1)
5. Sayjay Racing's No Foolery Here (Giovanni Franco, 8-1)
6. STD Racing Stable, Kenly or Miller, et al's Optimistic Valor (Edwin Maldonado, 30-1)
7. Perry or Ramona Bass' Petruchio (Mike Smith, 20-1)
8. Sterling Stables, Nentwig or CYBT's Cathkin Peak (Jose Valdivia, Jr., 12-1)
9. Red Barons Barn or Rancho Temescal's Zoffarelli (Drayden Van Dyke, 6-1)
10. Bruno, Gezon or Jones' Jimmy Blue Jeans (Kyle Grey, 12-1)
11. Rockingham Ranch or Supreme Racing's Lincoln Hawk (Tiago Pereira, 20-1)
12. Hronis Racing's Crew Dragon (Juan Hernandez, 8-1)
13. Yuesheng Zhang's Sword Zorro (Umberto Rispoli, 5-1)
14. Wachtel Stable, Barber or Drion, et al's Flashiest (Abel Cedillo, 6-1)

John C. Mabee Stakes

1. Maxim Rate (Hernandez)
2. Clarke Cooper Family Trust, Lawless, Kruljac, et al's Quiet Secretary (Cedillo, 15-1)
3. Dogtag (Rispoli);
4. LNJ Foxwood's Nasty (Ricky Gonzalez, 20-1)
5. Deborah McAnally Trust's She's Our Charm (Franco, 10-1)
6. Calvin Nguyen's Bodhicitta (Desormeaux, 6-1)
7. LNJ Foxwoods' Tapwater (Bravo, 6-1)
8. Abdondanza Racing and Medallion Racing's Going to Vegas (Prat, 4-1)
9. Aoshiba Corporation's Fast Jet Court (Van Dyke, 6-1)

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The bay gelding by Zoffany actually was second across the wire just a nose behind Yuesheng Zhang's Sword Zorro and just a head in front of Double L. Racing or Baffert's Hudson Ridge in a furious finish.  But the track's stewards reviewed film of the contentious stretch run where all three horses went through a series of bumps and came to the conclusion that Sword Zorro should be disqualified and placed third and the other two horses each moved up one placing.

The winning time on the 1 1/16 miles was 1:42.27.

Drayden Van Dyke rode the winner for trainer Jeff Mullins. The owners are the father and son team of Jed and Tim Cohen.

Zoffarelli returned $17.80, $6.00 and $3.80 across the board. Hudson Ridge paid $3.40 and $2.40, while Sword Zorro returned $3.60 to show.

Zoffarelli, who last raced June 30 at Bath in England, earned $90,000 for his victory moving his bankroll up to $110,325. He had won a race and was second five times in seven starts in England as a 2- and 3-year-old.

The track's Pick 6 Single Ticket Jackpot Wager proved too elusive for the 12th straight racing day meaning there will be a whopping carryover of $1,127,460 going into the return of racing Thursday. First post for the eight-race card will be 2 p.m.

Post-race quotes:

DRAYDEN VAN DYKE (Zoffarelli, winner) – “If I don't get banged that last time, I'm going to go on by and win it on my own. But he (Sword Zorro) kept constantly drifting out and out. It was the right call. I knew this horse was going to run big today. I did my homework. I was over at the barn with Jeff (trainer Mullins) the other morning watching this horse's races in England. The owners (Red Baron's Barn or Rancho Temescal) know what they're doing when they go over to Europe and buy one. They got another good one here.”

JEFF MULLINS, (Zoffarelli, winner) – “I've only had him for eight days. No works. They worked him before he came and we just kept him happy. I wasn't that confident (during the inquiry).  I've been on the wrong side of them a lot before. It (elevation to first) looked legitimate, but you never know. (Any similar off-the-plane stakes wins?) River Boyne (2018 La Jolla Handicap).”

FRACTIONS:  :23.38  :47.16  1:11.55  1:36.20  1:4227

The stakes win was the first of the meeting for rider Van Dyke and his first in the La Jolla Handicap. He now has 34 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the first of the meeting for trainer Mullins but his second in the La Jolla Handicap (River Boyne, 2018). He now has 21 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owners are Red Baron's Barn (Jed Cohen of Encino, Calif.) and Rancho Temecal (Tim Cohen of Piru, Calif.).

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And if the Kentucky-bred daughter of Mohaymen, a $165,000 purchase at the Ocala sale in March who carries the colors of Little Red Feather Racing stays that way, she'll next be seen in the $300,000 Grade 1 TVG Del Mar Debutante on September 5.

“Yup, absolutely,” was D'Amato's response when the Debutante was mentioned in the winner's circle after she prevailed by a head over Baoma Corp's Eda in a stretch-long duel while covering six furlongs in 1:10.64.

“She broke on top then Juan (Hernandez) got her to rate, make a move and fight off a rival to her outside the length of the stretch. I just thought that's the epitome of class. Very professional, and I think she's the type of filly that the longer (the races) the better.”

Having chalked up one stakes victory for the weekend, D'Amato will send out Raymundos Secret (6-1) and Charmaine's Mia (4-1) in Saturday's $200,000 Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon and narrowly favored (2-1) Cathkin Peak in Sunday's $150,000 Grade 3 La Jolla Stakes as a possible closer to three consecutive big days.

Irish-bred Cathkin Peak made his U.S. debut at Del Mar in late November a winning one and followed that with a December victory in the $80,000 Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Kicking off his 3-year-old campaign this year, Cathkin Peak was second to soon-to-be Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World in the $100,000 Pasadena Stakes in February and has gone unraced since.

“He had a couple of little things we needed to deal with, but he never left the barn and he has come back to train really well,” D'Amato said. Cathkin Peak will go 1 1/16 miles, the longest assignment of his career, in the La Jolla – second leg in the grass stakes series for 3-year-olds during the Del Mar summer. His previous starts were all at a mile.

“He's really tactical,” D'Amato said. “If there's not a lot of pace, he can be up close; if there is, he can sit back and make a late move. Juan can play the break and try to have him in the right spot.”

The field for the La Jolla from the rail with jockeys and morning line odds in parenthesis: Stilleto Boy (Kent Desormeaux, 6-1); Wyfire (Kyle Frey, 12-1); Hudson Ridge (Abel Cedillo, 5-2); Cathkin Peak (Juan Hernandez, 2-1); Zoffarelli (Drayden Van Dyke, 3-1),  and Sword Zorro (Umberto Rispoli, 4-1).

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The La Jolla, a Grade 3 affair that carries a purse of $150,000, has drawn a half-dozen 3-year-olds for a mile and one-sixteenth jaunt on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course at Del Mar Thorughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. The Graduation also has drawn six California-bred 2-year-old starters for its five and one-half furlong spin on the main track. It offers a purse of $100,000.

The Irish horse Cathkin Peak, owned by Sterling Stables, Nentwig, and CYBT, is a candidate to be the favorite in the La Jolla. A bay son of the Irish stallion Alhebayeb, Cathkin Peak raced once in his native land as a 2-year-old, then was purchased privately and shipped to California where he won a pair of races, including the overnight Eddie Logan at Santa Anita Park last December. He subsequently chased home the blossoming star Rock Your World in February's Pasadena Stakes, also at Santa Anita, then went on the shelf. This will be his first start in nearly six months, but trainer Phil D'Amato has put a series of steady works into him for this comeback.

Double L Stable and Natalie Baffert's Hudson Ridge hails from the powerful Bob Baffert barn and is a son of one of Baffert's Triple Crown winners, American Pharoah. The colt broke his maiden with a dead-head score in a straight maiden race at Santa Anita on May 1 and came back to win a pair of races after that, including the Cinema Stakes.

Two of the other La Jolla runners — Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal's Zoffarelli and Yuesheng Zhang's Sword Zorro also first saw light of day in Ireland. The former will be making his U.S. debut in the La Jolla, while the latter owns a victory in the Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita on grass April 25.

The Graduation – like many 2-year-old races at this time of year – is a tough one to sort out with only minimal past performances to work with. Morning line maker Jon White could barely separate two of the runners, hanging Lovingier, London, and Zondlo's Rock N Rye as an 8/5 favorite, just a tick better than Lovingier, Beckerle, and Carrillo's Thirsty Always at 9/5.

Rock N Rye is a homebred by Always Thirsty who was a handy winner of a straight maiden race in his second start at Santa Anita on May 30 in his most recent outing. He's been training steadily for this return date at both San Luis Rey Downs and Del Mar.

Thirsty Always, also by Stay Thirsty, scored in his first start at Santa Anita on May 16, then shipped up to Pleasanton and captured the Nevin Stakes there on July 10.

Trainer Walther Solis conditions both juveniles.

Here's the lineup for the La Jolla from the rail out with riders and morning line odds: Steve Moger's Stilleto Boy (Kent Desormeaux, 6-1); Gary Barber's Wyfire (Kyle Frey, 12-1); Hudson Ridge (Abel Cedillo, 5/2); Cathkin Peak (Juan Hernandez, 2-1); Zoffarelli (Drayden Van Dyke, 3-1), and Sword Zorro (Umberto Rispoli, 4-1).

The field for the Graduation lays out like this: Lovingier or Templeton Horses' Mr. T's Thirsty (Tyler Baze, 2-1); McMahon or Rudy's Trip to Spain (Frey, 2-1); Thirsty Always (apprentice Cesar Ortega); Rock N Rye (Rispoli); Moger, Burke or Estrada, et al's Northvale Road (Tiago Periera, 6-1), and Branch or Hill's Fowler Blue (Edwin Maldonado, 12-1).

First post for Sunday's card is 2 p.m.

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The bay colt has yet to run a poor race going two turns on the grass and nearly got the job done going a mile at Santa Anita May 1, missing by a neck while dead-heating for the plce spot with next-out maiden scorer No Foolery Here (Carpe Diem). Encouraged by Abel Cedillo, trainer Bob Baffert entered Hudson Ridge in the May 23 Cinema S. going nine panels, and the colt responded with a 1 1/4-length defeat of the re-opposing Sword Zorro (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). The 9-5 chalk for a first-level allowance in Arcadia June 18, Hudson Ridge bested Flashiest (Mizzen Mast) by 1 1/4 lengths, the form of which was franked when the latter returned to upset the opening-day Oceanside S. July 16. No Foolery Here was beaten a neck into third.

Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) tries the turf for the first time Sunday afternoon. Having finished second to GII West Virginia Derby favorite Mr. Wireless (Dialed In) in an Oaklawn maiden back in March, the chestnut graduated the following month and most recently carried Jose Ortiz to a 4 1/2-length upset of the Iowa Derby July 2. The gelding was purchased by Steve Moger for $420,000 at last month's Fasig-Tipton Horses of All Ages Sale and is out of a mare that posted a record of 3-1-4 from 11 starts on the turf.

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The two races will be run for the eighth time at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif. The Los Alamitos Derby will be offered Saturday, July 3 while the Great Lady M. will be contested Monday, July 5, the final day of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival.

Owned by Michael L. Peterson and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Gamine has won seven of eight starts, including Grade 1 tallies in 2020 in the Acorn at Belmont Park, the Test at Saratoga, the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland, and the Derby City Distaff last month at Churchill Downs.

The 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief and the Kafwain mare Peggy Jane has banked $1,286,500.

Baffert, who has won the Great Lady M. three times at Los Alamitos – Fantastic Style (2015) and Marley's Freedom (2018-2019),– also nominated recent impressive maiden winner Illumination and Qahira, who has won half of her 10 starts and earned $249,400 for Baoma Corporation.

A daughter of Cairo Prince and the Bates Motel mare Motel Lass, the 5-year-old mare owns a local victory. She won an optional claimer at Los Alamitos during the 2019 Summer Thoroughbred Festival.

The other nominees include Angelcents, Bella Vita, Candura, Dynasty of Her Own, Edgeway, Eyes Open, Five Pics Please, Miss Stormy D, Road Rager, Scotish Star, and Stellar Sound.

Owned by Baffert's wife Jill and Double L Racing, Hudson Ridge, an American Pharoah colt out of the Galileo mare Shell House earned his maiden win in the Cinema May 23, then returned 26 days later to win an optional claimer as the 9-5 favorite.

An earner of $112,940 in six starts, Hudson Ridge has raced only once on dirt, finishing fourth in a one-mile maiden contest March 5.

Baffert's other nominees to the Los Alamitos Derby, which he has won four times in a row and five of the last six, are Defunded, runner-up behind The Chosen Vron in the Affirmed June 13, and Classier, who was a distant third in that Grade III.

The other nominees are Ingest, It's My House, Mr. Impossible, Back Ring Luck, and Mucho Del Oro.

Entries for the Los Alamitos Derby will be taken Wednesday, June 30 while the Great Lady M. will be drawn Friday, July 2.

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With American Pharoah's As Time Goes By victorious in Saturday's Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes, the white haired training wonder rolls on, as Hudson Ridge thus provided Kentucky-based “Pharoah” with his second stakes winner of the weekend.

Breaking from post position three in a field of five sophomores, Jimmy Irish, with Victor Espinoza up, appeared to bobble shortly after the break and then veered sharply outward, slamming favored Hubris to his immediate outside, who then swerved outward into the path of Hudson Ridge.

“I gotta give Abel's agent, Tom Knust, the credit for this one,” said Baffert.  “I nominated for the race, but I wasn't planning on running here and he said we should, that the horse had trouble last time and that he'd fit well with these horses.  The break, I don't know what happened.  It was crazy.

“I didn't know who caused it…After that, Abel did a great job, he didn't panic, he got him in a smooth (rhythm)…Then down the backside the four (Hubris) was out of it and turning for home…He's a horse that hadn't really shown us that much, but it's a big weekend for American Pharoah.”

Winless in four starts and a troubled second versus maidens going a flat mile on turf here May 1, Hudson Ridge, who is out of the Galileo mare Shell House, was off at 5-1 and paid $13.60, $6.20 and $3.20 while providing Baffert with his meet-leading 15^th stakes victory.

“Last time, I should have won the race, but in the stretch, I got in a little trouble,” said Cedillo.  “My agent told Bob there was a stake coming up and to let me ride him back.  I think (the start) affected my horse a little because that took me a little wide, but thank God, I put him in a perfect position.  I just followed the speed (Jimmy Irish) and in the stretch I had a lot of horse.”

Owned by Double L Racing and Natalie Baffert, Hudson Ridge, who has run on turf in four out of his five starts, banked $60,000, increasing his earnings to $75,140.

Irish-bred Sword Zorro, the second choice in the wagering at 9-5, was free of any trouble at the break, as he was positioned inside of the erratic Jimmy Irish.  From there, he fell into what appeared to be a perfect trip, as he loomed three-wide and full of run turning for home, but was no match for the winner.  Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Sword Zorro, who finished 2 ¼ lengths in front of Airman, paid $3.60 and $2.40.

Airman, who broke from the rail with Juan Hernandez, was off at 4-1 and paid $2.60 to show while a tiring Jimmy Irish finished fourth, 2 ¾ lengths in arears.

Hubris, the 8-5 favorite with Flavien Prat, was slammed hard at the break and although he was second into the first turn, back up readily as the field turn up the backside and was eased five furlongs from home.

Fractions on the race were 23.49, 48.07, 1:13.50 and 1:37.66.

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Forced to take some evasive action at the start when Jimmy Irish (Jimmy Creed) ducked out at the start, forcing Hubris (Paynter) out and into Hudson Ridge, the bay colt settled in third position of the quintet into the first turn and inherited second position when Hubris was pulled up and out of the race at the six-furlong maker. Clocking every move made up front by Jimmy Irish, Hudson Ridge crept closer under a hold, was sent into the lead passing the quarter pole and sprinted better than Sword Zorro for the victory. Stewards conducted an inquiry into the start, but the result was allowed to stand.

Hudson Ridge beat two home in his six-furlong debut over this course Feb. 6, before making belated progress to be fourth in a main-track maiden over a mile Mar. 5. Down one spot when wheeled back on 15 days' rest, he found late trouble in a similar spot May 1 and missed by a head while sharing the spoils for second.

Bred on the same cross as European GSW & G1SP Pista, Hudson Ridge is out of a Group 3-placed half-sister to MGSW & MGISP Diabolical (Artax) and MGSW/G1SP What a Name (Ire) (Mr. Greeley). Hudson Ridge's third dam is GISW Plenty of Grace (Roberto). Shell House is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by War Front, a yearling full-brother to Hudson Ridge and produced a colt by Justify Mar. 2. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

CINEMA S., $98,500, Santa Anita, 5-23, 3yo, 1 1/8mT, 1:49.06, fm.
1–HUDSON RIDGE, 120, c, 3, by American Pharoah
1st Dam: Shell House (Ire) (GSP-Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Bonnie Byerly, by Dayjur
3rd Dam: Plenty of Grace, by Roberto
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Double L Racing & Natalie J. Baffert;
B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Abel
Cedillo. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 5-1-1-0, $75,140.
2–Sword Zorro (Ire), 124, c, 3, Zoffany (Ire)–Sarawati (Ire), by
Haafhd (GB). (€165,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Yuesheng Zhang;
B-Pigeon Park Stud (IRE); T-John W. Sadler. $20,000.
3–Airman, 120, c, 3, Tonalist–Aconcagua, by Intikhab. O-John
M. B. O'Connor; B-Anastasie Astrid Christiansen-Croy (KY);
T-John A. Shirreffs. $12,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 2 1/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 5.80, 1.90, 4.00.
Also Ran: Jimmy Irish, Hubris.

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