juan hernandez | Horse Racing Free Tips

Upcoming Del Mar Stakes Feature Two-Year-Olds, Rock Your World

Four stakes that spotlight promising 2-year-olds, the second leg of the series for 3-year-olds, and the 69th running of the Yellow Ribbon for older fillies and mares on turf comprise a six-pack of added-money events for the fourth week of the meeting starting Thursday at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The $100,000 California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Stakes, at 5 ½ furlongs for California-bred 2-year-old fillies initiates things on Thursday. From a list of 12 nominations, a field of nine was entered Saturday with Jorge Periban-trained At the Spa significantly coming in off a victory in a $100,000 stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., in June.

The post position draw was to be held later in the day. The field in alphabetical order with jockeys in parenthesis: At the Spa (Tyler Baze); Carmen Miranda (Giovanni Franco); Drizella (Juan Hernandez); Gianna's Wild Cat (Jessica Pyfer); Irish Wahine (Abel Cedillo); It's Simple (Mario Gutierrez); Ko Olina (Edwin Maldonado); Lion's Lair (Tiago Pereira) and Madiha (Umberto Rispoli).

Friday's feature is the $200,000 Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, often a stepping stone to the $300,000 Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante near the end of the meeting. Bob Baffert, a seven-time Sorrento-winning trainer, has three of the 22 nominees.

Saturday card features the $200,000 Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon and the $200,000 Best Pal. The Yellow Ribbon, at 1 1/16 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, drew a dozen nominees topped by Simon Callaghan-trained Maxim Rate, winner of the Grade I Gamely at Santa Anita in May.

The Best Pal, often an identifier of potential for the $300,000 Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on closing day of the meeting, has 16 nominations, six of whom have been training outside California.

The week concludes Sunday with the $150,000 Grade 3 La Jolla, the second leg of the series for 3-year-olds, and the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for California-bred 2-year-olds.

John Sadler-trained Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World is among 15 nominations for the La Jolla, a return to turf racing for the son of Candy Ride after unsuccessful Triple Crown trail runs in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

Fourteen were nominated to the Graduation, among them Luis Mendez-trained Big City Lights, a winner of two starts by a combined 19 ¾ lengths.

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Madone Ends Going Global’s Win Streak In San Clemente

Kaleem Shah's Madone saved ground early, then launched a strong outside bid from the three-eighths pole home to prove a half length best Saturday in the $202,500 San Clemente Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The winner, a daughter of the Australian sire Vancouver though bred in Kentucky, covered a mile on turf in the Grade 2 feature in 1:35.28 and got the measure of race favorite Going Global, the 2-5 choice running in the silks of Dubb, Gevertz or Nentwig and partners. Finishing third was Slam Dunk Racing or Platts' Tetragonal.

Madone picked up a check for $120,000 for her fifth win – four of them in stakes — in seven starts and increased her earnings to $331,800. She now is three-for-three at Del Mar, all turf races. The dark bay or brown miss was purchased by her owner at a 2-year-old in training sale for $125,000 in March of 2020.

Madone paid $13.60, $4.00 and $3.00 across the board. Going Global, who had captured four straight stakes this year since coming over from her native Ireland, returned $2.20 and $2.10, while Tetragonal paid off at $3.80 for the show.

Trainer Simon Callaghan saddled Madone and indicated that his filly would next be pointed to the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks, the championship race for sophomore fillies at the shore track's summer meet. That race is part of a five-stakes card on Saturday, August 21.

JUAN HERNANDEZ (Madone, winner) – “That was the plan, to lay back then come running. Simon (trainer Simon Callaghan) said to keep her covered up and save ground. That's what I did. On the turn (for home), I took her out and she gave it to me. She really came running. Nice win for sure.”

SIMON CALLAGHAN (Madone, winner) – “We were able to save ground and they were going quick early, so I was happy with our spot early. He (jockey Juan Hernandez) made a wide early move but it was the right one. She's got a nice turn of foot and she's such a good filly. I blame myself (for sixth-place result in the G3 Honeymoon on May 22 at Santa Anita); I ran her back too quickly. She bounced, it's as simple as that. We'll now look to the Del Mar Oaks.”

FRACTIONS: :22.26 :45.86 1:11.12 1:35.28

The stakes win was the second of the meet for rider Hernandez, but his first in the San Clemente. He now has nine stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the first of the meet for Callaghan, but his second in the San Clemente (Up In Time, 2011). He now has 15 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owner is Kaleem Shah of San Diego and Vienna, VA.

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Warren’s Showtime Reels In Leggs Galore As Cal-Breds Run 1-2 In Wilshire

Hard-hitting Warren's Showtime got the early pace pressure she's been craving the entire meet and took full advantage on closing day Sunday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as she unfurled an impressive stretch kick to take the Grade 3, $100,000 Wilshire Stakes. Owned and bred in California by Ben and Sally Warren, trained by Craig Lewis and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Warren's Showtime won going away over pacesetter Leggs Galore while stopping the clock of a mile on turf in 1:34.29.

As expected, Leggs Galore was hustled away from the gate by Ricky Gonzalez and she held a 1 ¾-length advantage over Chilean-bred Brooke as the field straightened up for their run up the backside with long-striding Warren's Showtime ambling along while next to last.

Although Leggs Galore spurted clear, commanding a two-length edge on Brooke at the quarter pole, Warren's Showtime was in high gear under Hernandez, who wheeled four-wide at the top of the lane. From there, there was no stopping the 4-year-old daughter of Clubhouse Ride, as she broke a six-race losing streak while notching her second career graded stakes victory.

Most recently a close second to Leggs Galore in the statebred Fran's Valentine Stakes at one mile on turf May 9, Warren's Showtime was off as the 2-1 favorite in a field of eight fillies and mares three and up and paid $6.00, $3.00 and $2.20.

“She's a racehorse, she lays it down every time, she gives everything she can give and that's all you could ask,” said Lewis, who also trained both the sire and dam of the winner. “Juan is a really good rider and he's a got a good agent, so it works well together. I had a little anxiety, but I felt like today was going to be her day. It looked like there would be a realistic pace. …She looks like a million dollars and by the way, she's close to getting to that point. We're hoping she does, but she's just a wonderful filly and gives you what she can.

“Today was her day. I told Juan to be as patient as he could because we knew they were going to go fast today. …I am very excited about the future for Clubhouse Ride. He's a beast.”

By millionaire Clubhouse Ride, out of Warren's Grade I stakes winning Affirmative mare Warren's Veneda, Warren's Showtime notched her sixth stakes win and improved her overall mark 20-7-2-9. With the winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $697,431.

“We've been knocking on the door the last few times, we were third, second, just missing the winner, but today I think the pace was the key,” said Hernandez, who registered his second stake win and third overall victory on the day. “That was a good pace for us because she was flying at the end…Today, I kind of moved a little earlier, so when I passed the other filly, I said, 'I got it.'”

Gallant in defeat, Leggs Galore finished a neck in front of Brooke and paid $3.40 and $2.20 while off at 7-2.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Brooke, who pressed the pace throughout, was third-best and paid $4.00 to show while finishing 1 ¼ lengths better than Ippodamia's Girl.

Fractions on the Wilshire were 22.45, 45.97, 1:10.04 and 1:22.19.

Live racing will resume at Santa Anita with opening day of the track's Autumn Meet on Oct. 1.

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Big City Lights Shines In Fasig-Tipton Futurity At Santa Anita

Although much the best, heavily favored Big City Lights had to survive a lengthy steward's inquiry in winning Sunday's $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Futurity at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Luis Mendez and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Big City Lights won gate to wire by 7 ¼ lengths while getting five furlongs in 58.20.

As expected, Big City Lights was in front at once from his number three post position, but 7-2 second choice Street Art, who broke from the rail with Kent Desormeaux, was a close second by about three-quarters of a length. Heading to the half-mile pole, Desormeaux took up sharply, losing all position as things got tight.

With Big City Lights, a California-bred colt by Mr. Big, completely dominant on the front end, Street Art checked in fourth, beaten 15 ¼ lengths.

As soon as the field passed under the wire, the steward's inquiry sign went up and Desormeaux was very animated in his telephone conversation with stewards Ron Church, Luis Jauregui, and Kim Sawyer.

After a thorough review, the stewards ruled that Street Art attempted to enter an opening without sufficient clearance and they let the original order of finish stand.

A rousing 12 ½ length first-out maiden winner versus statebreds going 4 ½ furlongs on May 2, Big City Lights was off at 1-5 in a field of five juveniles and paid $2.40, $2.10, and $2.10.

“I broke on top and (Street Art) didn't break,” said Hernandez. “Before I came over, I checked and didn't see anybody. It looked like he was trying to get in, and there was room, but if you look at the replay, it looked like his horse got spooked and didn't want to come through. When I asked him at the quarter pole, he took off again, he's a nice horse.”

Owned by William Peeples, Big City Lights, who is out of the Exchange Rate mare Champagne Exchange and sold for $22,000 at the Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearling Sale, picked up $60,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $96,600.

“It feels good,” said Mendez, whose horses finished one-two-three. “I've never done that before and especially in a stake. I want to say thank you to the owner, Bill Peeples, and everyone on the team.”

Bochombo, who was a non-threatening second into and around the far turn, was off at 11-1 and paid $3.80 and $2.80. Ridden by Abel Cedillo, he finished second, 5 ¼ lengths in front of his stablemate Buehler's Day Off.

Ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Buehler's Day Off was off at 15-1 and paid $3.40 to show while finishing 2 ¾ lengths clear of Street Art. Fractions on the race were :21.96 and :45.74.

Jockey Juan Hernandez was happy with Big City Light's performance. “This horse is improving a lot. Last time he broke a little slow, but today he broke really sharp and I was clear in front, probably three or four jumps after. Something happened back there but I was clear all the time. I just let my horse run, because that's what he wants.”

Trainer Luis Mendez was thrilled about having the race's top three finishers. “It feels good. One-two-three! I've never done that before and especially in a stake. I want to say thank you to the owner, Bill Peeples, and everyone on the team. Thanks a lot, Mr. John Brocklebank, for bringing these babies to the barn. I really don't know what else to say other than I'm really happy.”

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