Eastern Invaders Take Best Pal, Yellow Ribbon At Del Mar

A stakes doubleheader saw a young colt begin to bloom and an impressive filly continue to shine Saturday afternoon at Del Mar as Rustlewood Farm's Pappacap scored smartly in the Best Pal Stakes and Susan and John Moore's Princess Grace found a hole turning for home and ran away from rivals in the Yellow Ribbon Handicap.

The pair of offerings at the seaside track in Del Mar, Calif., were both Grade 2 events and both offered $200,000 purses. The Best Pal – being run for the 51st time – saw Pappacap maneuver like an old pro in only his second start in the juvenile headliner as he waited on rider Joe Bravo's signal, then zoomed to the front turning for home and went on to tally by 4 3/4 lengths. He ran the six furlongs in 1:11.66.

In the Yellow Ribbon – on the turf at 1 1/16 miles and being offered for its 69th edition – jockey Kent Desormeaux saw a hole nearing the quarter pole and asked the 4-year-old filly Princess Grace to go for it. She did readily and pulled clear in the lane to finish 1 1/4 lengths to the good at the end of the filly/mare feature. The winner covered the distance in a snappy 1:40.84.

Pappacap, a bay colt by champion Gun Runner bred by his owners, had captured his debut in a straight maiden race at Gulfstream Park in Florida on May 14.  Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse shipped him west for the Best Pal, perhaps looking ahead to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, which will be run at Del Mar on November 5.

Princess Grace, a homebred daughter of the Japanese stallion Karakontie, was winning her fifth race in her sixth start (she was second in her lone loss) and accomplishing it at her sixth different racetrack. The well-traveled filly is trained by Michael Stidham.

Pappacap picked up a check for $120,000 with his victory, pushing his bankroll to $158,000.  Princess Grace also earned $120,000 for her bit of handiwork and now shows winnings of $440,460.

Lovingier, Fasihuddin or Navarro's Finneus checked in second in the Best Pal, while Gary Barber's Bet On Mookie was third. Pappacap paid $6.60, $3.40 and $2.60 across the board. In the Yellow Ribbon, LNJ Foxwoods' Dogtag ran second and Slam Dunk Racing, Stable Currency and Branham's Maxim Rate was third. Princess Grace paid $9.20, $5.00 and $3.40.  Dogtag returned $4.80 and $3.20, while Maxim Rate paid $3.00.

Six horses ran in the Best Pal, while nine competed in the Yellow Ribbon.

Pappacap draws off to win the Best Pal by 4 3/4 lengths under Joe Bravo

The track's Pick 6 Single Ticket Jackpot Wager continued elusive for gamblers and grew its jackpot again for the 11th straight day. The carryover into Sunday's 10-race card will now be $982,985.

First post Sunday is 2 p.m.

Post-race quotes – Yellow Ribbon:

KENT DESORMEAUX (Princess Grace, winner) – “Michael (trainer Stidham) told me one thing before the race that I used to advantage today: He said 'She's brave.' When that hole opened turning for home, I sent her through and she went right on with it. She was a bit keen going into the first turn, but on the backside she was just all floppy ears and off the bit; taking it easy. I clucked to her at the three (eighths) and from there she just carried me home. Nice win on a nice filly.”

MIKE STIDHAM (Princess Grace, winner) – “I will tell you this: this filly is tenacious and one of the most hard-trying fillies I've ever trained. I trained her mother and she was just like that – not quite as talented, but always digging in and trying to win every time out. This little filly has been at six different racetracks and she should be undefeated, the one loss was just unlucky. I don't know what's next, I haven't looked past this race. This was going to be her test to step up to another league and she obviously passed the test really well.”

FRACTIONS:  :23.06  :46.61  1:10.46  1:34.89  1:40.84

The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Desormeaux but his fourth in the Yellow Ribbon. He now has 84 stakes wins at Del Mar, ninth best among all riders.

The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Stidham and his first in the Yellow Ribbon. He now has six stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owners are Susan and John Moore from Far Hills, N.J.

A stakes doubleheader saw a young colt begin to bloom and an impressive filly continue to shine Saturday afternoon at Del Mar as Rustlewood Farm's Pappacap scored smartly in the Best Pal Stakes and Susan and John Moore's Princess Grace found a hole turning for home and ran away from rivals in the Yellow Ribbon Handicap.

The pair of offerings were both Grade II events and both offered $200,000 purses. The Best Pal – being run for the 51st time – saw Pappacap maneuver like an old pro in only his second start in the juvenile headliner as he waited on rider Joe Bravo's signal, then zoomed to the front turning for home and went on to tally by four and three-quarter lengths. He ran the six furlongs in 1:11.66.

In the Yellow Ribbon – on the turf at a mile and one sixteenth and being offered for its 69th edition – jockey Kent Desormeaux saw a hole nearing the quarter pole and asked the 4-year-old filly Princess Grace to go for it. She did readily and pulled clear in the lane to finish a length and a quarter to the good at the end of the filly/mare feature. The winner covered the distance in a snappy 1:40.84.

Pappacap, a bay colt by champion Gun Runner bred by his owners, had captured his debut in a straight maiden race at Gulfstream Park in Florida on May 14.  Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse shipped him west for the Best Pal, perhaps looking ahead to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, which will be run at Del Mar on November 5.

Princess Grace, a homebred daughter of the Japanese stallion Karakontie, was winner her fifth race in her sixth start (she was second in her lone loss) and accomplishing it at her sixth different racetrack. The well-traveled filly is trained by Michael Stidham.

Pappacap picked up a check for $120,000 with his victory, pushing his bankroll to $158,000.  Princess Grace also earned $120,000 for her bit of handiwork and now shows winnings of $440,460.

Lovingier, Fasihuddin or Navarro's Finneus checked in second in the Best Pal, while Gary Barber's Bet On Mookie was third. Pappacap paid $6.60, $3.40 and $2.60 across the board. In the Yellow Ribbon, LNJ Foxwoods' Dogtag ran second and Slam Dunk Racing, Stable Currency and Branham's Maxim Rate was third. Princess Grace paid $9.20, $5.00 and $3.40.  Dogtag returned $4.80 and $3.20, while Maxim Rate paid $3.00.

Six horses ran in the Best Pal, while nine competed in the Yellow Ribbon.

The track's Pick Six Single Ticket Jackpot Wager continued to be too tough to take down for gamblers and grew its jackpot again for the 11th straight day. The carryover into Sunday's 10-race card will now be $982,985.

First post Sunday is 2 p.m.

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Post-race quotes

Yellow Ribbon

KENT DESORMEAUX (Princess Grace, winner) – “Michael (trainer Stidham) told me one thing before the race that I used to advantage today: He said 'She's brave.' When that hole opened turning for home, I sent her through and she went right on with it. She was a bit keen going into the first turn, but on the backside she was just all floppy ears and off the bit; taking it easy. I clucked to her at the three (eighths) and from there she just carried me home. Nice win on a nice filly.”

MIKE STIDHAM (Princess Grace, winner) – “I will tell you this: this filly is tenacious and one of the most hard-trying fillies I've ever trained. I trained her mother and she was just like that – not quite as talented, but always digging in and trying to win every time out. This little filly has been at six different racetracks and she should be undefeated, the one loss was just unlucky. I don't know what's next, I haven't looked past this race. This was going to be her test to step up to another league and she obviously passed the test really well.”

FRACTIONS:  :23.06  :46.61  1:10.46  1:34.89  1:40.84

The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Desormeaux but his fourth in the Yellow Ribbon. He now has 84 stakes wins at Del Mar, ninth best among all riders.

The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Stidham and his first in the Yellow Ribbon. He now has six stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owners are Susan and John Moore from Far Hills, NJ

Best Pal

JOE BRAVO (Pappacap, winner) – “I was glad to see how well he settled in behind those two up front. His race in Florida, he just was pure speed. You don't know if that's the way they like to go. But he showed another dimension today. Mark Casse sends them out ready.”

ALLEN HARDY-ZUKOWSKI, assistant to Mark Casse (Pappacap, winner) – “Joe (Bravo) gave him such a great ride coming out of the gate. He seemed loaded and when Joe asked in the stretch he responded. I was glad to see that, especially coming off a layoff. It was great.”

FRACTIONS:  :22.11  :45.79  :58.61  1:11.66

The stakes win was the second of the meet for rider Bravo, but his first in the Best Pal. He now has four stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Casse and his second in the Best Pal (Skyway, 2014). He now has nine stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owners are Rustlewood Farm of George and Karen Russell of Reddick, Fla.

The post Eastern Invaders Take Best Pal, Yellow Ribbon At Del Mar appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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None Above The Law Upsets The Chosen Vron In Real Good Deal

Downstream Racing's gray stretch runner None Above the Law found a perfect spot just behind the leaders early, then pounced at the quarter pole and won in the clear in Friday's featured Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, Calif.

The Golden State Series offering was worth $175,500 in total and $99,750 to “Law's” connections. The homebred gelding – whose winning margin turned out to be 5 1/4 lengths – was winning the fifth race of his career and raised his bankroll to $304,060.

Downstream Racing is the nom du course of J. Kirk Robison of El Paso, Texas.

The 3-year-old test was conducted over seven furlongs and the winner covered the distance in 1:22.90 after fractions of :22.98, :46.20  and 1:10.65

Leading rider Flavien Prat was in the boot on “Law” for his third winner of the afternoon.

“We were in a good spot and he was comfortable,” said Prat. “The draw helped us. When I asked him (to go), he was a willing horse. He's a nice horse.”

Leading trainer Peter Miller tightened the cinch on the son of Karakontie for his third victory on the day.

“The No. 1 horse (The Chosen Vron) towered over the field, but he didn't fire today,” said Miller. “And it's hard to win from behind on this track. Our horse tries every time and Flavien (Prat) gave him a great ride, so we couldn't be happier.”

After eight days of racing at the Del Mar stand, Prat now has 16 wins and is well in front in the jocks' standings. Miller has racked up eight victories to easily lead the trainers' parade.

Finishing second in the Real Good Deal was the odds-on favorite The Chosen Vron, who is owned by the partnership of Fetkin, Sondereker or Thornburg, et al, while running third was Brown, Klein or Lebherz's Letsgetlucky.

The winner paid $22.00, $4.00 and $2.60 across the board. The Chosen Vron returned $2.10 and $2.10, while Letsgetlucky paid off at $3.20 for the show.

The track's Pick Six Single Ticket Jackpot wager was not hit for the sixth day in a row and its carryover pot ran up to $441,366.

[Story Continues Below]

Post time for Saturday's 11-race card is 2 p.m.

The stakes win was the fifth of the meet for rider Prat and his fourth in the Real Good Deal Stakes. He now has 65 stakes wins at Del Mar, 12th most of all riders all time.

The stakes win was the second of the meet for trainer Miller and his third in the Real Good Deal Stakes. He now has 40 stakes wins at Del Mar.

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Princess Grace Determined Off The Layoff In Dr. James Penny Memorial

Making her first start since winning the G2 Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs in November of 2020, John and Susan Moore's homebred Princess Grace was a determined winner of Tuesday's Grade 3 Dr. James Penny Memorial Stakes at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn. The 4-year-old daughter of Karakontie, sent off as the even-money favorite, saved ground early then out-dueled Madita to the finish to win by a neck. Joe Bravo rode Princess Grace to victory for trainer Mike Stidham, completing 1 1/16 miles over the firm turf in 1:41 flat.

Longshot Glamorous Thunder grabbed the lead at the start and pulled away by two lengths through fractions of 23 1/5 seconds for the opening quarter and 47 3/5 seconds for the half. Platinum Paynter and Madita were steady in their pursuit, while Bravo held Princess Grace at the rail in fourth in the early going.

Rounding the far turn, Bravo steered Princess Grace around the tiring frontrunner before resuming her charge up the rail into the stretch. She hooked up with the duo of Platinum Paynter and Madita at the head of the lane. Madita and Princess Grace pulled away from Platinum Paynter by the eighth pole, and that pair dueled all the way to the line with Princess Grace pulling off the win by a neck in the final few strides. Madita had to settle for second, while Platinum Paynter checked in third. Amniarix was fourth.

Bred in Kentucky by her owners, Princess Grace is the first foal out of the multiple stakes-placed Silent Name mare Masquerade. She won on debut as a sophomore last year over Colonial Downs's turf course, then won an allowance next out on the turf at Monmouth Park. Princess Grace next ran second in the G3 Valley View at Keeneland on turf, before finishing out her 2020 campaign with the win over dirt in the off-the-turf edition of the G2 Mrs. Revere. Overall, the filly's record stands at four wins from five starts with earnings over $320,000.

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Graded Stakes Winner Sole Volante Returns To Action Saturday At Gulfstream

Sole Volante, who ran in two legs of the 2020 Triple Crown, will be return to action in Saturday's featured optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park.

The graded stakes-winning son of Karakontie is slated to come off a four-month layoff in Race 10, a mile optional claiming allowance on dirt on a 12-race program highlighted by the $75,000 Martha Washington Stakes, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

“We gave him a good break and two months on the farm to give him a chance to be a horse,” trained Patrick Biancone said. “We don't expect too much. We just want him to have a good run in his first race back.”

Sole Volante distinguished himself as a strong contender on the Road to the Triple Crown in 2020 when he won the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs before finishing second in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2). Unfortunately, the Kentucky Derby (G1), the Preakness (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1) were postponed until later in the summer and fall.

Sole Volante came off a three-month layoff to win an optional claiming allowance, a stakes-quality mile race in which Jesus' Team, who would go on to finish third in the Preakness and second in both the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G2), finished second. Ten days later, the gelding owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and assistant trainer Andie Biancone finished sixth in the Belmont Stakes. The Biancone trainee went on to finish 11th in the Derby after being squeezed at the start before finishing off the board in a pair of turf stakes.

“He was ready early, but like everybody, everything was delayed because of problems with COVID,” Biancone said. “He was a little bit over the top when it came the right time. In May, he was just perfect.”

Sole Volante began his career with back-to-back victories on turf in a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park West and the Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream Park in the fall of 2019. He finished a promising third in his dirt and 2020 debut in the Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream prior to his strong performances at Tampa Bay Downs.

Saturday's one-turn mile race attracted a strong field of six older horses, including graded-stakes winner Trophy Chaser, who is scheduled to make a long-awaited return from a 13-month layoff. The Juan Carlos Avila-trained son of Twirling Candy, who won the 2020 Challenger Stakes at Tampa.

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