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.
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.
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