The Top Ten Moments of Del Mar 2014

The summer meet where the turf meets the surf may have come to a close yesterday, but before we say goodbye completely, let’s take a look back at my Top 10 moments of Del Mar 2014...

#10 Del Mar Oaks - Not many people expected the Victoria Oliver trained Midwestern filly, that had knocked on the door many times before, would come to California and earn her first stakes in the  winning the Del Mar Oaks, but Personal Diary did just that. The daughter of City Zip came from last early to power home a going away winner in the Grade 1 race for sophomore fillies, while another Midwestern girl, Stellaris, earned the place.

#9 La Jolla - He saw his stakes winning streak at Del Mar come to an end in the recent Del Mar Derby, but before that, Enterprising looked like the real deal while scoring his second stakes victory of the meet in the La Jolla. Last early, the Glen Hill Farm color bearer was still 5th late in the race, but Mike Smith knew he was sitting on a powder keg. The last 50 yards was impressive as Enterprising found warp speed to put his competition away in the blink of an eye.

#8 Del Mar Debutante - In her short career, Sunset Glow had impressed on the East Coast, at Royal Ascot, and even earlier in the meet at Del Mar, but it was on Del Mar Debutante day that the well traveled young filly became a Grade 1 winner. Finding room where there wasn’t much, the daughter of Exchange Rate split horses at the top of the lane, and then gamely drove to the wire to earn her second stakes win at the seaside oval.

#7 Clement L. Hirsch - With a romping victory in the Vanity at Santa Anita, it looked like Iotapa was ready to turn the corner and move to the top of the class among older females in California. Winning her second consecutive Grade 1 became no easy task, though, when the front running and fresh Broken Sword refused to yield in the Clement L. Hirsch. The favored daughter of Afleet Alex was up to the challenge, and eventually looked the early leader in the eye and edged on by in the late stages.

#6 Yellow Ribbon - I’ve been a fan of Ron McAnally for as long as I can remember, so it’s always gratifying to see him win another big race at his advanced aged. The octogenarian did it again over the holiday weekend, and like so many times before, he did it with an Argentine import. Miss Serendipity not only proved her class with a powerful late run in winning the Yellow Ribbon, but she also pointed out herself out as a serious threat for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

#5 Rancho Bernardo - Generally, I am not a fan of a four-horse field, but in Judy the Beauty and the returning Reneesgotzip, the 6 ½ furlong Rancho Bernardo matched two of the very best female sprinters in the land. In the end it was all the Canadian-bred daughter of Ghostzapper on this day. Looking every bit like one of the horses to beat in the upcoming Breeders’ Cup, Judy the Beauty was unstoppable down the stretch on her way to a strong win in 1:15.63. 

#4 Del Mar Futurity - American Pharoah was well liked, but you really couldn’t tell what kind of colt he was after fading in his career debut. Apparently it was not a worry for his connections. Zayat Stables owned, and Bob Baffert trained, the son of Pioneerof the Nile is a maiden no more. In fact, he is a Grade 1 winner. The Del Mar Futurity turned into a one horse show as American Pharoah went right to the lead and poured it on down the stretch to route the field in fast time.

#3 Del Mar Mile - Tom’s Tribute may have won the Grade 1 Eddie Read, but the Del Mar Mile obviously was supposed to be tougher. We better all start respecting this James Cassidy trained son of Lion Heart, because when it comes to middle distance turf racing, he is the genuine article. As expected, the 2-5 Obviously went straight to the lead, but Tom’s Tribute always had him in sights, and when the real running began in the stretch, it was the Eddie Read winner who proved to have a whole lot more horse. Breeders’ Cup Mile, here he comes. 

#2 Pat O’ Brien - How good was it to see the classy Goldencents back to his very best on the Del Mar main track in the Pat O’ Brien? After a pair of tough losses to Palace Malice and Big Macher, the four-year-old son of Into Mischief was aggressive from the get go in the seven furlong affair, and from there he basically ran his competition off their respective feet. It may have said Grade 2, but with horses like Fed Biz, Silentio, and Big Macher well back in his rearview mirror, this 1:20 and change performance was grade one all the way.

#1 Shared Belief  The most exciting horse at Del Mar ... maybe the most exciting horse in all America, Shared Belief showed the world that he is one two-year-old champion that will not be succumbing to the sophomore jinx. Make no mistake about it; considering the extended distance, good older horses, and inexperience in 2014, the Pacific Classic was primed to be a much tougher test than the 2013 Juvenile Champion had faced before. Maybe it was, but it really didn’t matter, as the unbeaten champion won with ease yet again. Just how good is he? Stay tuned!