Cambodia breezes to a win in Del Mar's Yellow Ribbon Handicap

Winter Quarter Farm’s Cambodia, given a well-judged ride by Drayden Van Dyke, stormed to the front entering the stretch and drew off to an impressive triumph in the featured Grade 2, $200,000  Yellow Ribbon Handicap Saturday at Del Mar, marking her second straight victory in the 1 1/16-mile grass contest for older fillies and mares.

As defending champion in the Yellow Ribbon, the 6-year-old bay mare was sent to the post as the 8-5 favorite and didn’t disappoint with a dominating performance versus 10 distaff rivals.

“She put me up there in the race," Van Dyke said. "She’s got that natural speed and she wants to be in the race. I was just biding my time; I had a couple to beat, but I had good aim. She likes this turf course, no doubt. It’s all clicking for me right now. I’m feeling good and riding good. I want to keep it going.”

Always well positioned within striking range by Van Dyke, Cambodia surged into contention from the outside with slightly less than a quarter-mile to go and pulled away to score by two and one-half lengths in 1:40.51, bettering her time of 1:40.86 a year ago in the Yellow Ribbon.

In a three-way photo for runner-up honors, Madame Stripes was a head in front of Sophie P, with eastern invader Hallie Belle only another head farther back in fourth. Fahan Mura was scratched.

For Cambodia, a Kentucky-bred daughter of War Front trained by Tom Proctor, it was her seventh win in 18 starts and first money of $120,000 increased her earnings to $778,913. She paid $5.40, $3.20 and $2.60. Madame Stripes returned $5 and $3.60, while Sophie P paid $6.40 to show. For Van Dyke it was his third win on the ten-race program. He took the seventh on two-year-old Sigalert.

Saturday’s supporting feature, the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for California-bred two-year-olds at five and one-half furlongs, was won in stylish fashion by Tap the Wire under Van Dyke. The winner scored by three and one-half lengths over Luck’s Royal Flush, with Oliver third in a field of five runners. Bea’s Boy and Grab the Munny were scratched.

Tap the Wire, a son of Eddington owned by Allegra and John Ernst and trained by Daniel Dunham, ran the distance in 1:05.48 and returned $8, $4.40 and $4 after his second victory in as many races. First prize was $57,000. Runner-up Luck’s Royal Flush paid $4 and $3.40, while Oliver returned $3.20 to show.

Tyler Baze also booted in three winners Saturday,  tallying with Closing Time in the second, Conquest Typhoon in the third and Tatters to Riches in the ninth.

There were nine winning tickets in the Pick Six and each was worth $14,123.