Deep fields drawn for Del Mar Oaks and Del Mar Handicap
The Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Oaks drew a field of 11 and the Grade II Del Mar Handicap lured 12, further strengthening – as if it was needed – Saturday’s TVG Pacific Classic day card.
Post positions were to be drawn later Wednesday for the two graded stakes in addition to the Pacific Classic on an 11-race card. The Oaks, which determines the 3-year-old filly championship of the meeting, is 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. The Del Mar Handicap, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf on November 5 at Santa Anita, is run at 1 3/8 miles.
Among the Oaks entrants are two shippers from the east. Hall of Fame Trainer William Mott sends Harmonize, a daughter of Scat Daddy who was a graded stakes winner as a 2-year-old with Junior Alvarado coming in to ride. H. Graham Motion dispatches Tin Type Gal, a daughter of Tapit and winner of a Grade III event at Monmouth Park in her last start.
The Oaks entries in alphabetical order with trainer/jockey: Barleysugar (Edward Freeman/Gary Stevens), Cheekaboo (Peter Eurton/Santiago Gonzalez), Decked Out (J. Keith Desormeaux/Kent Desormeaux), Harmonize (William Mott/Junior Alvarado), Lady Valeur (Patrick Gallagher/Rafael Bejarano), Lynne’s Legacy (James Cassidy/Victor Espinoza), Mines and Magic (Victoria Oliver/Drayden Van Dyke), Mokat (Richard Baltas/Norberto Arroyo, Jr.), Mrs. Norris (Eoin Harty/Tyler Baze), Stays in Vegas (Jerry Hollendorfer/Flavien Prat) and Tin Type Gal (H. Graham Motion/Joe Talamo).
Mott has also sent Belisarius for the Del Mar Handicap. The 5-year-old Irish-bred son of Montjeu will also be ridden by Alvarado.
The Del Mar Handicap entries in alphabetical order with trainer/jockey: Ashleyluvssugar (Peter Eurton/Gary Stevens), Belisarius (William Mott/Junior Alvarado), El Huerfano (Peter Miller/Brice Blanc), Express Himself (John Sadler/Victor Espinoza), Finnegans Wake (Peter Miller/Kent Desormeaux), Flamboyant (Patrick Gallagher/Flavien Prat), Metaboss (Phil D’Amato/Rafael Bejarano), Patentar (Simon Callaghan/Drayden Van Dyke), Power Foot (Neil Drysdale/Norberto Arroyo, Jr.), Quick Casablanca (Ron McAnally/Tyler Baze), Texas Ryano (Carla Gaines/Joe Talamo) and Wanstead Gardens (Neil French/Santiago Gonzalez).
Source: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club