Del Mar: Fun Day for Berrios, Cardenas

Hector Berrios, a 24-year-old native of Chile who was that country’s leading rider last year, notched his first two wins at Del Mar on Friday, both for trainer Ruben Cardenas and the Green Grass Stable of Nick Green of Manhattan Beach. The first came in the fourth race with Al Instante ($46.40), the second with Private Affair ($20) in the featured CTT and TOC Handicap.

“This is very difficult to do – to ride with all these good riders and win not one but two races,” Berrios said after the stakes.  Berrios has been in the U.S. since April riding at Gulfstream Park and Calder in Florida with, he said, 17 wins including one small stakes. Represented in the east by former riding star Jose Santos, also from Chile,  Berrios’ agent is Tommy Ball.

Cardenas won his first two races of the meeting and his second career stakes. He took the Generous Portion in 2003 with She’s Gottagetaway.

When another rider from Chile, Octavio Vergara, won Friday’s last race aboard My T Quick ($23.00) it produced a Pick Six carryover to Saturday of $110,856.