Del Mar: Medoro returns from break with Osunitas victory

Medoro established a good position early, split horses on the turn for home and then outran 10 rivals to come away a 1 3/4-length winner Sunday in the Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar.

Making her first start since December, the 4-year-old Honor Code filly scored the fifth victory of her career, improving her record to 9: 5-2-2, and won her fourth black-type event. Umberto Rispoli handled the bay for trainer Peter Eurton as they picked up a first prize of $60,000 from the gross purse of $109,000. She now has total earnings of $416,600.

Click here for Del Mar entries and results.

“I had a wonderful trip,” Rosoli said. “She broke very well out of the gate. I set myself in a good spot. I was one off the fence behind the speed, and that’s the best place to be in opening weekend at Del Mar, you know. Look, she travelled very well. I think Peter (Eurton) did a really good job with this filly. She rested and she has come back strong, you know, going a mile is never easy. But she looks like a classy filly, she made it easier than what you see on TV. It feels good to have a stakes win at Del Mar.”

The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Rispoli but his third victory in the Osunitas. He now has 36 stakes wins at Del Mar.

Finishing second was Grand Slam Smile, who had a half-length on Lunar Impact.

Final time for the mile on turf was 1:34.88. The winner paid $7.60 for $2.

“I was so pleased to see her show a lot more tactical speed,” Eurton said. “The freshening did a lot for her. She’s put on weight. She’s trained so well and when they’re fresh like that they show their natural speed instead of getting into trouble, which she did a lot last year. But she’s never missed a check.”

The win was the first stakes victory of the meet for trainer Eurton and his first in the Osunitas. He now has 13 stakes wins at Del Mar.