Del Mar: Medoro tries to remain undefeated in San Clemente
The traditional opening day feature, the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes, usually has the day all to itself. But due to the Saturday start to the 2024 Del Mar summer meet, it will share top billing with the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap this year.
A dozen 3-year old fillies will go to the gate for the San Clemente, a one mile grass event that serves as the local prep for next month’s G1 Del Mar Oaks. C R K Stable’s Medoro is the filly to beat. She’s undefeated after four starts and has already won on Del Mar’s Jimmy Durante Turf Course, breaking her maiden here last December.
Trainer Peter Eurton knows he has a good one in this daughter of Honor Code.
“She hasn’t done anything wrong that’s for sure,” Eurton says. “Hopefully she continues that.”
She doesn’t win by much, but she wins. In her four races Medoro’s margins of victory have been a head in her maiden win, a neck in the $100,000 Blue Norther and a nose last out in the Providencia (G3) in April. Her decisive win came in the China Doll in March when she won by two and a quarter lengths.
“We’ve kind of freshened her up since her last,” Eurton notes. “She went the mile and an eighth (in the Providencia) and it was time for a break. She was a bit overly aggressive.”
Medoro is one of two entries in the San Clemente for Eurton. He also brings Flattery, who will start alongside her stablemate.
“She (Flattery) loves this racetrack,” Eurton points out. “She’s two-for-two. The draw’s not the best (post no. 11), but hopefully he (jockey Reylu Gutierrez) can maneuver his way over and save some ground and make that run that she likes to do.”
Flattery broke her maiden at Del Mar during last year’s summer meet then followed with a win in the $100,000 Juvenile Fillies Turf on closing weekend. She made a run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf but could only finish 12th. In her only start this year she was eighth in the Senorita (G3) at Santa Anita.
Trainer Phil D’Amato brings his usually impressive arsenal to the San Clemente with no less than three entries. Iscreamuscream is undefeated after two starts; Loterie just broke her maiden and Zona Verde was last fall’s Jimmy Durante (G3) winner at Del Mar.
Trainer Richard Mandella will counter with two of his fillies. Rascality finished second in the Senorita (G3), then came back and was runner-up to Iscreamuscream in an entry level allowance. He also saddles Alluring, a daughter of Ghostzapper, who missed by a nose in the $100,000 Angel’s Flight at Santa Anita in April before a seventh in the Senorita. Both will be stretching out around two turns for the first time.
The 57th running of the San Clemente is the ninth on Saturday’s 11 race card. Probable post is 9 p.m. EDT.