Del Mar news: Justify's old stall houses aptly named replacement
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Photo:
Eclipse Sportswire
The stall in the Bob Baffert stable that came open with the retirement and ship to Kentucky of Triple Crown winner Justify has a new occupant.
An unraced 2-year-old son of City Zip, a $200,000 Keeneland September sale purchase with the same WinStar Farm ownership as Justify who is nominated to the Del Mar Futurity and has strung together bullet works at Los Alamitos has moved into Justify’s digs.
But before letting the “next great” thoughts loose in your head, consider the colt’s name – Improbable.
BELLAFINA COULD BE THE BELLE OF THE SORRENTO BALL
Kaleem Shah’s Bellafina didn’t produce an impressive win in her racing debut at Los Alamitos on the Fourth of July. The $800,000 purchase in March at the Fasig-Tipton sale was second, beaten 1 ¼-lengths by Katieleigh as the 1-2 favorite in the five-furlong test for 2-year-old fillies.
The Simon Callaghan-trained daughter of Quality Road has been stepped up to the Grade 2 stakes level for Sunday’s $200,000 Sorrento and established as the 7-2 morning line favorite in a field of 10 for the six-furlong sprint.
The opportunity for redemption, if it’s at all necessary, is at hand.
“We’ve always thought highly of her and she’s trained really well since she’s been down here,” Callaghan said Saturday morning. “We’re expecting her to run very well.”
There were extenuating circumstances in Bellafina’s debut.
“It was a touch disappointing at the time, but it was from the No. 1 hole and we’ve added some blinkers since then which will help her focus,” Callaghan said. “I think the extra distance is going to help and I think she’s ready to step up and show what we think she’s capable of doing.”
The field from the rail: Madison’s Quarters (Mike Smith, 20-1), Dragic (Rafael Bejarano, 8-1), Bellafina (Flavien Prat, 7-2), Lady Lucy (Martin Garcia, 8-1), Dichotomy (Mario Gutierrez, 12-1), Summerland (Tyler Baze, 12-1), Stirred (Drayden Van Dyke, 5-1), Reflect (Kent Desormeaux, 5-1), Boujie Girl (Geovanni Franco, 6-1) and Del Mar May (Corey Nakatani, 9-2).
APPRENTICE FIGUEROA GETS A PERSONAL BEST WITH THREE-WIN FRIDAY
The three-win day for apprentice Heriberto Figueroa was the first triple of his career, agent Nelson Arroyo confirmed Saturday morning.
Figueroa swept the opening double with Lucky Staxx ($13.60) in the first and Family Girl ($16.40) in the second. The Figueroa double paid $82.40 for a $2 bet.
The 18-year-old from Puerto Rico saved his best for three races later, however, guiding Tell Me More ($15.40) on a stretch rally to a half-length victory over co-favorite Mo See Cal and meet-leading rider Flavien Prat.
“That race he rode like a good journeyman on turf,” said Arroyo, a former jockey. “The way he broke, settled the horse and then came up the rail to beat Prat showed a lot.”
The wins increased Figueroa’s total for the meet to nine from 40 mounts, a tie for fourth with Tyler Baze (9-for-64). Prat tops the standings with 14 wins from 56 mounts with Drayden Van Dyke (10-for-45) and apprentice Assael Espinoza (10-for-68) tied for second.
An unraced 2-year-old son of City Zip, a $200,000 Keeneland September sale purchase with the same WinStar Farm ownership as Justify who is nominated to the Del Mar Futurity and has strung together bullet works at Los Alamitos has moved into Justify’s digs.
But before letting the “next great” thoughts loose in your head, consider the colt’s name – Improbable.
BELLAFINA COULD BE THE BELLE OF THE SORRENTO BALL
Kaleem Shah’s Bellafina didn’t produce an impressive win in her racing debut at Los Alamitos on the Fourth of July. The $800,000 purchase in March at the Fasig-Tipton sale was second, beaten 1 ¼-lengths by Katieleigh as the 1-2 favorite in the five-furlong test for 2-year-old fillies.
The Simon Callaghan-trained daughter of Quality Road has been stepped up to the Grade 2 stakes level for Sunday’s $200,000 Sorrento and established as the 7-2 morning line favorite in a field of 10 for the six-furlong sprint.
The opportunity for redemption, if it’s at all necessary, is at hand.
“We’ve always thought highly of her and she’s trained really well since she’s been down here,” Callaghan said Saturday morning. “We’re expecting her to run very well.”
There were extenuating circumstances in Bellafina’s debut.
“It was a touch disappointing at the time, but it was from the No. 1 hole and we’ve added some blinkers since then which will help her focus,” Callaghan said. “I think the extra distance is going to help and I think she’s ready to step up and show what we think she’s capable of doing.”
The field from the rail: Madison’s Quarters (Mike Smith, 20-1), Dragic (Rafael Bejarano, 8-1), Bellafina (Flavien Prat, 7-2), Lady Lucy (Martin Garcia, 8-1), Dichotomy (Mario Gutierrez, 12-1), Summerland (Tyler Baze, 12-1), Stirred (Drayden Van Dyke, 5-1), Reflect (Kent Desormeaux, 5-1), Boujie Girl (Geovanni Franco, 6-1) and Del Mar May (Corey Nakatani, 9-2).
APPRENTICE FIGUEROA GETS A PERSONAL BEST WITH THREE-WIN FRIDAY
The three-win day for apprentice Heriberto Figueroa was the first triple of his career, agent Nelson Arroyo confirmed Saturday morning.
Figueroa swept the opening double with Lucky Staxx ($13.60) in the first and Family Girl ($16.40) in the second. The Figueroa double paid $82.40 for a $2 bet.
The 18-year-old from Puerto Rico saved his best for three races later, however, guiding Tell Me More ($15.40) on a stretch rally to a half-length victory over co-favorite Mo See Cal and meet-leading rider Flavien Prat.
“That race he rode like a good journeyman on turf,” said Arroyo, a former jockey. “The way he broke, settled the horse and then came up the rail to beat Prat showed a lot.”
The wins increased Figueroa’s total for the meet to nine from 40 mounts, a tie for fourth with Tyler Baze (9-for-64). Prat tops the standings with 14 wins from 56 mounts with Drayden Van Dyke (10-for-45) and apprentice Assael Espinoza (10-for-68) tied for second.
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