Evening Jewel Tops San Clemente
Headed by double Grade I winner Evening Jewel, a field of 10 3-year-old fillies with thoughts of the Del Mar Oaks in their heads is pretty much guaranteed for Sunday's 43rd running of the Grade II, $150,000 San Clemente Handicap, the major prep for the Grade I Oaks on Saturday, August 21.
The field will go one mile on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
The super-consistent Evening Jewel, trained by Jim Cassidy for the Braly Family Trust, will be making only her second start on turf and will be turning back to a mile from the 1 1/8-miles she ran in her last outing, a winning effort in Hollywood Park's Grade II Honeymoon Handicap May 31.
It marks the second straight start where Evening Jewel hasn't had to contend with Blind Luck, who has proved to be a thorn for the daughter of Northern Afleet. Blind Luck edged Evening Jewel by the tiniest of noses in both Santa Anita's Las Virgenes and the Kentucky Oaks. Overall, Evening Jewel, who will carry high weight of 123 pounds, has been either first or second in nine straight races. Victor Espinoza will be in the irons.
Crisp, one of two John Sadler trainees entered, also holds a victory over Evening Jewel, winning the Santa Ysabel by a length. She'll carry 120 pounds, including Joel Rosario.
Another major contender is It Tiz, trained by Mark Glatt for owners Allen and Susan Branch. The Tiznow filly defeated Crisp and another San Clemente entrant, Crisis of Spirit, at Hollywood Park in her previous start. It Tiz will be ridden by David Flores and will carry 118 pounds. Crisis of Spirit, trained by Bob Baffert, will be ridden by Martin Pedroza and will carry 115.
The other Sadler runner, Switch with Martin Garcia, will carry 119 pounds, the same as the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained City to City, ridden by Rafael Bejarano.
The rest of the field includes Fortunia, double-entered by trainer Cash Asmussen from Saturday's Osunitas Stakes; the O'Neill duo of Repo and Southern Fireball, Weekend Magic, Canniption, Got an Itch and Our Georgia. The last-named three will are on an also-eligible list.