Ike Walker cruises home in one-mile feature Thursday at Del Mar
Ike Walker, a strong second choice in the betting at 2-1 under jockey Flavien Prat, surged to the lead entering the stretch and cruised to a three and three-quarter length triumph in the one-mile feature Thursday at Del Mar.
General Ike outfinished 8-5 favored Kristi’s Copilot by a head for runner-up honors, with Pioneerof the West fourth in the field of five older Thoroughbreds. Jonny’s Choice and Kristo were scratched.
Ike Walker, a son of Bellamy Road trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, ran the distance in 1:37.57 and returned $6, $3.20 and $2.20 after scoring his ninth victory in 32 career outings. General Ike paid $3.40 and $2.80, while Kristi’s Copilot returned $2.40 to show.
Talented apprentice Evin Roman continued to prosper at Del Mar this summer as he booted in three winners to expand his lead in the jockey standings. The 19-year-old from Puerto Rico won the first, fifth and sixth races to bring his victory total to 15 thus far this Del Mar season, four in front of Rafael Bejarano and Prat.
Del Mar Presents Stakes Doubleheader Saturday
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will present an attractive stakes double-header Saturday, co-featuring the Grade II $200,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap for older fillies and mares and the Grade II $200,000 Sorrento Stakes for juvenile fillies. Post time for the first of ten races will be 2 p.m.
Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella will send out the Yellow Ribbon favorite in Kentucky-bred Avenge, winner of the John C. Mabee Stakes last summer. The daughter of War Front will have Flavien Prat in the saddle carrying highweight of 123 pounds in the mile and one-sixteenth contest over the Jimmy Durante infield grass course.
Seeking to upset Avenge will be Amboseli, 114, Victor Espinoza; Kiss Me Now, 117, Tiago Pereira; Frenzified, 116, Santiago Gonzalez; Juno, 116, Gary Stevens; Hillhouse High, 119, Corey Nakatani; Pretty Girl, 118, Mike Smith, and Cambodia, 119, Drayden Van Dyke.
Diamondsandpearls, a $1.7 million buy as a yearling, figures to be a solid favorite versus six foes in the Sorrento Stakes, six and one-half furlong prelude to the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Saturday, Sept. 2. The daughter of Congrats was a brilliant winner of her only start under Mike Smith.
Lining up versus the Bob Baffert-trained Diamondsandpearls will be Surrender Now, 123, Flavien Prat; Spectator, 120, Jamie Theriot; Dancing Belle, 118, Kent Desormeaux; Terra’s Angel, 118, Sasha Risenhoover; Spirit of Shanghai, 118, Joe Talamo, and Midnight Summer, 118, Edwin Maldonado.
The Sorrento Stakes is carded as the sixth race, while the Yellow Ribbon Handicap will be run as the eighth race.
Source: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club