Machowsky sends out three in Graduation Stakes

It’s going to be a new experience for Mike Machowsky when he sends out Schulace, Utah Ute and Drizzy in Sunday’s $100,000 Graduation Stakes, a 5 ½-furlong sprint for California bred or sired 2-year-olds.

“I’ve never done anything like this (three in a stakes) before,” Machowsky said. “I’m just fortunate that Richard Barton has become such a big breeder in California and he’s got some precocious two-year-olds this year.”

Barton, owner of California Packaging Co. in Ontario, which provides cardboard products for a variety of businesses, has been a major thoroughbred breeder in the state for decades and expanded his band of broodmares in recent years to around 225. In a move to consolidate the operation, Barton just bought Magali farms in Santa Ynez – escrow cleared on Monday, Machowsky said, which will be renamed Barton Thoroughbreds and become home to the broodmare band and stallions.

Machowsky’s trio in the Graduation are all Barton homebreds. Schulace and Utah Ute are by Champ Pegasus, Drizzy by English Channel. They’ve all notched victories in their first or second career starts.

“They’re all going into the race well,” Machowsky said. “We’ll just let the jocks shake it out and see if it all comes together. Utah Ute is pretty quick and Schulace can be too. Drizzy drew outside and he can rate a little bit, but it’ll be up to the riders.”

The field from the rail: Sir Valentine (Martin Pedroza, 8-1), Smokem (Evin Roman, 7-2), Bookies Luck (Martin Garcia, 8-1), Schulace (Rafael Bejarano, 9-2), Hit The Seam (Mario Gutierrez, 12-1), Utah Ute (Jamie Theriot, 6-1), Cono (Flavien Prat, 8-1), Get Em Up Scout (Geovanni Franco, 20-1), Don’t Stalk Me (Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1), Drizzy (Joe Talamo, 5-1) and Continental Divide (Victor Espinoza, 8-1).

Source: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club