Paved, Fatale Bere clash in Saturday's Del Mar Oaks
Twelve 3-year-old fillies were entered Wednesday morning for Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks. In its 62nd running, the Oaks determines the meeting champion of sophomore fillies and often carries weight for national honors in Eclipse Award voting for the division.
With the post position draw scheduled later Wednesday, the entrants in alphabetical order are: Animosity (Tyler Gaffalione), Californiagoldrush (Flavien Prat), Colonia (Joel Rosario), Fatale Bere (Kent Desormeaux), Fool’s Paradise (Mario Gutierrez), Movie Moment (Gary Stevens), Ms Bad Behavior (Rafael Bejarano), Ms Peintour (Tiago Pereira), Ollie’s Candy (Tyler Baze), Paved (Drayden Van Dyke), So Hi Society (Evin Roman) and Streetwithnoname (Joe Talamo).
Fatale Bere and Paved are both back at the West Coast after journeys to New York for the Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 7 at Belmont Park. Fatale Bere finished sixth, beaten 3 ½ lengths by Athena in the Grade 1 event while Paved was eighth, a quarter-length behind Fatale Bere.
Before heading to New York, Fatale Bere and Paved had split decisions in the Grade 3 Providencia and Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Ania. Fatale Bere won the Providencia while Paved was third. Paved took the Honeymoon while Fatale Bere was a distant seventh after her saddle slipped during the race.
“`She ran a good race in New York and has been here at Del Mar since the end of July,” said Leonard Powell, trainer of Fatale Bere. “The key will be to have her covered up in the first part and then to finish strong.”
The Del Mar Handicap was also scheduled to be drawn later Wednesday. In alphabetical order the entrants are: Ashleyluvssugar (Joel Rosario), Cashman (Geovanni Franco), Colonist (Drayden Van Dyke), Fashion Business (Flavien Prat), Flamboyant (no rider), Itsinthepost (Tyler Baze), Kenjistorm (Gary Stevens), Multiplier (Tyler Gaffalione), Ritzy A.P. (no rider), Unapologetic (Kent Desormeaux), Whoop Whoop (Joe Talamo) and Ya Gotta Wanna (Tiago Pereira).
The Del Mar Handicap is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf in November at Churchill Downs.