Sandy Blue Ends in Dead Heat

In only the fourth win dead heat in  Del Mar stakes history, Go Forth North and Warren's Jitterburg reached the finish exactly together in Friday's featured $87,675 Sandy Blue Handicap for three-year-old fillies.

At the end of a thrilling renewal of the one-mile race over the infield grass course, the photo finish camera was unable to separate Go Forth North, a 13-1 longshot piloted by Omar Berrio, and Warren's Jitterburg, sent postward at 9-2 under Patrick Valenzuela.

A head behind the embattled deadheaters was third-place Fortunia, the 2-1 favorite in a field of eight fillies. La Nez and Sandy Cheeks were withdrawn from the original field.

Time for the distance was 1:34.27.

Go Forth North, owned by L-Bo Racing, Pyle and Summer of Fun Stables and trained by A.C. Avila, paid $13, $10 and $5.60. Warren's Jitterbug, representing owner Benjamin C. Warren and trainer Jorge Gutierrez, returned $6.20, $5 and $3.20. Futunia paid $3.60 to show.

Go Forth North is a daughter of North Light who was scoring her second win in eight starts, while Warren's Jitterburg, by Affirmative, was recording her third victory in 13 efforts. Go Forth North won $32,370, while Warren's Jitterbug picked up a check for $39,120.

Previous stakes deadheats for win at Del Mar were the 1946 Bing Crosby Handicap, War Allies and Indian Watch; the 1968 Del Mar Derby, Prince Hemp and Glory Hallelujah, and the second division of the 1973 Rancho Bernardo Handicap, Dollar Discount and D.B. Carm.