The Running Horse (http://www.isd1.com)BLANKET FINISH IN DEL MAR DERBY BRINGS FOUR WINNING EFFORTS
One of the heartbreakers in the business of Thoroughbred racing is running well enough to win, but not making it to the winner's circle. Three horses fit that description as a result of a blanket finish in Monday's Grade II, $300,000 Del Mar Derby.
The Charlie Whittingham-trained Rainbow Blues went to the winner's circle, but The Barking Shark, Mateo and Ambivalent also gave winning efforts. The Irish- bred Rainbow Blues, making his first start in the United States, won the race by a head over The Barking Shark. A nose farther back was Mateo, who finished a head in front of Ambivalent.
Tim Yakteen, assistant to Whittingham, said this morning that Rainbow Blues came out of the race with "not a bother on him." He walked the barn area for the second day in a row.
Yakteen said one of the factors that went into the decision of the Frankfurt Stable to buy the 3-year-old son of Bluebird was that he seemed "to flourish on firm ground. He had a very fluid action, and we felt he would fit very well here."
Trainer Marcelo Polanco had to settle for second once again with his game trainee, The Barking Shark. With his runner-up finish in the Del Mar Derby, the gelded son of Naevus became the first horse to finish second in all three of the seaside course's top 3-year-old events. The former claimer lost by two lengths to Caribbean Pirate in the first division of the Oceanside Stakes and by a neck to Ambivalent in the Grade III La Jolla Handicap.
"That's the story of my life," said trainer Marcelo Polanco about The Barking Shark's runner-up finish. That comment also covered the August 25 running of the Del Mar Debutante, where the Polanco-trained Desert Digger finished second to D. Wayne Lukas' Sharp Cat.
The trainer said The Barking Shark came out of the race in fine shape, and may run next in the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.
Ian Jory said Mateo got blocked at one point on the backstretch, and the trainer thinks that might have cost the gelding three lengths. Even so, Jory said his trainee got his nose in front for a few strides in deep stretch. "He ran a good race," Jory said. "He's been unlucky here. He should have won the Oceanside but he got stopped, and in the La Jolla, he couldn't get through until it was too late."
The Bay Meadows Derby could be next for Mateo, Jory said, adding that Mateo, a gelding by the Halo stallion Lil Tyler, could show up, also, on Santa Anita's main course for the California Cup Classic.
Trainer Mike Orman had nothing but good words for his trainee, Ambivalent, who was trying to be the first to capture all three of Del Mar's prime 3- year-old stakes. The bay colt won the second division of the Oceanside Stakes and came back to win the La Jolla.
"He tried hard," Orman said of his fourth-place finisher. "He's a nice horse. That's just horse racing. He ran into a little bit of trouble at the head of the lane, but that's the name of the game. He gave an honest effort. You can't ask much more of him."
Orman hasn't made a decision yet, but either the Cal Cup Classic or the Cal Cup Mile on the turf are possibilities for the colt, a son of the Mr. Prospector stallion Rhodes.
NAKATANI, MITCHELL CONTINUE TO LEAD JOCKEY, TRAINER STANDINGS
With seven racing days remaining, Corey Nakatani and Mike Mitchell appear to be on their way to finish Del Mar's 43-day meet as champions in their categories. If they do, it will be the second time for 25-year-old Nakatani and the sixth for Mitchell, which would leave him second to his mentor, Farrell Jones, the seaside track's all-time winningest trainer, with 11 championships and 374 victories.
Through this past Monday's races, Nakatani had registered 39 victories, giving him a six-win cushion over Alex Solis' 33. One win behind Solis is Patrick Valenzuela with 32, putting him one up on Chris McCarron, who has 31. Kent Desormeaux and Eddie Delahoussaye fill out the top five with 24 wins apiece.
Among Nakatani's victories are seven stakes wins, which move him to within one of tying Fernando Toro for eighth on the all-time stakes-winning list at Del Mar. Nakatani's victory in Monday's Del Mar Derby gave him 37 in his Del Mar career. The retired Toro has 38.
In the trainer's race, Mitchell holds a 14-12 edge on Bob Baffert. Jenine Sahadi, Ron McAnally and Jack Carava are tied for third with 10 wins each.
A FIELD OF FIVE, MAYBE SEVEN, SHAPES UP FOR DEL MAR'S PALOMAR 'CAP
Top-weighted Flagbird could lead a field of as few as five, or as many as seven, in Saturday's Grade II, $125,000-added Palomar Handicap as Del Mar opens its final weekend-racing program. The 43-day meeting will finish on Wednesday, September 11, with the Del Mar Futurity.
The Palomar, for fillies and mares, 3 years old and upward, will be at 1 1/16 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
Aside from Flagbird, who will carry 118 pounds, with no rider named yet, those who are solid for the race are Smolensk, who will carry 116, including jockey Eddie Delahoussaye; Yearly Tour, also at 116, including Chris McCarron; Real Connection, 114, with G.F. Almeida; and Slewvera, 113, with Kent Desormeaux.
On the fence for the race are Inscrutable Dancer, who will carry 112, and Wheatley Special, who gets in at 110 pounds.
ROCKING CHAIR DERBY TO TEST AGELESS RIDING SKILLS ON SATURDAY
For the ninth time, the riding skills of jockeys of yesteryear will be tested in Saturday's running of the Rocking Chair Derby at Del Mar. The race, which will draw the saddle services of seven oldtimers, will be presented as a betless exhibition following the day's seventh race.
All set to ride are last year's winner Ray York, along with Rudy Campas, Bill Harmatz, Jack Leonard, Alex Maese, Frank Olivares and Danny Velasquez. Velasquez and Olivares are trainers at Del Mar who get up on horses every day, so they don't have to worry as much about getting fit for the race.
That's not the case for the others. Maese, 67, and Harmatz, 65, have been galloping horses throughout the meeting to get themselves in shape, Maese for Sandy Shulman and Walter Greenman, and Harmatz for his old buddy, Bill Shoemaker. York, 62, arrived last weekend to hone his skills by galloping horses for Henry Moreno.
Honorary stewards for the race are Bill Shoemaker, Johnny Longden and Ismael "Milo" Valenzueala.
SHORE LINES: Trainer Willard Proctor, who had fainted on Sunday prior to the running of the Chula Vista Handicap, was back at his old stand this morning on Del Mar's backstretch. Actually, Proctor was back in action Monday afternoon after spending a night for observation at La Jolla's Scripps Memorial Hospital .... Jockey Fernando Valenzuela and agent Ray Kravagna have parted company after three years of working together. Valenzuela's business now will be handled by Paul Truitt, who earlier booked mounts for Michael Hunter, who moved to Kravagna as agent a couple of weeks ago .... Recent notable workouts: 3 furlongs - Cool Freddie, :37 3/5; Elmhurst, :34 4/5; Megan's Interco, :37; 4 furlongs - Alpride, :49 1/5; Roar, :47 1/5; Gastronomical, :47; 5 furlongs - Antespend, 1:00 2/5; Criollito, 1:00 1/5; Dramatic Gold, :58 2/5; Broad Dynamite, 1:02 3/5; 6 furlongs - Fancy 'n Fabulous, 1:11 3/5; Yearly Tour, 1:11 4/5; 7 furlongs - Alphabet Soup, 1:29 2/5; Red, 1:27 4/5.
The Running Horse (http://www.isd1.com)