A quick trip to Del Mar on closing day where the “Turf Meets the Surf,” turned out to be quite a wise move by John Velazquez.
Sacred Wish. Benoit Photo.
East Coast shipper snags Del Mar’s closing day feature
The Hall of Fame rider won both graded stakes on Sunday, first guiding 9-10 favorite Clock Tower to victory in the $100,000 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3) and two races later bringing home 12-1 longshot Sacred Wish in the $300,000 Matriarch Stakes (G1).
In the 1-mile Matriarch, Sacred Wish stalked the pace set by Ag Bullet, with Gina Romantica close behind in second. The 4-year-old Not This Time filly took the lead with a sixteenth-of-a-mile to go, then dug in and held off 13-10 favorite Gina Romantica by a neck. Ag Bullet was third.
Sacred Wish, trained by Geoge Weaver, returned $27.60 on a $2 win bet in her first Grade 1 victory. Winning time was 1:34.76.
“It worked out perfect, you know, the horse in the lead (Ag Bullet) took me where I thought,’’ Velazquez said. “She pulled out and she had a nice kick to fight down the lane.”
$100,000 Cecil B. DeMille
In the Cecil B. DeMille, Clock Tower ($3.80), a gelding also out of Not This Time, made it look easy after a slow second quarter in 25.13 seconds. He pulled away from six rivals with Scipio closing for second in the juvenile turf test and won in 1:36.78.
“I rode this horse for his first two starts back east and you can see what a good job Wesley (trainer Ward) has done with him,’’ Velazquez said. “He’s grown up; he’s matured. Today when I got away with that second quarter, I knew they were going to have a tough time catching us. Then, when I asked him, he went. He’s turning into a good one.”
Del Mar Saturday recap
$100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes
Will Then ($23) swept into the lead at midstretch and went on for 2 ½-length victory in the 34th running of the Jimmy Durante (G3) for 2-year-old fillies.
A daughter of War of Will, the winner was ridden by Vincent Cheminaud for trainer Jonathan Thomas.
Winning time for the mile on turf was 1:36.46. Will Then returned $23.00 to her backers. Casalu finished second with Resolve third in the field of 11.
$200,000 Seabiscuit Handicap
Mi Hermano Ramon came running hard through the stretch under Hector Berrios and pulled off an upset in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2).
Mi Hermano Ramon, a 4-year-old gelded son of Creative Cause, was sent off at 11-1 and returned $24.80. Redistricting, the 3-2 favorite, was a half-length back in second. Astronomer was a neck back in third in the field of 12.
Trained by Mark Glatt, the winner covered the 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:41.07 in his first grades stakes victory.
“He’s going to run his race. He’s going to fall back. He’s not a horse that can quicken so we just wanted to keep him in the clear. Don’t want to lose any momentum with him because once he gets going, he comes pretty good. Hector put a perfect ride on him, they parted the seas for him, and he got a spot and got the ‘W.’”
$300,000 Hollywood Derby
Formidable Man was all that, taking the lead at the sixteenth pole and edging away for a three-quarter length victory over King of Gosford in the Hollywood Derby (G1).
Sent off as the fourth betting choice 5.30-1 in a field of 11 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on turf, Formidable Man picked up his first Grade 1 win and improved his record to 10-5-2-0 and earnings of $637,425.
The City of Light colt was ridden by Umberto Rispoli for trainer Michael McCarthy. King of Gosford was a neck in front of third-place finisher Donegal Momentum. Slight favorite Carson’s Run was fifth.
Formidable Man is now 4-for-4 at Del Mar and extended his winning streak to three in row – all at Del Mar – the Oceanside Stakes, Del Mar Derby (G2) and now the Hollywood Derby.
The winner returned $12.60 and covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.40.
“I wasn’t sure what to make of the pace. On paper it didn’t look like there was going to be a ton,’’ McCarthy said. “Glad to see we were sitting where we were just behind the speed. He always looked like he was threatening to run a big one. A hole opened up and he exploded.”
Del Mar Friday recap
$200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup
Truly Quality started near the of the pack, made steady progress to the front, and rallied between rivals in the final furlong for a half-length win in the Hollywood Turf Cup (G2).
The 8-5 favorite returned $5.20 and covered the 1 ½ miles on turf in 2:28.54. The 4-year-old gelding by Quality Road was ridden by Vincent Cheminaud for trainer Jonathan Thomas.
The race, which had nine runners, is the longest in the track’s Turf Festival final weekend. Balnikhov, was third, with Nineeleventurbo third. Truly Quality how now won five of 13 career starts.
“For whatever reason he’s falling off of the pace, but he comes running and I thought his stamina really came into play today,’’ Thomas said. “Great ride given the circumstances with the wide post, but we were able to save ground.”