Horse Racing Roundup : Clouds Daughter Comes From Behind for Victory in 30th Osunitas Stakes

Irish-bred Clouds Daughter made a successful sweepstakes debut Saturday, charging from behind down the stretch to win the $50,000 Osunitas Stakes in front of 24,322 fans at Del Mar.

The race capped a three-win day for jockey Sandy Hawley, the meet’s leading rider with seven victories.

John Sullivan, Clouds Daughter’s trainer, said the mare had earned a chance to run a stakes race because of her fine performances in claiming races. Clouds Daughter had won her last two starts at Hollywood Park.

“She has been doing so well lately we had to give her a shot in this stake,” Sullivan said.

Clouds Daughter, the favorite in the 12-horse field at 3-1, paid $8, $5 and $3.80. The 30th Osunitas Stakes, run over 1 1/16 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, was limited to fillies and mares, 3 and older who had not won a stakes race worth more than $12,000.

Hawley said Clouds Daughter handled herself well in the crowded field.

“She had a perfect race,” Hawley said. “She broke good and had nice position the whole way. You always hope for that with such a big field. She really accelerated when I asked her to run. Three horses were in front of her all the way, and she didn’t lose any ground on the turns.”

Wine Taster, a 30-1 shot ridden by Alex Solis, broke quickly at the start and led for the first three-quarters of the race before fading to last at the finish.

Agitated Miss, with Rafael Meza in the saddle, took the lead at the start of the stretch run. But Clouds Daughter, never farther behind than fourth place, moved in front near the 16th pole and drew away, winning by two lengths.

Agitated Miss wound up second by a neck over Sovereign Honey, ridden by Ray Sibille. Agitated Miss paid $6.80 and $2.40 while Sovereign Honey paid $6.20.

Meza said he was impressed by Clouds Daughter’s kick in the stretch run.

“I had an outside post and tried to work myself down,” he said. “The other filly (Clouds Daughter) had dead aim, and she went by me like I was standing still.”

Del Mar Notes Bill Shoemaker did not take any of his scheduled mounts Saturday while he recovered from the effects of a spill Friday. He is also expected to skip today’s races and return to action Monday, said Harry Silbert, Shoemaker’s agent. After being unseated in the third race Friday, Shoemaker was taken to a local hospital for X-rays, which proved negative. However, he experienced soreness in his left hip and decided to sit out the weekend’s races. Shoemaker, 53, the all-time leading jockey in thoroughbred racing with more than $101 million in earnings, has experienced several serious accidents over his 36-year career. In 1968, he was sidelined for 13 months by a broken leg suffered after a fall during a race. In 1969, a horse sat on him during pre-race activities, breaking his pelvis. That mishap kept him out of action for three months.