Sorrento Stakes : Arewehavingfunyet Wins Without Shoemaker

On his 54th birthday Monday, jockey Bill Shoemaker spent the early morning hours working horses on the Del Mar track. But, a back injury suffered last month prevented him from doing any riding after the first post.

And that injury alone prevented Shoemaker from attending a party in the winner’s circle at 6 p.m. Monday, a party he was previously invited to.

Patrick Valenzuela filled in for the injured Shoemaker on Arewehavingfunyet, a 2-year-old filly, in the $50,000 Sorrento Stakes. And the Spendthrift Farms filly won easily, too easily. Even Valenzuela admitted he was just along for the ride.

“She’s a running son of a gun,” Valenzuela said. “She just galloped. She jumped some tire marks 50 yards before the wire, pricked her ears and started loafing. She won in hand.”

Arewehavingfunyet, the 9-5 favorite of the crowd of 16,266, finished 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Life at the Top. She covered the mile distance in 1:37 over the main track.

D. Wayne Lukas, a four-time Del Mar Debutante winner, won the Sorrento Stakes for the first time Monday. Lukas, who trains the race’s top two finishers, was in Oklahoma on Monday and will have two decisions to make upon returning to Del Mar. Will he point both his fillies to the $125,000 Debutante on Sept. 1? And, will Shoemaker or Valenzuela get the call aboard Arewehavingfunyet in her next start?

“The winner is a bit more seasoned, but they’re both a pair of beauties,” said Kiaran McLaughlin, an assistant to Lukas. “Arewehavingfunyet would have to be supplemented to the Del Mar Debutante, while the other filly is already eligible. I can’t say for sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw them both there.”

Shoemaker, who suffered a fractured vertebra in his lower back in spill July 26, is scheduled to return to riding on Wednesday. Shoemaker rode Arewehavingfunyet in each of her first four career starts, winning two. Valenzuela, meanwhile, rode three winners Monday and is third in the jockey standings with 24 victories.

Valenzuela’s 24th winner of the meet was worth $56,750 to Spendthrift Farms. Arewehavingfunyet, the daughter of Sham and Just Jazz, paid $5.80, $3.80 and $2.80. Life at the Top, ridden by Rafael Meza, paid $4.20 and $3.00. Python, ridden by Laffit Pincay, finished third and paid $3.20.

Life at the Top went to the lead from the gate and held a 2 1/2-length lead over Arewehavingfunyet coming out of the first turn. But Arewehavingfunyet charged up on the outside of Life at the Top on the backstretch and opened up a one-length lead on the turn.

“She was in a real good spot on the backside and picked it up on her own going into the turn,” Valenzuela said. “She went by the other filly like nothing.”

Arewehavingfunyet drew clear in the stretch and won easily. Life at the Top, similarly, was never challenged for second.

Del Mar Notes

Take My Picture, a three-year-old filly, tied the track record of 1:15 1/5 at 6 1/2 furlongs in winning Monday’s seventh race. Take My Picture, a winner in seven of her 15 career starts, was the fourth choice in Monday’s $32,000 classified allowance race. She paid $10.60 to win. . . . There were 19 Pick Six winners Monday. Each ticket was worth $4,605.80. . . . Laffit Pincay is the meet’s leading jockey with 30 wins. Chris McCarron is second with 26. . . . The $50,000 Cabrillo Handicap is Wednesday’s feature race. Executive Pride will probably be the early favorite in what should be a wide open race over 1 miles.